Navigation Course
GPS Navigation: Using CalTopo and Gaia GPS
Seattle - 2019 - An introduction to GPS and how the Trip Planning Workflow integrates with GPS.
- Rolling Enrollment: Sat, Dec 1, 2018 - Thu, Sep 26, 2019
- Committee: Seattle Navigation Committee
- Members: $40.00 Guests: $55.00
- Availability: 5 (75 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
This is an entry level class that introduces GPS and how the Trip Planning Workflow makes use of GPS. The class consists of two parts:
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1. An online presentation with exercises that is viewed and completed at home (approx 4-5 hours to complete).
2. An in-person workshop that will focus on planning a short trip, uploading this data to your device, and then using the data to navigate around the Program Center (approx 2.5 hours).
The applications used in this class are GaiaGPS on a smartphone (for both Android and IOS devices), and Caltopo for the online trip planning segment.
Students will need to register and pay for this main class, then select one of the in-person workshops to attend. The online content will be sent to the student 2 weeks prior to the start of the in-person workshop that you signed up for, and MUST be completed prior to attending the workshop. Once both parts are completed, you will earn a GPS navigation badge.
The learning goals for this class are as follows:
- Understand how GPS works, its history, and the various networks available.
- Understand how to recognize common accuracy and technology issues when using a GPS device, and various solutions available.
- Understand what options are available for emergency communications (one and two-way satellite communications and Personal Locator Beacons) and how they are used in a rescue scenario.
- Understand what options are available for both dedicated GPS devices and smartphone GPS applications.
- Understand how the Trip Planning Workflow makes use of GPS. NOTE: This is NOT a comprehensive trip planning class.
- Obtain a basic level of understanding of GaiaGPS and Caltopo to be able to plan a trip and navigate short routes in the field following a course/bearing, track, route or waypoints.
Finally, students completing this class will receive credit for the GPS section of Seattle's Wilderness Navigation class if taking this in the future.
Badges you will earn:
This course has no scheduled activities.
A GPS enabled Smartphone with the new GaiaGPS App installed. This can either be the IOS or Android version depending on which type of smartphone you have. The Gaia application is free to download, and the Mountaineers will give you a free premium subscription for a year provided you are a member.
A laptop computer (or tablet) with internet connectivity. You will need to connect to the internet and view the online presentation while at home. Also, you will need to bring this computer to the in-person workshop and be able to connect to the Mountaineers public Wi-Fi. You should also be able to receive and send email from this laptop.
Digital map of the program center area pre-loaded into your smartphone device prior to class.
Headlamp for the outdoor exercises.
Appropriate clothing for the weather. The in-person workshops have an outdoor section.
The following computer skills are required: The ability to download and upload files to your computer/smartphone via the internet, the ability to send email, and the ability to install applications on your smartphone device.
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