GPS has really revolutionised flying. As well as the expensive panel avionics that are fitted to new aircraft (and being retrofitted to older aircraft), cheap hand-held GPS units are adding to the old navigation techniques that have been a traditional part of flying. Here are some of the great things about using GPS in the cockpit as a VFR or visual pilot:

A few pointers on how Scott uses his GPS while 4WD'ing

• I simply know the tracks, but I use the GPS to work out the best and safest way of getting there by making a route on Topomap on my laptop, I then download it to my GPS. It makes for a much easier way of navigating.
• If I need to change the plan during a trip because of adverse
  weather conditions or participant comfort I can simply alter the route.

MinuteWar is a game of capture-the-flag using the whole world as the playing field. Every player uses their own local map, but all maps are combined so that all players compete against everyone else at the same time, no matter where they live.

GPS units have proven to be a useful tool for hunters over recent years. A lot of hunters now realise that they are both affordable and easy to use.

If choosing a GPS unit specifically for hunting make sure you purchase one that will work well under tree cover. There has been much debate over which types of GPS work best. The Garmin 12 (recently discontinued) has proven to be an excellent value for money hunters GPS. Some say the Etrex models do not work so well under tree cover.

Mountain Bike Images

A mountain bike (or road bike) can easily be adapted for general gps or geocaching use by fitting a gps receiver handlebar mount. There are commercial handlebar mounts by both gps manufacturers and third-party suppliers available for most of the common gps receivers used for geocaching, but these can be expensive as they are imported. A simple homemade mounting can be made by the average DIYer in an hour of two and can be attached easily to the handlebar by Velcro. An example of such a homemade mounting is pictured. This particular mounting made of perspex, Bisonboard and Velcro, fitting both a road bike and a mountain bike, has done many, many kilometres of service over varying surfaces with no problems.

Dash Point

Have you found all of the geocaches close to home? If so, geodashing is for you!

Geodashing is a game in which players use GPS receivers on a playing field that covers the entire planet. The waypoints - dashers call them dashpoints - to be reached are randomly selected each month. The win goes to who can get to the most dashpoints; that is, if you can get to them at all! Each game has a new set of dashpoints making each game completely different and unpredictable.

Zero'ed GPS

Do you want something a little more challenging? Then the Degree Confluence Project may be for you. The goal of the project is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures and post them to the web site.

There are a number of confluences in New Zealand. Many are either on private land, or are rather inaccessable, so taking them on will usually require some planning and/or permission. But the trips are enjoyable and well worth it if you make the the effort. And if you're lucky, you'll even find a geocache or two at them!

Geocaching is a hi-tech game of hide-and-seek. Placers hide a container, and it is your mission to try and find them using only your GPS and any clues you are given. Once you find it, you can log your find in the logbook in the cache, and even exchange trinkets!

This is the activity that has bought a lot of us together, including those that started this site. It started in May 2000, after the Clinton Administration removed the signal degradation in the Global Positioning System. The first cache was placed on the 3rd of May in Oregon, and from there it has gone on to become a worldwide activity adopted by many enthusiasts.