coordinates

[+thames_side]

How can I find a place referred to on a Geocaching page, for instance location of nearby parking, on Google maps. Google maps requires coordinates in decimal form, whereas Geocaching seems to use a hybrid degrees and minutes decimal with no secomds. I can find a website that converts deg, min, sec to decimal but that is no good. Obviously I can enter the coordinates into Garmin and follow it there but that is not very handy in a car!

[NightTracker]

Converting Coordinates

 

This might help you out.

[+KG1960]

Good website! To summarize, remember that 60 minutes equal one degree. So, divide the decimal minutes by 60 to get the decimal part. Example: you have a geocache latitude of 40 34.582. Simply divide 34.582 by 60 to get 0.5764, then add to 40 to get 40.5764 for decimal degrees. Same for longitude.

 

Remember when entering the decimal degrees into Google maps (and others), put a minus sign in front of the longitude (for ones west of the meridian).

[+wissels]

Or you could just go to the google earth options menu and change the GPS coordinates to the decimal style like is used on geocaching.com

[+wkmccall]

How can I find a place referred to on a Geocaching page, for instance location of nearby parking, on Google maps. Google maps requires coordinates in decimal form, whereas Geocaching seems to use a hybrid degrees and minutes decimal with no secomds. I can find a website that converts deg, min, sec to decimal but that is no good. Obviously I can enter the coordinates into Garmin and follow it there but that is not very handy in a car!

 

I always just copy / paste the co-ords from geocaching.com into google maps. Works fine..

[+Markwell]

Yep - Google Maps doesn't require decimals.

[+trainlove]

If you use the google maps instead of the geocaqching google maps, i.e. maps.google.com, then you can right click on the map where you want to know the coords and then either click directions to here, or from here.

This will give you the decimal degrees version of the coordinates. From there it's so simple to convert to what we are all so familiar with.

[+KG1960]

I always just copy / paste the co-ords from geocaching.com into google maps. Works fine..

Wow! I didn't know that. That's quite useful. Thanks for pointing it out!

[+thames_side]

Thanks. Yes, cut and paste into Google Maps seems to be the answer.

[+edscott]

How can I find a place referred to on a Geocaching page, for instance location of nearby parking, on Google maps. Google maps requires coordinates in decimal form, whereas Geocaching seems to use a hybrid degrees and minutes decimal with no secomds. I can find a website that converts deg, min, sec to decimal but that is no good. Obviously I can enter the coordinates into Garmin and follow it there but that is not very handy in a car!

 

Just type them in the way you have them. There is a converter build into Google. They will come out listed in decimals but the spot marked on the map will be fine.