Lost? Follow that satellite dish!
I read a great article on the BBC recently that was giving tips on finding your way in a city. Did you know that most UK satellite dishes (all belonging to the same provider) point roughly south east?...
View ArticleSolar Flares – the impact on OS Net and GPS
Space weather is once again in the news – with a big solar flare hitting Earth this morning. Solar flares are related to sunspot activity which tends to run in 11 year cycles. We’re now in the period...
View ArticleHow do we survey the changing face of Britain?
Keeping the master map of Great Britain up-to-date is no easy task and sees thousands of changes a day made to our database. We capture these changes on the ground through our team of 240 surveyors...
View ArticleAre you a social hiker?
Guest post by Social Hiker Martin Free @InSearchOfCloud How and why I use Social Hiking I was always a keen hiker. Mum used to take us youth hostelling as kids and though University I was a very active...
View ArticleWalking with a GPS
A Global Positioning Device or GPS is a very handy tool for walkers who want the security of knowing their exact location. If you’re walking somewhere relatively featureless then a GPS provides the...
View ArticleChoosing a handheld GPS device
Love them or hate them, GPS devices are rapidly becoming more popular for all kinds of outdoor pursuits. They can be used for checking your position, following a pre-defined route and automatically...
View ArticleA beginner’s guide to geocaching
Many of us have fond memories of exciting treasure hunts as children, with Easter eggs and other small treats often the subjects of our searches. These days, though, it’s much more normal to find...
View ArticleWill the GPS replace the compass?
Guest post by Andrew of Outdoor Look. For hundreds, if not thousands of years man has explored his surroundings with a compass and maps. Now we see GPS units and apps for smart phones available a...
View ArticleHow are our paper maps evolving?
The future of paper maps has been the subject of lively debate in recent months. Interestingly, while the popularity of GPS devices and mapping apps for mobile devices continues to grow, paper maps are...
View ArticleHow to plan a scavenger hunt
From geocaching to Easter egg hunts around the house for the kids, we love a scavenger hunt. These games have everything: you have to be quick on the mental draw; you get a bit of exercise when you...
View ArticleWhat is a GPX file?
In any discussion of routes, navigation or GPS devices, you have probably seen people mentioning ‘GPX files’. GPX is shorthand for GPS eXchange Format and is a type of file that’s really helpful to...
View ArticleWhat is IPX waterproofing?
Face it – if you spend any time outdoors you are going to get wet. This is the reason a lot of the outdoor gear we sell, especially electrical items like GPS devices and torches as well as bags have an...
View ArticleWhen GPS fails…could you navigate with a paper map and compass?
Most of us are reliant on a GPS in our day to day life – whether it’s following the reassuring voice directing us around a traffic jam or grabbing our phone for a quick check that we’re walking in the...
View ArticleIs Britain on the move?
Australia has recently announced a 1.8m shift in its mapping coordinates, to compensate for the country’s 7.5cm shift north each year. Inevitably the question is why, and could the same thing happen...
View ArticleHow do we survey the changing face of Britain?
Keeping the master map of Great Britain up-to-date is no easy task and sees thousands of changes a day made to our database. We capture these changes on the ground through our team of 240 surveyors...
View ArticleAre you a social hiker?
Guest post by Social Hiker Martin Free @InSearchOfCloud How and why I use Social Hiking I was always a keen hiker. Mum used to take us youth hostelling as kids and though University I was a very active...
View ArticleMeet the team: Mark Greaves
Continuing our series to introduce you to the hard-working individuals within OS and showcase the wide variety of work we do, meet Mark Greaves. Mark has been with us for over 30 years and is...
View Article
