Coordinate Conversion

[+WizCreations]

I will be doing a puzzle cache that sends you through a series of locations and you get information, but the coordinates that you will find are N xx.xx.xxxxxxx W xxx.xx.xxxxxxxx. I do not know how to change that format into N DD MM.mmm W DDD MM.mmm, and I can not find the funcion on my GPSr. Is there a way to do it by hand? Also, what is that format called?

[Difficult Run]

Wiz,

 

You might like to try the search page for Topozone. After entering your coordinates, click on "map", which brings you to a USGS topo.

 

In the USGS topo, you can select the coordinate format:

1) UTM

2) DD.DDD

3) D/M/S

4) DD MM.MM

 

Below the coordinate format is a datum select:

1) NAD27

2) WGS84/NAD83

 

There is also a translation at www.jeeep.com/details/coord

 

Good Luck

- Mitch -

Edited June 20, 2005 by Difficult Run

[+Olar]

I will be doing a puzzle cache that sends you through a series of locations and you get information, but the coordinates that you will find are N xx.xx.xxxxxxx W xxx.xx.xxxxxxxx. I do not know how to change that format into N DD MM.mmm W DDD MM.mmm, and I can not find the funcion on my GPSr. Is there a way to do it by hand? Also, what is that format called?

Wiz if you mention the particular cache name or a link to it then it would help us help you.

 

Cheers, Olar

[CoyoteRed]

Most GPS will do the conversion for you. You need to read the owner's manual to learn how to change datum and format.

 

In short, you change the setting to that of the numbers which you want to enter and then change it to that which you want to read. The point on the Earth that you entered the coordinates doesn't change as you change settings.

 

However, if when you enter the numbers and the settings are different that what the coords given are measured in, you point on Earth will be different than the point than intended.

 

Now, with that said, if you are wanting to change DD.DDDDD to DD° MM.MMM that most of us use, then that conversion is easy. You take the DD.DDDDD (including the decimal) and multiply it by 60 to get the MM.MMM portion. It might be a few feet off because of rounding but will generally get you closer than the normal error of your GPS unit.

 

Hope this helps.

[+Markwell]

This question is asked pretty frequently.

[+AtoZ]

N xx.xx.xxxxxxx W xxx.xx.xxxxxxxx is a poor way to write DD MM.MMMMM there should be NO period after the xx.xx.xxxxxxxx it should be xx xx.xxxxx So it is just decimal minutes.

cheers

[+heligator]

That's right. So just divide the MM.MMM by 60 to get the fraction part and add it to DD to get the decimal coordinate. Using 5 digits is usually sufficient. Now you can edit the mapquest URL when you click on on the link from any geocaching.com cache and map any location you'd like.

[+TucsonBill]

Would be nice to have an application to do the conversions on my Pocket PC. Does such a thing exist?

 

Bill