REAL LIFE NEWS: SCOTTISH HILL WALKERS URGED NOT TO FORSAKE MAPS FOR GPS
by Hazed
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland has asked people who are planning walks in Scotland’s hills not to just rely on GPS, but to use maps as well. They say that while the technology can give accurate routes between one point and another, they don’t take into account terrain in between.
While they are not saying people should stop using GPS they think people should be familiar with basic map reading skills, so they can interpret the terrain they will be walking over. This is particularly important when visibility is poor. Plus, maps don’t run out of battery power when you need them most.
Another reason not to rely on GPS is that next month it’s going to be unavailable at times, according to a warning from communications watchdog Ofcom. Services around the Hebrides will be jammed because of military training involving aircraft crews in a military range on the island of Benbecula.
While this isn’t unusual in the area, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland is using it as a timely reminder of why maps can still be essential to hill walkers.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-36493619
