FPGAs

I want to save about 40000 bits out of a bit stream over about 1 second of time (coming out of a GPS module), but I don't know how. I would try to use a serial memory chip, but am unfamiliar with microcontroller to memory chip interfacing. I guess I was sort of thinking that an FPGA could act as a memory chip???

If I configure an FPGA to have like 40000 to 50000 OR gates, and individually signal each individual or gate such that it acts like a memory bit location?????

I really don't understand FPGAs or the development environments or anything like that. I'm interested in doing this from a 'low end' standpoint.