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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
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  #1  
Old 16 Feb 2013
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Navigation question Lat/Long and GPS
Can somebody explain the difference between Lat/ Long and GPS coordinates and why are they written differently?:confused1:
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  #2  
Old 16 Feb 2013
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The three main ways of quoting a way point (as I understand it )
I don't know why are they written differently though.

This is the same spot.

Decimal Degrees (hddd.ddddd°)

This can be quoted in two way, if before the first number nothing is written then it's North,
if a minus sign then its South, same goes for the second number except nothing means East, minus West.

51.178892 -1.82623 becomes N51.178892 W1.82623

Degrees Minutes Seconds (hddd°mm'ss.s")

N51 10 44.0 W1 49 34.4 or N51°10' 44.0" W1°49' 34.4"

Degrees Minutes Decimal Seconds(hddd°mm.mmm')

This is the way I set up my GPS's

N51 10.734 W1 49.574
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  #3  
Old 16 Feb 2013
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My Garmin Zumo allows me to use either/or as well as convert.

Look in the GPS settings area and choose the one you want.

Good question and response.
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Old 16 Feb 2013
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I asked about coordinates back in 2011, got answers but still none the wiser!
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...rdinates-56891
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Old 16 Feb 2013
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Thanks chaps
Thats alot clearer. In the Boy Scouts in the 1960's when using grid refs: It was 'along the corridoor and up the stairs for a six fig ref:

How I found my way RTW I will never know
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  #6  
Old 16 Feb 2013
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By the way how do I print 'Twenty fourseven's' reply for future ref: all I get is the heading
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Old 16 Feb 2013
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A Lat Long set up in Degrees Minutes Seconds will translate straight to a map.

A hdd.ddd is what most Co-ordinates are given in Way points and is pretty much a standard for travellers, it is easier to understand

There can be a lot of confusion especially as Google Maps only works in DMS, so you need to convert using a program. Your mapping program may help, or you can use Mapsource or Basecamp from Garmin

Of course your GPS itself most likely has different formats, but when people pass out information, unless they know what system it has been set up with, then the information may be useless.

For example, the GPS in the internal settings needs to be set to WGS84 which is the World Grid System 84

If your GPS is set up as anything else, then the info will be incorrect if you pass on a co-ordinate to somebody

Probably clear as mud, but hopefully helpful

Try
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Last edited by TravellingStrom; 16 Feb 2013 at 22:45. Reason: spelling
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Old 16 Feb 2013
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Lat + Lon - Datum
The other problem with co ordinates is the 'datum'.

There are different datums, most people forget about it .. but it can lead to differences of over 100 meters. If you are giving out Lat/lon you should also give out the datum used.

What ever program/GPS (electronic device) you are using it should have some setting for the format of Lat/Lon and the datum used. That way you can set it to suit the paper map you are using and/or the other persons reference, saves doing calculations elsewhere.

--------------------------
To print out what you want...

Left click on your mouse and then drag it over the text ... best to start with the mouse pointer either at the start or end... when finished press the control key and the key C ... for copy ... then open up a text editor (wordpad for example) and press control and V keys together to insert the text (or photo) where you want. Then print from that. This way you can join up lots of stuff into one document too.

[travelling strom - your typing faster than me ... may be I'm doing other stuff at the same time? ]
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Old 16 Feb 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crashbox View Post
By the way how do I print 'Twenty fourseven's' reply for future ref: all I get is the heading

Depends on your computer

But, just copy and paste it into notebook or something then print that
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Old 16 Feb 2013
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That's really informative and important. It would be better if everybody used the same format. I can remember using a lat/long ref: and trying to put it into my GPS by moving the dec point just to make it fit.
Good job I ignored it and followed the guy infront!!
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  #11  
Old 17 Feb 2013
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Navigation question Lat/Long and GPS
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crashbox View Post
That's really informative and important. It would be better if everybody used the same format. I can remember using a lat/long ref: and trying to put it into my GPS by moving the dec point just to make it fit.
Good job I ignored it and followed the guy infront!!
That would never work, sometimes you could be out by miles
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