Long gone are the days when humans had to rely solely on the stars to know their general position on the earth. Today we have the highly accurate GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites that rotate around the earth, constantly transmitting information. This information can then quickly be analyzed by computers to trilaterate the receiver's exact position to within a few yards. That is information much more accurate than looking at starts.

This technology has rapidly advanced since it was initially created. Since then we can now put one of these GPS receiving devices in something a small as a watch, bringing GPS technology down to the personal level.

A GPS tracking watch will do all the normal things a watch can do - fit on your wrist, tell the time, and look really cool for all the ladies (or gentlemen). But GPS tracking watches also allow you to do some other things that really can enhance certain aspects of your life, like your fitness routine.

Suunto X10 Gps Watch FREE SHIPPING FREE Solar Charger SPX 900 Included with Purchase. Using solar panel technology the SPX.900 charges portable electronics including the X10. It's ideal for use in the backcountry or as a green alternative to traditional outlet charging. Because the SPX.900 uses a USB cable to connect to your electronic devices it can be used to charge mobile phones PDA's and MP3 players.  When you're trekking through a new frontier adventure racing biking fishing or conducting field operations the Suunto X10 provides critical decision-making data. With full GPS functionality including route planning and uploading as well as outdoor essentials like an altimeter barometer and compass the Suunto X10 wristop computer shows nature who's boss. Standout Features Top notch GPS tracking in difficult conditions such as when you're in a storm or thick jungle Long battery life and universal USB chargeability Plan routes on your PC and upload them to your watch Calculate speed distance direction and time to your next waypoint

It can do this because GPS technology enables it to track and record things like your location, velocity, and altitude. This basic information can be used to generate maps within the watches computer so that you know the location where you started and the course you took away from that starting point if ever you want to return. Not only can you save a starting point, but you can also set "way points" as you find interesting objects or landmarks.

Since GPS watches are also computers they have the ability to record and receive additional data. This is particularly useful to the person training for some type of athletic event. Triathletes, marathon runners, kayakers, cyclists, and even sprinters can benefit from one addition piece of equipment - a heart rate monitor.

A heart rate monitor does exactly what you might expect, it measures the heart rate of the person wearing it. These are normally bands that you wrap around your chest underneath your shirt as they require direct skin contact. Then they transmit your heart rate information to your watch which it then records along with all your other data.

Suunto Military Gps Mens Watch Altitude Alarm Vertical Speed Temperature Compensation User-Removable Logbook Files Resolution - 1m Altimeter/Barometer Lock Altitude Range 500m-9000m / 1600ft-29,500ft Logbook Function Stopwatch Maximum Number of Split Times in Memory - 29 Automatic Magnetic Declination Adjustment Guided Calibration Heading In Degrees Declination Setting Cardinal Directions Bearing Tracking North Indicator Distance GPS Resolution - 1m/3ft Up to 50 Routes Speed Up to 25 Tracks Up to 500 Waypoints Operating Temperature -20 Degrees C to 60 Degrees C / 5 Degrees F to 140 Degrees F Water Resistant to 100 Meters (330 Feet) Selectable Metric and Imperial Units Menu-Based User Interface Dot-Matrix Display LED Backlight 12/24 Hour Time GPS Time Synchronization Calendar Clock Dual Time 3 Daily Alarms Includes Extra Black Rubber Strap Includes USB Watch/Computer Cable Compatible with Google Earth Suunto Trek Manager Suunto Trek Explorer Battery Power Indicator Rechargeable Battery 115-240 VAC Charger Absolute Barometric Pressure 7 Day Weather Memory Weather Alarm Trend Graph Altimeter/Barometer Lock Temperature Sea Level Pressure

This can be very useful in analyzing which parts of your workout or training regimen works your heart the hardest. It can even help you during a race to help you pace yourself or to become aware that your heart rate is getting to high and that you need to pull back a little to ensure that you have the energy to continue. The more information that you have the better equipped you will be at making the right training and race day decisions.

Once you have all this information (distance traveled, speed, heart rate, change in elevation) it would take forever to process all of it yourself. Here again the GPS tracking watch has you covered. Most makes come with some type of analysis software or easy to use web applications. 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gps-articles/how-gps-tracking-watches-function-505030.html

Author: Joe Mueller

About the Author:

Joe writes a kids GPS tracking watch guide and about GPS fleet tracking management.

Technorati Tags: GPS, gps technology, GPS Watches

You are looking to buy a GPS tracking watch and want to know who makes the best one. The answer to that may be simple, there are only three well known companies making them; Garmin, Timex and Suunto. That's not to say there aren't other companies out there making cheap knock offs, but we won't focus on them.

Some might say "What about Casio? They are a well known company." That is true and they make some fine products but they no longer make a GPS watch so that leaves Garmin, Timex and Suunto.

When looking at the models being offered by each company you will find a variety of available features. I think it is important to mention what these watches won't do since there may be some misconceptions out there.

X-10 GPS Watch Celebrating 10 years in the Outdoor market, Suunto presents the new X10. The unique X10 features an updated GPS system that is faster better in variable conditions and locations, and allows you to plan your route on a PC and upload it to the device. The Suunto X10 is ideal for trekking, hiking, adventure racing, mountain biking, cycling, hunting, fishing, trail, road running, and more.

Many of us have, or have seen a GPS system in a car or boat. These are really neat gadgets to have and can be a real time saver especially for those who travel extensively for work or pleasure. These units display your position on a map and may include landmarks like restaurants, gas stations, etc.

GPS watches have very small display screens so the mapping feature is not practical. Neither is the voice feature present to tell you when to turn!

GPS tracking watches use satellites to pinpoint a position, then with continuing updates of the position, they display data for speed, distance, elevation and more, depending on the model. Options might include a heart rate monitor or cycling cadence tracker.

Polar Black Training Computer GPS Ladies Watch FT80G1 Polar FT80G1 features Time of Day, Stopwatch, Displays text in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Portuguese, Backlight, Alarm, date, and weekly indicator, Heart rate features: Continuous Accurate Heart Rate (bpm), Manual Target Zone, Visual and Audible Alarm in Target Zones, Graphical target zone indicator, Training Features: Calorie Count, 100 files in memory, 16 Weekly training summary, Total training summary, Polar STAR Training Program, Speed and distance option and with G GPS Sensor.

You may quickly see a couple of important variations in the way the companies package their GPS watches. In all cases, the systems use a GPS receiver and a digital time piece to carry out the calculations. Being a watch they all offer the display of data in what appears to be a wrist watch although sometimes quite large.

The GPS receiver may be contained within the watch or, separately, strapped to the arm or possibly mounted on a belt.

It would be wise to give this issue some thought before making a purchase. I would prefer to have the watch and GPS receiver self contained and worn like a traditional watch, but opinions vary.

Garmin has the Forerunner 205, 305 and 405 which are all-in-one models, having the appearance of a digital wristwatch but of larger size. They also offer the Forerunner 101 and 102 which use a Velcro strap around the wrist but have the appearance more similar to wearing an iPod.

Garmin Forerunner 405 GPS-enabled Sport Watch - Unisex, Green Includes - Forerunner 405, USB ANT stick, AC adapter, charging clip, owner's manual, and quick reference guide : Battery life - 8 hours (training) or 2 weeks (power save mode) : Water resistant to IPX7 (1 meter of water for 30 minutes) : Round 4-level gray FSTN, 124 x 95 pixels display : 99% with clear view of sky distance accuracy : Compatible with GSC 10 speed/cadence bike sensor - monitor pedaling cadence and wheel speed : Compatible with foot pod - measures speed and distance and runners cadence when indoors : Watch features - time of day (12/24h), dual time zone, (day/date), daily alarm : Training and motivational features - Virtual Partner, courses, workouts, goals : GPS features - mark waypoints, back to start, save location : ANT+Sport wireless technology lets you automatically transfer information back and forth between the watch and the PC : Unit-to-unit - transfer workouts and locations to other Forerunner 405's : Dimensions - 45.75mm x 70.5mm x 16.4mm : Weight - 2.11 ounces (60 grams)

The Garmin line uses a receiver that is built in and wraps around the wristband, a bit, to keep it oriented to the sky for better reception. The units also include a USB to share data with your PC. An A/C battery charger is used to top off the battery which generally provide about 8 to 10 hours of tracking use.

Timex has been making watches almost forever and has offered athletic oriented models for decades. They use a separate watch / GPS receiver approach unlike Garmin. This does have some advantages, including the ability to wear the watch everyday since it is small enough to be practical. When the time arises you simply turn on and secure the separate GPS receiver and you are ready to go. Timex also offers an almost endless array of athletic watches.

The third manufacturer is Suunto which as you might guess offers several models. They generally have the appearance resembling a typical digital wristwatch. The GPS receiver is contained in a separate wireless unit so the watch can remain very compact. Typical options are; altimeter, barometer, countdown timers heart rate monitors etc.

The technology evolves continuously so smaller, cheaper models will likely become available in the near future. It will also be interesting to see if other companies will join in and offer their own line of GPS tracking watches.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gps-articles/manufacturers-of-gps-tracking-watches-496049.html

Author: Dave Thinel

About the Author:

Dave helps individuals to learn about GPS tracking watches, like the Garmin Forerunner 305.

Technorati Tags: Garmin, GPS, GPS Tracking, GPS Tracking Watches, GPS Watches, Timex