CENSE - Cheap GPS solution

Image by Alan Parkinson

Just about to set off from King's Lynn train station, which is at:

52.75381 N
00.40429 E

How do I know that ?

Because I'm testing a rugged and basic GPS receiver called CENSE, produced by DRS.

It was designed to be used by census enumerators in various countries, and for that reason it has a very simple interface. Press the black button and it switches on and tells you where you are...

It runs on 3 x AAA batteries.

As the train departed the GPS kept pace with the train impressively

52.72866 N
00.39974 E
as we left the town of King's Lynn and moved into the Fens, the landscape changed.

Into London now, and from switch on, the device showed the location on the terrace at 'The Betjeman Arms' at St. Pancras (recommended if you've got a while to wait for a train...)

51.52959 N

00.12363 E

Then into Russell Square Gardens for lunch

51.52214 N

00.12699 E

These could be typed into Google Earth / Maps location box to find them on a map.

Alternative is to use the NEARBY site to convert them into other formats, such as OS Grid References.

The Ordnance Survey also has a conversion page, and some free software to download to your PC.

A useful, cheap GPS solution for identifying location of fieldwork, photos, questionnaire or survey points, position on salt marsh or other location needs...

On the issue of GPS, there have apparently been some recent problems with the device that is being used to track the famous BBC BOX around the world. The box is shortly going to return to the UK to end its year long odyssey...