GPS APPLICATION EXAMPLES
The following are but a few of the more interesting applications of land/mobile GPS use in South Africa that was sent to us and some on which we consulted to provide a practical, simple but effective solution.
If you have an interesting use for GPS -
pass it on to us and we'll publish it.
(please remember to mark your information as "confidential" if we
should handle it as such)
Instead of purchasing an expensive golf range finder, I use my GPS to plot the distance to each golf hole I play. I have preset each hole beforehand and now whilst playing I know how far away I am. Its also great for those shots in the rough when you wonder where the hole actually is? Note you cannot use a GPS in a golfing competition. (Thanks to Danie van der Merwe) |
Fynbos is the name given to bushy shrub-like plants to be found in the southern parts of South Africa and is unique world wide. As it is ecologicaly sensitive flora, unique and very interesting, more and more farmers and nature conservationists are taking the management of fynbos species very seriously. In the Ceres area, in Western Cape, great effort is being made to collect waypoints on fynbos. Fynbos species are identified, comments on its condition noted, marked and recorded. Returning to specific fynbos areas are guaranteed with the use of GPS waypoints and enhances the efficient management of this unique flora. |
On the western coast of South Africa and Namibia, marine mining of diamonds are performed. During low-tide, huge front-loaders are used to dig into the sand and the sand sent for processing. Previously, pegs were driving into the sand to mark the areas already mined. When high tide returned, some of those pegs got washed away and contributed to confusion about were exactly to start mining at the following low tide. Marking these areas with handheld GPS units now contributes to consistent and efficient identification of previously mined areas and areas to be mined. Taking the GPS units back to the mining office at the end of each day also allows the easy mapping (on OziExplorer) of mined and to-be-mined areas. No more confusion and great savings - Thanks to GPS ! |
A small transportation company contacted us with a request to track their trucks via satellite because they had reason to believe their trucks were used for personal gain by the drivers, deviating from approved routes. Obviously this was denied by the truck drivers and a loss to the company. Although there are quite fancy vehicle tracking systems, the owner did not want to afford equipping all his trucks and also he did not like the idea of a monthly bill for tracking these trucks. - Then came a single GPS III+ with external antenna ! Hiding the GPS receiver, and routing the external antenna to the top of the driver's cab, the owner started monitoring the routes that was followed by the truck. For a few days, he took the GPS III+ at the end of each day, had a quick look at the followed route, identified deviations from the approved route and took the driver along the exact route that the driver followed during that day !! It took only a few days to reduce the daily mileage on the trucks by more than 30% !!! A simple but very effective use of GPS. |
"My friends and I like game viewing and try to optimise the little time we have when going on weekend game trips. previously we all drove slowly in convoy, spotting game, stopped and viewed them. To make a long story short, we each got ourselves a GPS and 2-way radio. No we all drive in different directions, at our own pace armed with a map, a GPS and our 2-way radios. Whenever one of us spots something, we mark the coordinate and radio it to the other guys ! Whenever they are interested, the can now drive directly to the viewing spot. DOUBLE the GAME in HALF the TIME !! Suddenly our weekends are now as good as weeks !!" |
Another simple but very effective application for GPS was told to us at the GPS WAYPOINT REGISTER. A farmer with a game farm, very often received hunters from abroad who are not very familiar with the terrain and used to be escorted to prevent them getting lost and to identify the place where they left their game. Such a simple application. He bought four E-trex GPS'ses and now no more escourts are required for the hunters. They mark the camp on the E-trex, can walk wherever they want, mark the places where they've left or shot their game and return safely to camp. At the camp, a Landcruiser bakkie is then sent, with the E-Trex GPS'ses, to collect the game - So simple but so effective. ! |
Ever chased after moths and butterflies ? Not me, but I still find this application of GPS so practical and simple. Riaan van Wyk and his family are keen butterfly chasers (that's what I call them) and break away on weekends to exotic places in Mpumalanga in search of butterflies (I really can think of more interesting things to do .... but nou-ja.... ) . They would set up camp and start chasing butterflies, but always making sure that they know were they are and keeping in mind that they had to return to the camp in daylight - in order not to get lost in the dark. What a change when they bought their GARMIN 12XL ! Now they focus on their immediate surroundings, don't worry about the time, and can truly focus on chasing their butterflies. Whenever it gets dark, they are now able to find their campsite - without hassles even when they have to walk back in the dark. According to Riaan, this allows them much more time over weekends to do what they set out to do. (I'm so glad for you Riaan ! ! I'll rather go to camp early and enjoy a good braai - Webmaster) |
Gone are the days that white water rafters and weekend kayakers (is this the right word ?) have to spend a lot of time on reconnaissance and relying on word-of-mouth descriptions of features to expect when nearing rapids and obstacles in the river. With an eTrex Summit, Joe D'Oliviera and his friends share tracks and waypoints between each other to navigate with confidence on all the rivers they haven't navigated before. It is also a great help when navigating known rivers as the highlight areas of previous trips can now be marked and easily returned to. Keeping an eye on the barometric pressure of the eTrex Summit, warns them of coming storms and potential flashfloods - Thanks for the input Joe ! |
Identification of specific areas in huge plantations in Mpumalanga and sugar cane farms in Kwazulu-Natal used to be problematic. At the plantations they used paper based maps and block numbers to identify specific areas. At the sugar cane farms, the different blocks were identified, numbered and then used as reference points to guide workers to specific areas. Now, GPS'ses are used to guide them. The plantation and farm workers are trained in the use of GPS'ses and guiding them now becomes as simple as referring to a specific waypoint. stored on the GPS. Via two-way radios, the plantation workers can easily report incidences and the forestry office now knows exactly were the guys are - The robustness of the GARMIN GPS receivers are just incredible and they keep on working, and working and working. Sooooo simple but sooooo effective . |
Gerhard vd Merwe is an Irrigation system designer and contacted us with regards to the accuracy of the eTrex Summit's elevation/ altitude measurements and was astounded by the fact that the Summit can provide accuracies better than 1 meter, when calibrated correctly. He now uses the Summit to mark the positions and elevations of dams, boreholes, pumping stations, irrigation points and other relevant points. Quickly, hassle-free and accurate. He then returns to his office, downloads the data and calculates all the required pump and pipe sizes, lengths, expected water pressures in the pipes and required kilo-wattage of the pumps. What previously took days to survey and map, now takes only as long as moving between the points - For quite a nice fee he also plots the relevant points on Oziexplorer and provides the farmer with a neatly printed map, indicating all the relevant points. (what about royalties payable to us Gerhard ?? - it would be a very nice gesture of you :-) |
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Do YOU have any interesting GPS appilcation ? - let us know |