Rocky Mountain Tracking » Recreation

GPS Monitoring Symbolizes Drastic Shift in Sports Monitoring

John Chapman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:26 +0000

One of the most exciting applications of modern GPS tracking technology is sports. Sports fans talk statistics with a precision and enthusiasm that rivals the most adept MIT mathematician. Whether it’s the speed of Nolan Ryan’s legendary pitches, Kobe Bryant’s vertical, Lance Armstrong’s speed, or the machinations of Tiger Woods’ drive, mathematical precision as it applies to sports analysis is both a hobby, and an industry.

Indeed, it seems as if sports, in America and beyond, drives a segment of the world economy with the same human necessity and regularity as plumbing or construction. People need their toilets fixed, people need their homes repaired, and people need to watch professional sports.

The side industry of sports analytics has always thrived, seeking new ways to measure individual achievement. This is the great glory of sports: it is a celebration of human beings that push their limits, that smash barriers, that turn the human machine into something that performs in truly magnificent ways. In American football games, sports announcers never seem to run out of odd analytics with which to qualify players—“The most interceptions in Qualcomm Stadium during the first half of a fourth quarter since 1998,” etc.

In Great Britain, only the sports are different. Manchester United dominates as the world’s most profitable sports franchise (America’s Dallas Cowboys trails as a far distant second), while cricket remains a traditional fascination not only for England but for a large portion of the world.

England’s national cricket team recently announced that GPS tracking devices have been installed on the tops of all players’ uniforms. This no doubt has sports analysts worldwide salivating. The GPS monitors track players’ movements with pinpoint precision, allowing entire new metrics of statistics to be created and monitored.

Strangely, England is not the first cricket team to institute GPS tracking. Australia came first, utilizing GPS trackers as a method of recording, then improving, player performance.

Is GPS tracking likely to become an ubiquitous part of professional athletes’ lives? At this point, the answer is yes. Sports make money—and businesses are always looking for new ways to monitor athletes, track changes, and turn them into athletic monsters. It will be fascinating to see how GPS tracking gives sports commentators new stats to breathe into the microphone.

GPS Pinpoints Antarctic Asteroid Fragments

John Chapman — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Solar waste passes through the earth’s atmosphere on a daily basis. Unfortunately, that waste consists almost entirely of mineral matter. No SONAR, no tried and true scientific methods have allowed scientists to distinguish extraterrestrial matter from terrestrial dirt.

One place, however, allows scientists and alien rock hunters easy access to minerals from space. The good news? The rocks are easy to find. The bad news? They’re all in Antarctica.

The lifeless ice desert of Antarctica makes it easy for individuals to find space rocks. The continent is made of ice—no other rocks to differentiate. And since 1976, an organization called The Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) has journeyed to the most barren place on earth to collect space rocks.

Meteor-hunting adventurers, led by Ralph P. Harvey, fly to the South Pole via New Zealand, spending 45 day shifts digging up, then carefully storing and preserving their extraterrestrial finds. The rocks end up in a facility in Houston, Texas.

ANSMET’s field tools are simple: Ski-Doos, food, water, med kits, satellite phones, rock-gathering tools, and GPS tracking devices.

Once a member of ANSMET finds a space rock on the field, the GPS is utilized to record the location of the space material. The meteorite is then mined and stored. Using these simple, Indiana Jones-like methods, ANSMET meteor finders have gathered over 20,000 space rocks. ANSMET’s contribution to science, especially extraterrestrial analysis, is irrefutable.

It is no secret that the world is far less interested in going to space than it was, say, fifty years ago. It is, in fact, astonishing that mankind has not ventured farther from Earth than the moon. While a trip to Mars remains logistically difficult, the sense of commitment and scientific advancement required to make the journey does not exceed that of Columbus or Ponce de Leon.

In the meantime, ANSMET and its handy GPS tracking tools make it easy to do the impossible, using impossible methods, to obtain impossible material, under impossible circumstances—daily. ANSMET’s sense of adventure, adoration of scientific understanding and progress, and commitment to increasing the knowledge of mankind should be commended. No doubt GPS tracking makes asteroid hunting easier, safer, and more fun.

GPS Tracking Assists Recreational Boat Owners

Lynetta Bowen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:39 +0000

The most recent New York Boat Show showcased technology that would have dropped the jaws of the show’s early founders. One of the most interesting features to appear at the show is known as Skyhook. Skyhook uses GPS tracking technology to “anchor” a boat in a certain location. By choosing a specific GPS map location, the navigator can program the boat’s motors to do whatever is necessary to remain within five feet of that spot. The technology makes it easy for fisherman, divers, and other boaters to ensure that their boats stay put while they enjoy the activities they came to do.

The mission of the GPS tracking technology in this instance is two-fold. First, the device will pinpoint the location of the vessel at any given time. Second, it will alert the boat’s computer if the boat moves outside a five-foot radius, setting in motion the action needed to keep the craft from drifting. For boaters who enjoy navigating the open water, the device makes anchoring in a particular location much easier, especially in very deep areas where a traditional anchor might not be sufficient to keep the boat in place.

As part of the comprehensive Ray Marine E7 MFD device, the GPS technology provides the perfect complement to the array of other capabilities offered to modern boaters. One of the most innovative features is the ability of the device to display information on the user’s iPad or iPhone. Navigators can easily view GPS location information as well as a host of other features on up to six displays, enabling them to control navigation conveniently from anywhere on board the boat.

GPS technology gives today’s boaters a host of advantages their forbears couldn’t have dreamed of. In addition to Skyhook, marine GPS devices have been used to monitor boat races, enable search and rescue missions, reduce boat theft and provide simple tracking capabilities for families of boaters. Commercial and military vessels also use the technology to ensure safety and accomplish a variety of objectives.

Ultimately, however, the GPS tracking capabilities of Skyhook have a simple purpose: to make the boating experience as accessible, manageable, and enjoyable as possible for pleasure craft owners. Thanks to GPS, boat navigation has become easier than ever before, enabling people of different skill levels to safely enjoy activities on the water while reducing the likelihood of drifting or getting lost on the water.

Pair of Hunters Rescued Using GPS

Khristen Foss — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:00:23 +0000

Levi Matthews and David Smith of Spanish Fort, Alabama headed out for an evening of hog hunting on January 7^th around Canal Island, located in the north-central portion of the Mobile River Delta. The two went separate ways; Smith heading into the woods and Matthews remaining with the boat. It was at this point Matthews realized the motor of his boat was non-functional, and at 8:30 that night, he placed a call for help on his cell phone to Daphne Search and Rescue’s Ronnie Champion. Three hours later, the men were located thanks to the handheld GPS tracking device Matthews carries specifically for hunting.

Champion immediately involved North Baldwin Search and Rescue and the Alabama Marine Police in finding the pair. When all was said and done, a total of 16 rescuers in five boats aided in the search. Champion notes, “Our group and North Baldwin consist only of volunteers.”

Rescuers didn’t have to work very hard, as Matthews’ actual GPS coordinates led them directly to the location the boat was broken down. However, Smith was still out in the woods somewhere, clueless to the boat’s plight. As Smith was not carrying a GPS tracking unit or cell phone, Matthews relied on old-fashioned hunter techniques for communication.

He fired a round into the air, hoping Smith would hear it, and sure enough Smith fired a shot in response. Matthews led rescuers to the exact spot he left Smith, and they headed out on foot to find him using flashlights and calling his name. They located him roughly a mile away from the boat.

“They were a little cold and damp, but they did not need medical attention,” said Champion. Rescuers helped repair the boat, allowing the men to follow rescuers out of the delta. All six boats traveled the six mile journey down Big Beaver Creek and Tensaw Lake to their final destination, Hubbard Landing. They were likely glad to be rescued with conditions reported by the National Weather Service that night as temperatures in the low 50s with winds of 3 mph, not to mention fog blanketing the area.

Handheld GPS tracking devices, used by hunters normally to trace their route through the woods in an effort to make it back safely to the starting point, in this case saved two men from a cold and wet night out on the delta. Unfortunately, it didn’t save them from disappointment. In the words of Champion, “They didn’t get any hogs.”

Magellan Announces GPS Tracking Watch

Marisa O'Connor — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:00:51 +0000

Magellan recently announced their entry into the world of GPS tracking watches. The company is well known for their in-car navigation systems, and they appear to be taking their GPS expertise off the dash and onto your wrist. The primary purpose of a watch with GPS tracking capabilities is fitness training. There are tons of apps available for smartphones, which use GPS to track exercise routines. The problem with these apps is that they rely on a phone, which must either be held or stored in a pocket while exercising. Magellan, like other fitness watch manufacturers, found a great solution in their upcoming Switch and Switch Up watches.

A fitness watch provides all the GPS tracking benefits of your smartphone, securely attached to your wrist. The Switch fitness watch was designed for runners, but will work great for any kind of mobile activity. This watch comes with a 1.26-inch monochrome display, GPS receiver with high-sensitivity, and embedded ANT+ technology, which allows users to connect third-party features, such as bike sensors, foot pods and heart-rate monitors. Magellan’s fitness watch is water resistant and comes with a USB connector to easily download workout data. The watch also includes nine customizable screens and a calorie counter.

The Switch is a more basic version of the Switch Up watch, which is better designed for well-rounded athletes. The Switch Up fitness watch comes with all the same features as the Switch, as well as some bonus capabilities. The Switch Up includes a thermometer, a barometric altimeter, to measure elevation, and a quick-release mounting kit, to more easily switch between activities. The retail price of the Switch is $249.99, while the Switch Up and Multisport Mounting Kit will cost $299.99. For an extra $50, Magellan will include a heart-rate monitor.

Runner Finds Motivation in Unusual Places

Mark Rummel — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:00:01 +0000

Running can be an arduous task, but with a little bit of motivation, runners can get the help they need to improve their performance and increase their mileage. A Nike+ GPS tracker user recently went for a run in her usual attire, but this time, her running clothes were accompanied by an extra piece of jewelry; her favorite pair of earrings. By the time she realized that she still had her earrings on, it was too late to go home to remove them, with no place to put them, she tucked them up under her running hat, and she continued her run.

After a few miles, she started to heat up and took off her running hat. As she did this, one of her earrings fell to the ground without her knowledge. After running another half mile or so, she realized that she was missing an earring, and she turned around to find her the missing piece to her favorite set of jewelry. After jogging back a few miles, she saw something sparkling and picked up the missing earring.

Her regular 3-mile loop seemed easy, even with the extra running due to the extra motivation of finding her lost earring. With this motivation, and the Nike+ GPS tracker, she was able to track her run and realize that she ran over 6 miles. The GPS tracker in the Nike+ GPS app provides the user with all kinds of information about his or her progress. Not only did she run twice as far as she would normally run, but she ran at a pace 20 seconds faster than her usual running speed. Because of this extra motivation, she was able to bump her run up in the following weeks, and she has started running a somewhat quicker pace. Like this runner, you too can get the little inspiration that you need to get off the couch and start running. Anything can motivate you, and if you find a “pair of earrings”, you can improve your fitness regimen and enjoy exercise more than ever.

Ski Apache Turns to GPS Tracking

Harriette Halepis — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:00:07 +0000

The 750 acre mountain isn’t the first ski slope to offer GPS tracking to clients, but Apache Mountain is the first in the area to offer such a service. If you happen to live near Ski Apache, you can opt in for the ski slope tracking for just $12 per day. More importantly, you can sign your kids or other family members up for the tracking initiative.

No matter how big or small a mountain is, loosing track of someone is a real possibility. In addition to simply getting lost on a mountain, plenty of ski accidents occur worldwide every day. When these accidents happen, it can take ski rescue teams a long time before reaching someone in need. During this waiting period, a skier may lost blood, become too cold to move, or be left behind as night sets in.

There’s another angle to consider here too. Marketers (and ski slope owners) can keep track of how many lifts people use per day, which slopes are the most popular, and the times of day that people like to hit the slopes. This kind of marketing material is priceless, and GPS tracking technology is helping to increase this sort of client analysis.

GPS tracking technology prevents all of these things from happening. With GPS, skiers can be found no matter where they are. The GPS trackers that Apache is offering are made by a company called Flaik, and spending $12 per day to protect yourself or a loved on is money well-spent.

Photo By Moron Noodle Via Flickr Creative Commons

Nike Teams Up With TomTom

Admin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:00:38 +0000

Runners all around the globe rejoiced when Nike devised the Nike + Fitness software pack. Now, Nike has teamed up with GPS tracking manufacturer TomTom in order to bring running enthusiasts a new kind of workout gadget. The Nike + Sportwatch is set to hit store shelves in April of 2011.

The Nike + Sportwatch will allow runners to track and trace every pavement-pounding footstep. Working in conjunction with TomTom’s GPS navigation system and mapping capabilities in addition to a Nike sensor, the Nike + Sportwatch will record every move made by a runner. At the end of a run, the information recorded by the Nike Sportwatch can be uploaded to a USB port.

Not only is the Nike + Sportwatch innovative, it is also incredibly easy to use. This watch will feature a “tap” screen that allows users to simply tap the screen when searching for a backlight or signaling a new route. Starting the watch is a cinch too. As soon as the watch has been placed on a runner’s wrist, a few quick pushes of a button will signal the GPS tracking device.

With the Nike + Sportwatch, runners will no longer have to guess which roads have already been traveled. This watch also gives those with less drive a boost by displaying a green screen when the watch has not been used for awhile. The Nike + Sportwatch can be pre-ordered through the Nike website in March of 2011. There is no word yet as to how much Nike plans on charging consumers for the GPS watch.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis

The City of Buffalo Puts GPS to the Test

Admin — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:00:06 +0000

Few cities know about snow as well as Buffalo, New York. Every winter, Buffalo is buried underneath many feet of snow, and residents slip and slide along Buffalo’s icy sidewalks. While the Buffalo city department does everything within its power to make sure that Buffalo’s roads are plowed and sanded, sometimes streets are missed. This year, the city of Buffalo is taking extra measures to ensure that all roads are plowed by installing GPS trackers in all city snowplow trucks.

Keep Track of Plows

Buffalo city supervisors will be able to track the speed of a truck in addition to a truck’s location using GPS technology. Officials will also be able to tell whether or not certain streets have been plowed. Further, the GPS technology that the city of Buffalo is using can also detect whether or not salt has been added to slipper roads. GPS will help make snow-removal within the city of Buffalo easier. This is excellent news for Buffalo residents who often have a hard time moving around during winter months.

Nothing New For Buffalo

The city of Buffalo has been trying out GPS tracking technology for a few winters now. Last year, a few choice plows were outfitted with GPS trackers. This year, the city will equip its entire fleet with GPS technology. Surprisingly, Buffalo city workers were entirely supportive of the GPS plan. Since those people who operate snow trucks want to make sure that all streets are clean, GPS is a welcomed technology.

When a crew forgets to plow a street, the result is extra work. In addition, sending a crew out to plow a missed street can be dangerous. Plow crews are often tired after working all day to plow streets. When residents report a missed street, these crew members must head back out into the streets in order to plow any missed spots. In short, Buffalo plow operators are more than happy that GPS trackers have been added to their trucks. Both residents and workers are now looking forward to the first snowfall in order to test the new system.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis

A Day with GPS

Admin — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:00:44 +0000

Many people own a GPS tracking unit, but not all of them realize how useful a GPS unit can be. A GPS device can help with many tasks throughout the day, starting with getting up in the morning.

Personal GPS Uses

Since most GPS units can predict the time of sunrise and sunset, GPS units can be used to set clocks. Next, GPS units can help during workouts. Some joggers and walkers take a GPS tracking device with them while they exercise to map our their route, see how fast they are going, and how many miles they cover. Many professionals use GPS technology in some way in the workplace.

When it’s time for a lunch break, a GPS unit can help navigate to the perfect restaurant. GPS devices are also helpful to avoid a lonely lunch. Friends can “check in”, or communicate their current location with each other using the GPS tracking capabilities on their cell phones. It can be easy to see who is nearby and available to meet.

On the way home from work, a GPS tracking device can be a huge help in case of a flat tire. The driver can call a towing company and give them his exact location. In case of a stolen vehicle, if an owner has placed a GPS tracking device on the automobile, the unit can help the police recover the car quickly.

Professional GPS Uses

Surveyors use GPS devices to map out land and collect field data, including distances, direction, and more location-specific data with the help of satellite technology. Farmers often use GPS tracking to plan their fields for the year, mark the locations of soil samples, and even to guide their tractors to plow straight fields.

Other professionals who find GPS devices helpful are real estate agents, as well as men and women in the military, and, of course, many people in the transportation industry. Pilots, truckers and taxi drivers, use GPS devices every day to make their jobs easier and serve their clients better.

GPS For Relaxation

In the evening, when it’s time a for a little fun and relaxation, a GPS device can be used for games or hobbies. Many people use GPS technology when they go biking or hiking. Others use GPS tracking to find that perfect fishing spot again. Geocaching, a treasure hunt game played with GPS systems, is also becoming more popular. Some GPS units now include instructions and coordinates for other games.

From start to finish, a GPS unit can be a useful tool throughout the day, assisting with necessary functions as well as providing peace of mind and a lot of fun.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett