GPS, or global positioning systems, have been around since the 1970s, when the US Department of Defense established a program using a group of twenty-one satellites to track the locations of their targets and send the information to military receivers. In the ensuing three decades, GPS technology has been adapted for civilian use, and is now widely available to the public. Commercially available GPD receivers can range in price to about $100 for a handheld unit to more than $15000 for the geodetic receivers used to measure the motion of the Earth and other natural phenomena.



Most people are familiar with GPS technology as the navigations system now available in many automobiles. But all vehicular GPS units, whether they are in cars, planes, boats, or even on motorcycles, have one thing in common: their GPS mounts. A GPS mount acts as a shock absorber and is essential to the accurate functioning of GPS receivers.

What A GPS Mount Does

The GPS mount secures the GPS receiver so that its screen is easily readable even while the vehicle is in motion. A GPS mount is equipped with locking suction cups to attach it securely to a smooth surface, while its cushioned pads prevent the surface from damage. The suction cups will release easily when a button on the mount is pushed.

When choosing the best GPS mount for your vehicle, you'll have to take several things into consideration. The mount should attach securely to your vehicle surface and its arms should to your GPS receiver. It should neither shake loose from your vehicle nor be unable to hold the weight of the GPS unit it is meant to secure.

Features To Look For In A GPS Mount

If you're an off-roader, you'll be especially concerned with the durability of you GPS mount and its ability to cushion your GPS unit from the jarring that comes with travels over rugged terrain.

Your GPS mount, when the GPS unit is added, should allow the driver to view the GPD information without having it block his vision of the road in any direction. So it has to be the correct height. For more info see http://www.gpssystemsreview.com/Articles/GPS_Systems.php on GPS Systems.

GPD mount kits are available with tilt and rotational capabilities, so that the vehicle's operator can read their screens from any position. Some of them may have speakers for GPS receivers with Bluetooth, and some have battery chargers. A GPS mount can cost anywhere from ten to over three hundred dollars, depending on its technology.

The Garmin Mobile 20 GPS, for instance, is an automotive GPS tracking system which provides information via Nokia smart phones, and its GPS mount is actually a mobile phone cradle with Bluetooth tooth capability into which a GPS receiver has been built. This GPS mount can actually provide voice directions so that the driver does not need to read the screen. The Garmin Mobile 20 lists for $319.00.