Pigout

How do I configure Google Earth to use DD MM.MMM? Roy Look for an Options... or Preferences... menu item (depends if you are using the PC or Mac version). There is an option in the "View" tab for Lat/Lon as "Degrees" which is "xx.xxxxxx", or "Degrees, Minutes, Seconds" which is "dd mm ss.ss". I leave my gps in "dd mm.mmm" mode which is what geocaching.com uses. You can enter a location in that format directly into google earth in the fly to search box. When taking a location from google earth and searching on the gc.com site, you can select decimal degrees on the search page, and use the location given by google earth. Make sure your GPS is set for WGS 84 datum, otherwise your locations will be off. Even though the gc.com page says "WGS 84" for entering locations in "dd mm.mmm" format and "decimal degrees" for entering locations in "dd.dddddd" format, they both use the WGS 84 datum. It's just they way they labeled the boxes. OK, think I've got it. Would appreciate confirmation from those in the know. Google Earth on my Mac: Set preferences to "Degrees, Minutes, Seconds". This looks to be the default. Place marks show latitude - 41()41'52.60"N, longitude - 88() 8'13.70"W Garmin geko 301: Position format choices are - H D.D(), H D()M.M' and H D()M'S.S" Looks like H D()M'S.S" is the correct choice? This is NOT the default. Using the above, the Google Earth map location was pretty close to where I stopped my car on the way out of the dog park yesterday and marked the location in my Geko. It's probably within 15 feet. Using my home as an example, I marked my spot on the sidewalk but Google Earth put me the edge of the street. Again probably within 15 feet and I think the accuracy may have been 16 feet. I need to do some more testing but does the Geko position format choice seem correct?? So how would I enter the park location in the WGS84 Datum latitude longitude search boxes on geocaching.com?

I'm a little confused about Google Earth's GPS coordinates vs. my Garmin Gek301's GPS coordinates. They seem to be using different formats. According to the Garmin manual I should be using MAP Datum WGS 84 and position format H D(degrees)M.M' . OK, but Google Earth says Degrees, Minutes and Seconds and uses a slightly different format if I edit a placemark and look at the latitude and longitude of a location. All I'm trying to do at the moment is to pinpoint a location on Google Earth, go to geocaching.com and search for caches in that surrounding area by entering the Google coordinate into the "WGS84 Datum" search box. Of course it would also be good to be able to mark caches I've found, know that I'm using the right format in my Garmin device for entry of the cache locations, etc. Can someone help? I've search and search but can't find the answer. Guess I am very dense!! Thanks!