External Antennas for your GPS

External antennas have been available for GPS units for a long time.  Ten years ago, it was a good addition to your GPS because the external antenna had a higher gain than the one internal to your GPS.  I remember using my old Garmin Streetpilot 2720 and needed to add an antenna to it because that silly little hockey stick shaped stub was not strong enough to pull in the satellites.  Over the years that has changed and people now use external antennas because they would like to keep the GPS where it cannot see the sky.  For instance, there are people … Read more



Car Lighter Mounts for Cars and Trucks

When I was a kid, you used your car lighter to, well, light your cigarette.  No clue to the dangers of second-hand smoke, my parents would light up with the windows closed.  The interior of the car was cloudier than being next to the Hudson River on a foggy day.  From the back seat, I could barely see the road.  I developed smoker’s cough at the age of 6 and could hear fog horns from the back seat.  I thought this was normal, didn’t even crack the window.  Times have changed.  Not only are lighters now called power outlets (or … Read more



Using your Apple iPhone or iPad on the Golf Course

A device called a SkyCaddie was introduced roughly ten years ago.  It was the first electronic device to combine a GPS with maps of golf courses.  Over the ten years, roughly ten models were introduced that would alter the size and functionality, eventually integrating voice and color maps.  It was a simple concept.  Based upon your location on the globe and the pin, the SkyCaddie would tell you how far you were from the hole.  Personally, I had no use for these since I was such a bad golfer that the distance to the pin was meaningless.  However based upon … Read more



Marine Electronics Mounting Accessories for Lowrance, Garmin, Humminbird

Ahoy.  Have a Fishfinder, Chartplotter or GPS and the stock mounting bracket isn’t cutting it?  Common problem. Most marine electronics are larger than your typical GPS unit and coupled with the unique requirements of using your device on a boat, a need for something larger and more flexible than a flush mount might be required.  You want that mount to be rugged and resistant to the elements.  Many aftermarket mounts couple with your current bracket to add a more secure grasp to your device while allowing it to be moved to a more convenient location, often closer to the user or even … Read more