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Posts Tagged ‘GPS’

Garmin Foretrex 401 GPS

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Garmin Foretrex 401The Foretrex 401 is a lightweight (3.1 oz with batteries!), wrist mounted GPS receiver that has become very popular with troops down range. The 401 can often be seen strapped to a weapon’s stock so that the shooter can conduct a GPS check by simply rolling his carbine toward his face. In addition to GPS, the device also integrates an electronic compass (yes, mounting it to a rifle affects it) as well as a barometric sensor which comes in quite handy while operating in mountainous terrain. The Foretrex 401 also runs the free Jumpmaster Software package designed to assist parachutists to compute release points. Data for this as well as other applications is easily updated via a USB cable. As an added bonus, you can share waypoint and track data wirelessly with other 401s. It is powered by readily available by 2 AAA batteries which provide up to 17 hours of use.

The best place we have found to purchase Garmin products is Strohman Enterprises. In fact, they have a special on the Foretrex 401 for $159. Owned by Lt Col USMC (Ret) Joseph Strohman, the company supplies Garmin and Aimpoint products to LE & Military organizations as well as individual personnel. Joe and his crew are well versed in all of the products and can answer customer’s questions about anything from mounting solutions to loading map data for the AOR.

More GPS Software

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

As a follow up to our recent article on GPS software, one of our readers pointed out that Blackstar Navigation produces a GPS software for the Blackberry. What’s more, it’s free.

Digital Force Technologies – SIMEG

Monday, June 9th, 2008

DFT SIMEG

Satellite Imagery Enhanced GPS (SIMEG) Receiver is a rugged, handheld GPS receiver that correlates the receiver’s position and displays it on satellite imagery as a geo-rectified moving-map. What makes the SIMEG so unique is that it supports all National Geospatial Agency digital imagery and map products down to 1-meter CIB imagery. Upgrades are being worked for NGA’s Vector Product Format and specialty products developed by NGA and terrain teams as well as commercial products such as USGS Digital Ortho Quads for work back here in CONUS. While a few new commercial receivers show commercial imagery, no commercial GPS receiver displays NGA products. That alone would make the SIMEG worth pursuing but the team at DFT has also made the SIMEG compatible with PFPS route and threat overlay files. This means you can plan a mission on a Mission Planning terminal and export overlays to the SIMEG. They will show up on the imagery just like they do on FalconView. Top that!

The SIMEG has been under development for about four years and in use by specialized forces. I say development, because as I stated earlier, DFT is constantly updating software to support new requirements and emerging digital geospatial products. DFT is also looking at ways to improve the form and fit of the capability but I’ll leave it up to them to tell you more.

In addition to the SIMEG, DFT has a range of ISR technologies aimed at the small unit.

For more information contact Digital Force Technologies