The Scouts loaded the 1,200-acre layout of Beaumont Scout Reservation in Ashtabula County into their devices.

"We incorporate the usage of a global positioning system so they're updated on what's the latest technology," said Troy Johnson, program director for the Greater Cleveland Scouts.

Everyone from Scouts to traveling salespeople is experimenting with GPS devices, which use satellite signals to guide you through a long stroll in the Metroparks or to a buddy's house in Columbus.

....At their simplest, hand-held GPS devices pack a digital compass, measure elevation and a traveler's rate of speed, and let the owner plug in "waypoints," landmarks that help create a digital road map.

More complex hand-helds can include detailed maps and slots for additional features available via the Internet.

All of these devices get their directional details through a bevy of satellites that pinpoint a device's location to within a few meters and track a GPS unit as it moves around.

....Pete Brimbaugh, spokesman for GPS-maker Garmin, hopes GPS devices will be used by every Scout troop, as well as by schools working with triangulation technology and geometry. "We're reaching out to people in Wal-Mart and Target," Brimbaugh said, "where folks can pick these units up right off the shelf."

For the Greater Cleveland Boy Scouts of America, the GPS has all the functions of the trusty compass but also includes maps and improved methods of recording a hike. Counselors at Beaumont Scout Reservation in Ashtabula County preload the device with a route, which lets the Scouts check whether they are on the route.

Camp organizers have used the GPS, with its ability to pinpoint longitude and latitude within a few meters, to create accurate camp boundaries, Johnson said.

"We're not eliminating the compass by any means because people can't afford a GPS," Johnson said. [Cleveland.com] It seems to me in the long run the availability of GPS will lead to more people wandering around without much regard to getting lost. This freedom to roam is great, but I hope this doesn't lead to disregard for other dangers that are out there like cliffs, wild animals and child molesters.