Novel uses of GPS?

July 10, 2003

Anybody have any interesting stories of novel uses of GPS's?

For example, I recently heard of a woman that suspected her husband of seeing someone else, so she put a GPS in his car, then later retrieved it and followed the breadcrumbs to a motel.

24.7k · July 10, 2003

I've seen it posted where someone tried to measure the surface elvation of a lake by floating their GPS. It fried the GPS though.

July 10, 2003

You can use a GPS to mark the greens on a golf course. Then on subsequent visits you know how close to the green you are +/- 15 ft.

--RuffRidr

July 10, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by RuffRidr:
You can use a GPS to mark the greens on a golf course. Then on subsequent visits you know how close to the green you are +/- 15 ft.

--RuffRidr

But isn't it hard on the GPS to whack it with a Five Iron?

July 10, 2003

I rather like the GPS Drawing project. Their gallery is pretty cool.

Stu

July 10, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Stu & Sarah:
I rather like the http://www.gpsdrawing.com/ project. Their gallery is pretty cool.

Stu

yes, it looks like something on the Nazca Plains.

1.3k · July 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by RuffRidr:
You can use a GPS to mark the greens on a golf course. Then on subsequent visits you know how close to the green you are +/- 15 ft.

That's all well and good... but does anyone make golf balls that will follow a gps waypoint rather than my pathetic swing? Maybe then I would't lose so many.

July 11, 2003

well, i have heard of people using them to clock the speed of their lawnmowers

the military uses gps in artillery rounds to monitor the trajectory and lots of data about the flight of the rounds as they head for the target, maybe you could find a way to make a golf ball land on target?

1.3k · July 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by kevin917z:
well, i have heard of people using them to clock the speed of their lawnmowers

the military uses gps in artillery rounds to monitor the trajectory and lots of data about the flight of the rounds as they head for the target, maybe you could find a way to make a golf ball land on target?

Now that could just work... need somebody who can aim properly though... really, you'd have to see me play. Looking on the brightside, I get much more excercise than the average golfer when playing!

July 11, 2003

Another useful application is finding your car in the parking lot after attending a sporting event or, shudder, the local discount mall.

July 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by kevin917z:
well, i have heard of people using them to clock the speed of their lawnmowers

the military uses gps in artillery rounds to monitor the trajectory and lots of data about the flight of the rounds as they head for the target, maybe you could find a way to make a golf ball land on target?

I feel sorry for the poor sap who had to ride those artillery rounds AND try to read the GPS at the same time.....

--------------------------------------------------

"If you ever go temporarily insane, don't shoot somebody, like a lot of people do. Instead, try to get some weeding done, because you'd really be surprised." - Jack Handy

1.4k · July 11, 2003

Hammer?

July 11, 2003

I have a teen-age daughter with her temporary license. I give the GPS to her 9-year-old brother when she is driving. He watches the speed and lets her know when she is driving too fast. Annoying to her, but an effective cure to her lead foot...

July 12, 2003

I duct taped my etrex to the hood of my John Deere lawnmower & it told me after 1 & 3/4 hours I had travelled 8.9kms.

July 12, 2003

Well, the golf cart can go 24.3 MPH, cutting the grass took me 2.3 miles at an avg speed of 10.4 MPH. I used it to measure the driveway to end a dispute. .23 miles. I used it to calculate the size of the pastures, 2.

5 acres. Marked out "roughly" where the new fence will go. and when horseback riding I duct-taped my legend (in a ziplock) to my helmet. top speed 12.8 MPH, went 6.76 miles. One trip around the ring is .21 miles. The trail we made is 1.32 miles. and once I strapped it on my dog to find out where she was going on her frequent wanderings. (we had to put a fence up when we found just how far she goes) And that is just the start. You can do come cool things if you put your mind to it.

Joe Smith

I seek the Holy Grail!

July 12, 2003

I was once lucky enough to be on the front of a ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island and I had my GPS with me.

Did you know the ferry travels at about 20 mph?

July 14, 2003

BC Ferries Queen of Vancouver we hit about 36 km/hour running with the tide I suspect, leaving Active pass on the Vancouver side. It was also neat to see the track we layed down as we had to swing hard to miss a couple of really STUPID sailboat operators...Right turn Cylde....

Without your brain, a map is a piece of coloured paper, a compass is a glorified magnet, and a GPS is a waterproof battery case." " Foothills SAR "

July 15, 2003

I've just taken up cycling for the exercise (as opposed to taking it up for fun!). I use the GPS to track how far I've ridden, and average speed (I try to keep it at about 10mph.) Yes, I can get a speedometer for the bike to do all this as well, but the GPSr is already paid for...

-- RK

"I drank WHAT?!?" -- Socrates

July 15, 2003

My speedometer and odometer do not work on my Bronco, and I used it to make the truck eligible for my daughter to use it to pass her driving test for the DMV. On the highway I will occasionally turn it on to find out how badly I am breaking the speed limit.

I also use it to measure distance to targets out in the woods for practice shooting my rifle. 300 feet is a 100 yard target, and a whole lot more accurate than pacing it off.

26 days until California's Coastal Rifle Deer Season Opens!!!!!!!!!

______________________________

How do they get a deer to cross at that yellow road sign?

http://www.geocities.com/cacheinon

July 17, 2003

Well, how about this?

I had the pleasure of meeting Olivier Humez when I attended (and proudly wore my Geocaching shirt) KAPiCA/02 in November of last year. It was an international gathering of folks who do low level aerial photography using a kite to lift the camera.

Olivier won the technical award for his rig that not only had a video feed for aiming the rig but he also transmitted data about his digital camera and from his GPSr that was attached to his rig. It was amazing. Put my rigs to shame!

George

2.7k · July 18, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Hiemdahl:
Another useful application is finding your car in the parking lot after attending a sporting event or, shudder, the local discount mall.

Hmmm...haven't though of that one. Good one, man!

July 19, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by kevin917z:
well, i have heard of people using them to clock the speed of their lawnmowers

4 MPH. I didn't check the mileage as I lose sats under the dense maple trees. It only takes about 10 minutes though...which would be 2/3rd's of a mile.

(Hey, the lawn tractor was cheaper than a used mower: $50!)

Grin,

Randy

PS: Used it to mark likely put-ins/take-outs white-water canoe/kayaking seen from the river. Used it as a speedometer for everything from kayak to bike to mower to plane. Used it as an odometer w/a hiking group. Trying to break 50 MPH downhill skiing (got up to 47 at Vail, CO).

July 19, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by kevin917z:
well, i have heard of people using them to clock the speed of their lawnmowers

4 MPH. I didn't check the mileage as I lose sats under the dense maple trees. It only takes about 10 minutes though...which would be 2/3rd's of a mile.

(Hey, the lawn tractor was cheaper than a used mower: $50 delivered!)

Grin,

Randy

PS: Used it to mark likely put-ins/take-outs white-water canoe/kayaking seen from the river. Used it as a speedometer for everything from kayak to bike to mower to plane. Used it as an odometer w/a hiking group. Trying to break 50 MPH downhill skiing (got up to 47 at Vail, CO).

July 19, 2003

One thing I like to do is take my GPS when I am traveling on commerical jets. If I get a seat by the window, it sits nicely on my armrest. It is interesting to watch the speed, altitude and know what you are flying over.

July 20, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Brant:
One thing I like to do is take my GPS when I am traveling on commerical jets. If I get a seat by the window, it sits nicely on my armrest. It is interesting to watch the speed, altitude and know what you are flying over.

I'm flying from Chi-town to Denver soon. I'm gonna have to try it.

July 25, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Brant:
One thing I like to do is take my GPS when I am traveling on commerical jets. If I get a seat by the window, it sits nicely on my armrest. It is interesting to watch the speed, altitude and know what you are flying over.

If you listen to the flight attendant instructions at the beginning of the flight, they will tell you that you are forbidden from turning on any GPS devices in flight.

July 25, 2003

Actually it's not illegal, or damaging to any flight control or nav receivers. It's generally just a policy of each particular airline. I'll look up a reference for that and post as soon as I find it, or I KNOW I'll get flamed!!

"There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

July 25, 2003

OK, I read the reference, and it is a bit more complicated than I alluded..

So here it is for yourself..

http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/gpsrfi.htm

And this list of who does and doesn't allow them..

http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm

"There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

38.2k · July 26, 2003

I've used mine for calculating my speed while skiing (43 mph) and total vertical feet for the day (forget the exact number but it was in the mid 30 thousands).

I also used it during trail work to re-route a hiking trail around private property. I found the property line stake then walked about 100 yards from it (onto state land)and marked a waypoint. Then I drove to the other end of the trail and walked to where the trail was about to enter private property.

Hit go to and using the directional arrow and topo display to choose the route, I started flagging it. A crew followed me with weed whackers, loppers and a chainsaw. It made what is usually a pain in the neck procedure, very easy.

"Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day" - Dave Barry

July 26, 2003

We used our GPS to set up "azimuth markers" for setting up our beam antenna on Amateur (radio) Field Day ops.

July 28, 2003

While traveling the back roads of South Dakota, we map the approximate location of all the concrete silos that my father-in-law's company built in the 60's.

July 30, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Dad and the Dynamic Duo:
Well, how about http://perso.wanadoo.fr/ohumez/kapelectronics/susvide1.htm#gps?

I had the pleasure of meeting Olivier Humez when I attended (and proudly http://www.dolphinazur.nl/kapnet/KAPiCA02/d.jpg my Geocaching shirt) KAPiCA/02 in November of last year. It was an international gathering of folks who do low level aerial photography using a kite to lift the camera.

Olivier won the technical award for his rig that not only had a video feed for aiming the rig but he also transmitted data about his digital camera and from his GPSr that was attached to his rig. It was amazing. Put my http://www.kitekam.com/rigs.htm to shame!

George

Wow that's pretty high tech. I've been looking at Kite Aerial Photography for a while now (I think I first saw a link to it somewhere on this board about a year ago), and it's amazing how involved some people get with it. It's kinda like Geocaching like that. I've been meaning to build a rig and give it a try, but I've just never gotten around to it. I really liked your house/barn pics on your page by the way.

Mr. 0

"Remember that nature and the elements are neither your friend or your enemy - they are actually disinterested."

Department of the Army Field Manual FM 21-76 "Survival" Oct. 1970

July 30, 2003

Mr. O wrote:

quote:
Wow that's pretty high tech. I've been looking at Kite Aerial Photography for a while now (I think I first saw a link to it somewhere on this board about a year ago), and it's amazing how involved some people get with it. It's kinda like Geocaching like that. I've been meaning to build a rig and give it a try, but I've just never gotten around to it. I really liked your house/barn pics on your page by the way.

Thanks! KAP has taken a back seat to caching - primarily because my family can enjoy it with me too where KAP is harder to do as a family event and have all enjoy the experience. They're both kinda geeky cool. The big difference is that with caching we try to keep a low profile to avoid geomuggles. With kite flying, it is not unusual for me to draw a crowd. Though I do hang some unusual stuff from kites. Two weeks ago, we were with friends at the beach and I had only brought a mid-sized delta and no KAP gear. On of my friends broke his lawn chair so I put it on the line and sent it up. A chair 200 feet in the air tends to draw attention!

Shoot me an e-mail if I can help in any way. I know of some great resources that could help you get a rig in the air. For example, here is a simple kit including the camera for $25USD.

George

July 31, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by HitsMan and Chris:

quote:
Originally posted by Brant:
One thing I like to do is take my GPS when I am traveling on commerical jets. If I get a seat by the window, it sits nicely on my armrest. It is interesting to watch the speed, altitude and know what you are flying over.

If you listen to the flight attendant instructions at the beginning of the flight, they will tell you that you are forbidden from turning on any GPS devices in flight.

If you fly SouthWest and read their list of what you can and cannot have on, that will tell you that GRPRs can be on in-flight (but not while landing ot taxiing). The flight attendants will direct you to this list. American is the same way.

August 1, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:
I've used mine for calculating my speed while skiing (43 mph) and total vertical feet for the day (forget the exact number but it was in the mid 30 thousands).

Brian, since GPS uses triangulation between satelites is the speed accurate when going downhill? Wouldn't that just show you how fast you are moving forward, but not account for the speed of drop? Therefore if it said you were going 43 you were actually moving faster. If you knew the angle of drop you could calculate the speed.

Is my reasoning logical?

PSUPAUL of

Team Geo-Remdation

August 1, 2003

> Brian, since GPS uses triangulation between satelites is the speed accurate when going downhill?

Actually, they use trilateration which is just like triangulation except with spheres instead of circles. Working in three dimensions doesn't care whether it's horizontal or vertical movement for the calculation of speed or distance. It's one point in 3D space to another point in 3D space. It should be as accurate for the vertical movent component as for the horizontal.

August 2, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Dad and the Dynamic Duo:

Though I do hang some unusual stuff from kites. Two weeks ago, we were with friends at the beach and I had only brought a mid-sized delta and no KAP gear. On of my friends broke his lawn chair so I put it on the line and sent it up. A chair 200 feet in the air tends to draw attention!

Shoot me an e-mail if I can help in any way. I know of some great resources that could help you get a rig in the air. For example, http://www.drachen.org/store_kits.html is a simple kit including the camera for $25USD.

George

That's really funny about the lawn chair. I guess from what I've read about KAP, I didn't realize that kites could lift that much weight. Everyone is always talking about making their rigs lighter and everything, I thought it was going to be a problem. I was actually going to start building a rig, but held off until I could research lighter materials. I guess I don't really need to worry about that to such a degree.

Also thanks for the link to the rig there. I'm still considering that, however I'll probably end up building a rig, since I want the convenience of being able to position the camera with servos and not have to bring it down to advance the film. I think I may have some servos laying around somewhere anyhow.

Mr. 0

"Remember that nature and the elements are neither your friend or your enemy - they are actually disinterested."

Department of the Army Field Manual FM 21-76 "Survival" Oct. 1970

August 6, 2003

Geo Golf??? As you play a round of golf this weekend (instead of Geocaching...pleez not any more. Caching is more fun and I get more exercise than with golf!!) Mark each hole with a waypoint. Then next weekend, you can tell the distance to any hole. Great in club selection and answering the age old question of "who is away".

Bob ~

Early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese...

Isn't the best way to save face to keep the lower part shut?...Stephen Wright

2.3k · August 7, 2003

Did you know the average 767 Jet is going about 180-190 mph at the moment it leaves the ground. I know I was bad to have it on... my wife has caught me twice and made me turn it off.

---------------------------------------------------

Free your mind and the rest will follow

August 24, 2003

a model rocket group near me has put eTrek Vistas in rockets to see the speed, hight, and path of the flight.

i thought that was cool, untill they told me they have lost 2 vistas to crashes.

i forgot to add, one guy puts a GPS III+ in an remote controlled plane for the same reasons.

[This message was edited by We3Dements on August 24, 2003 at 03:09 PM.]

August 25, 2003

Does a GPSr actually work to measure speed in a model rocket? Since it travels more or less up and down, do GPSr measure speed w/ changes in altitude? I know that when you're riding in the car it'll obviously measure speed across land. I just haven't jumped off any cliffs w/ my GPS to see if it measured speed in a vertical plane.

Mr. 0

"Remember that nature and the elements are neither your friend or your enemy - they are actually disinterested."

Department of the Army Field Manual FM 21-76 "Survival" Oct. 1970

August 28, 2003

I use it in my boat to see how fast it goes (electric motors, about 5.2MPH max), checked my speedometer error in my truck. I also like to set the house waypoint as a goto when returning from trips, 2 hours to go seems better than 120 miles for some reason.

I'm gonna clock my mower this weekend, what a great idea

August 29, 2003

Model plane goes transatlantic

Check this out!

Cheers,

老盖

August 29, 2003

good ideas have ta try some

September 6, 2003

Sort of a spin on the husbands extramarital activity found out by the wife, one of my buddies was always bragging about getting a little on the side, taking advantage of lonely wives etc. He often left our company on boys night out, came back an hour or two later telling how good it was etc. Well one night I duct taped my GPSr to the inside of his tailgate, retrived it when he returned. Next day we followed the trail, damm, seemed he went to an erotic massage place, checked it out, Yep now he says pay for play is okay, you get to feel good all over and get a little extra rub for a $20.00 tip, not sure we agree but it was a laugh when we told him about it.

Gordon Parsons, Labrador

September 6, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Squatting Dog:
Anybody have any interesting stories of novel uses of GPS's?

For example, I recently heard of a woman that suspected her husband of seeing someone else, so she put a GPS in his car, then later retrieved it and followed the breadcrumbs to a motel.

HA! Now that's clever!

September 16, 2003

I fish from a kayak or canoe, sometimes using a Hummingbird SmartCast wireless fish finder. When I find a bunch of fish below, I'll mark a waypoint, then work my way back and forth over the school, or paddle back if I'm blown off the spot. The technique got me and my four-year-old son enough for dinner one evening.

September 17, 2003

Use of a gps is standard equipment in Hang Gliders, especially if you want to be picked up by your retrievers, I am sure Balloonists also use them. Gliders get good tracking of record flights, speed, path, distance and duration, not to mention taking the hot air out of altitude stories.

Having a device that records WHERE you were and can be saved is a really good thing...

NOW WHERE WAS THAT THERMAL?

Trash-out, EVERYtime

~~

Geo-cach-er, n. generally a highy technically competent person with lots of free time. (see also- "Unemployed", Computer administrator, aircraft technician- defense worker- dot-com executive- systems administrator, et.al)

September 22, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by kristine bean:

quote:
Originally posted by Squatting Dog:
Anybody have any interesting stories of novel uses of GPS's?

For example, I recently heard of a woman that suspected her husband of seeing someone else, so she put a GPS in his car, then later retrieved it and followed the breadcrumbs to a motel.

HA! Now that's clever!

Check out this thread

Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

September 24, 2003

I've heard of an amateur radio op. who had their car stolen. They happend to have an APRSstation in the car. This was used to recover the car.

Novel uses of GPS?

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