Starting Out

[Carpenoctem115]

Hello All

 

Well I'm new here but this all seems very interesting. I have a pretty basic question. I know it seems that everyone chooses to do this with a GSP unit, but I'd actually like to try a simple map and compass to explore the area that is around me (I've found there are a good number right in my general location). The one problem that I seem to be having is the Lat and Long on here are expressed in decimal form and the maps I have have them in Degree, Min, and seconds. I was wondering if anyone could help me learn how to covert or if there is just a sit to do so. Any help would be wonderful.

 

~Nick

[+tozainamboku]

Hello All

 

Well I'm new here but this all seems very interesting. I have a pretty basic question. I know it seems that everyone chooses to do this with a GSP unit, but I'd actually like to try a simple map and compass to explore the area that is around me (I've found there are a good number right in my general location). The one problem that I seem to be having is the Lat and Long on here are expressed in decimal form and the maps I have have them in Degree, Min, and seconds. I was wondering if anyone could help me learn how to covert or if there is just a sit to do so. Any help would be wonderful.

 

~Nick

 

Try http://www.jeeep.com/details/coord/index.html. There is a link on every cache page, so you can just click it to see the coordinates in different formats. You need to know which datum your map uses. Geocaches are listed in WGS-84 datum. Your map will probably be in NAD-27 or NAD-83 datum. For NAD-83 you can use the WGS-84 coordinates. For NAD-27 you need to convert datum as well as format.

[jamieb520]

Hello All

 

Well I'm new here but this all seems very interesting. I have a pretty basic question. I know it seems that everyone chooses to do this with a GSP unit, but I'd actually like to try a simple map and compass to explore the area that is around me (I've found there are a good number right in my general location). The one problem that I seem to be having is the Lat and Long on here are expressed in decimal form and the maps I have have them in Degree, Min, and seconds. I was wondering if anyone could help me learn how to covert or if there is just a sit to do so. Any help would be wonderful.

 

~Nick

 

Get the book 'Geocaching for Dummies'. It explains how to do everything, how to convert the Lat/Long, how to triangulate a heading, how to geocache with and without a GPS. Theres lots if references to this website, and there are web adresses for everything you'd ever want to know.

[+Cardinal Red]

Hi Nick

 

You won't be the first Geocacher to go the Map and Compass route.

 

But I want to ask you a question.

 

Convert: 40 Hours, 21.450 Minutes to Hours, Minutes, Seconds.

Can you do it?

 

PS: If the answer is yes, you can convert Lat/Long also. Same thing.

[+Seek+Hide]

Ahhh - I never thought about it quite like that... almost too simple. The decimal portion (.450) divided by 16.67 = seconds 450/16.67=26.99 or about 27 seconds.

 

I Googled "enter coordinates" and found this really nice converter http://boulter.com/gps/

 

-Cheers

 

Hi Nick

 

You won't be the first Geocacher to go the Map and Compass route.

 

But I want to ask you a question.

 

Convert: 40 Hours, 21.450 Minutes to Hours, Minutes, Seconds.

Can you do it?

 

PS: If the answer is yes, you can convert Lat/Long also. Same thing.

[+rural_cdn]

I gotta work on my math, where'd you get the 16.67 from?

 

I do .45 x 60 to get the same answer.

 

Ahhh - I never thought about it quite like that... almost too simple. The decimal portion (.450) divided by 16.67 = seconds 450/16.67=26.99 or about 27 seconds.

 

I Googled "enter coordinates" and found this really nice converter http://boulter.com/gps/

 

-Cheers

 

[+tozainamboku]

I gotta work on my math, where'd you get the 16.67 from?

 

I do .45 x 60 to get the same answer.

 

Ahhh - I never thought about it quite like that... almost too simple. The decimal portion (.450) divided by 16.67 = seconds 450/16.67=26.99 or about 27 seconds.

 

I Googled "enter coordinates" and found this really nice converter http://boulter.com/gps/

 

-Cheers

 

 

1000/60 = 16.6666666... ~ 16.67

 

so take the decimal part of the minutes and divide by 16.67 is the same as taking the decimal part of the minutes (expressed as a decimal) and multiply 60.

[+Thrak]

You can always just go here GeoCalc and get a nifty little program that will translate coordinates for you. Put in the ones you have and it will tell you two other formats as well. Easy to use.