Underwater GPS

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a system that was originally launched by the U.S. Government to use in military applications.

The problem with ordinary hand-held GPS is that they will not work under water. The frequencies and signal strength of the GPS are too weak to penetrate more than a very thin layer of water.

GPS accuracy is usually limited to a couple of hundred feet. Civilian units employ Selective Availability or SA since precise positioning is available to military applications only.

For scuba diving, there are a couple of ways to make use of GPS:

• You can use it to position the boat near the dive site; however, you may not be able to actually drop an anchor or maintain your precise position, but it should be close.

• You can use some units to log your dives if they have waypoints and alphanumeric entries.

• You can keep track of your location while you navigate your way to the dive site.

• There is a military GPS unit that has a floating antenna which is designed to be used for combat swims.

• You can keep the unit in a waterproof case and let it float to the surface occasionally to record current position. This method will only work with GPS units that keep the most recent position data on the screen once they lose the satellite signal.

• You can use it in an emergency along with your waterproof radio, to report your position to the Coast Guard if you drift far away from your boat.

Take a look at these great buys on GPS units:

 

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