Whether you're headed for the backwoods or a to favorite fishing spot, the Magellan Meridian Gold GPS receiver can get you there and back. It has all the accuracy you need and at only eight ounces, it won't weigh you down. With its rubber-padded case, this handheld can handle any trip conditions that come your way.

Every second the Magellan Meridian Gold is on, its 12-channel receiver is updating your position. And with an error of less than seven meters, you'll know exactly where you are. For greater accuracy, the receiver is Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) enabled and Differential GPS (DGPS) ready. Unlike DGPS, WAAS doesn't require any extra equipment to reduce position errors to less than three meters.

Once your coordinates are calculated, the Meridian Gold is ready to show you where you are with its built-in map. The 16 MB basemap covers the major details of North America from roads and rivers to cities and parks. And when you need more detailed maps for a specific area, the receiver accepts the optional Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. Uploading maps using your PC and the supplied interface cable, you can store up to 128 MB of map data with each card.

To make sure you can see where you are at all times, the Magellan Meridian Gold uses a backlit high-contrast LCD. The grayscale display is easy to read in bright sunlight and the special amber backlight doesn't disrupt your night vision. While measuring only 1.75" W x 2.2" H, the display has the resolution to show fine map details and make text clear.

The best tools are those which feel natural and comfortable to operate. The Meridian Gold is made for easy "one thumb" operation. Surrounding the large directional key are just eight keys to handle all the receiver's functions. There are zoom keys to change map scale, a GOTO key for fast route creation, and keys for selecting the navigation screens and menus. You can select from nine languages for the text displays and if you ever have trouble with an operation, there's a built-in help system.

Your options for navigation information goes beyond which language is used. The Magellan Meridian Gold uses seven screens to display navigation and GPS information. Using both graphic images and text along with user-selectable data fields, there are displays to suit any preference. And when viewing maps, you can choose from 12 coordinate systems and 76 datums.

Sometimes you may take an unplanned trip and then find you'd like to retrace your steps or take the same path again. The Meridian Gold has a track log to automatically record your path with up to 2,000 track points. Using the track-to-route function, you can save the track log as a route for future use. The receiver has space to store 20 routes and 500 waypoints. And to make sure you're able to successfully follow a route, there are optional tone alarms to alert you if you're off course or GPS satellite signals have been lost.