Why? • Features • How they're used • Plane & Pilot review • Learn to use your GPS

About the Companions:
Format & Features

Sample page;
actual size 5.25" x 4.0"

Utility is the focus of the Companions. The books are designed to be useful in solving real-world navigational problems. If you have a road map or a tourism brochure it will give you the name of an interesting feature, but never the coordinates. That's why the Companions are organized as a simple alphabetic statewide listing. It's the quickest way to get from the information you have, to the coordinates needed to make use of your GPS.

The alphabetic list of points of interest with their coordinates and elevation is the dominant feature of the Companions (see sample page from the Continental Divide GPS Companion shown above). Since 1997 each new volume produced contains between 8,000 and 9,000 points of interest. This keeps the books back-pack sized and still gives us a little room for a readable typeface, and a few extra features to maximize the utility of your GPS.

We've added ELEVATION information for most points in the books. We've also created a unique helpful "hints" section.

An "About Latitude and Longitude" section will help you identify the two most common formats for lat/lon data. Your GPS will undoubtedly allow you to select which data format you'd like to use. However, if you'd like to convert data, a handy Conversion Chart is included.

A special "How Far is a Minute" section is included to give you a real feel for what distances are represented by those mysterious degrees, minutes and seconds. We don't attempt to explain the principles of the coordinate system or of satellite navigation. There are plenty of good books for that. The "GPS Companions" focus is real-world navigation.

The "Points Around the USA" section lists over 200 major points of interest covering all 50 States. All the State Capitols are included, along with a few fun landmarks, such as: Old Faithful, Disneyland, Plymouth Rock and even Graceland.

Why? • Back to top • How they're used • Plane & Pilot review • Learn to use your GPS