+Retired Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 How do I find the coordinates of a zip code search? example: I do a search for caches in 77840 zip, and it showes 25.1 miles to nearest cache. How would I determine where the actual starting point to measure the distance is located. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 I'm not positive but I think it is from the main post office for that area. At least that appears to be true for many area around here. Actually I have no real idea though...... (I think I just stirred more mud in the water.....) Quote Link to comment
+Cardinal Red Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 I find Zip Code databases to be imprecise at best, and as such do not rely on them very much. I googled 77840 to find out it is College Station Texas. I googled College Station Texas Longitude and got N30° 37.800' W96° 19.800' Searched for the nearest Cache and found: There's a spirit can ne'er be told... Only .6 Miles away. And there are 23 more listings within 5 Miles. Phooey Zip Code. Quote Link to comment
+Thot Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 I'm not positive but I think it is from the main post office for that area. At least that appears to be true for many area around here. Actually I have no real idea though...... That doesn't hold in my area. It seems to be at some random location near the center of the area covered by the zipcode. Quote Link to comment
+Jolly-Rodger Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 For whats it worth, my zip search says the distance from my home cords I entered when I signed up on this website. Quote Link to comment
+Retired Posted June 10, 2005 Author Share Posted June 10, 2005 Actually what I am trying to do is find a cache without the coordinates. By doing a zip search I find that it is 6.2 miles NE. My question is 6.2 miles NE of what? My house or the coordinates for zip code searched? Quote Link to comment
+Retired Posted June 10, 2005 Author Share Posted June 10, 2005 Ok, you have jogged my old retired memory. The distance to cache would be from coordinates entered when signing up! Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment
+Thot Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Actually what I am trying to do is find a cache without the coordinates. By doing a zip search I find that it is 6.2 miles NE. My question is 6.2 miles NE of what? My house or the coordinates for zip code searched? If you click on the cache name and go to the cache page, then scroll down and click on the map you should be able to see exactly where it is relative to your house. Quote Link to comment
+Uncle T K Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 When you enter a zip code search the center is the middle of the zip code. Find a cache that is close to your house and make it the center of you search. Then all distances are from that cache. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 When you enter a zip code search the center is the middle of the zip code. 'm not positive but I think it is from the main post office for that area. At least that appears to be true for many area around here. Actually I have no real idea though...... Neither is the case for my Zipcode. The center of a Zipcode search here is an intersection about a mile from my house. Its over 3 miles from the post office and nowhere near the geographic center of the Zipcode. It is however the same spot directions start from if I use Mapblast for directions and I only enter the Zipcode and not my street. I guess they use the same criteria. Find a cache that is close to your house and make it the center of you search. Then all distances are from that cache. Why not just use the coordinates for your home? It would be more accurate. Quote Link to comment
+Markwell Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 (edited) If you do a zip code search and then click "Map It" on the results, the website address for the map will contain the zip code's coordinates. For example, I searched on 60544 for my home town. After clicking on the Map It, the website address (URL) was ...aspx?lat=41.6158&lon=-88.1984. So my home zip code's coodinates are N 41.6158 W 88.1984 (which translate to N 41° 36.948 W 088° 11.904). That is NOT the center of town, but I do believe it is a close approximation of the center of the zip code area. That being said, I agree with pretty much everyone that the zip code search is highly inaccurate. Much better to use a search from your home's coordinates. Take the GPS to your front porch, right down the numbers and use the Advanced Search Page to search on those coordinates. Edited June 10, 2005 by Markwell Quote Link to comment
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