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New to Geocaching quick question


searchenuf

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Hello, we have hidden our first cache and have recorded the coordinates 5 times to check for accuaracy and now when I go to log the hide on the website it wont let me. I think it has something to do with the way I am recording the coordinates and the decimal points. Can you please help? I have checked other caches in the area and it looks right I just cant figure this out! Its hidden and ready to be found!

 

These are the coordinates.

N 50 92583

W 114 13179

 

Thanks in advance

 

Searchenuf

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These are the coordinates.

N 50 92583

W 114 13179

 

Thanks in advance

 

Searchenuf

 

HI Searchenuf,

 

I notice that your coords are in the Degree Decimal format or at least they appear to be in your post. The Geocaching cache listing page defaults to the Minutes Decimal format.

 

You can google how to convert your coords to the various formats (there is also a Second Decimal format) but it is simply a matter of multiplying or dividing by 60 the decimal portion of your coords depending on which way you want to convert. Multiply to go from DegDec to MinDec to SecDec and divide to go the other way.

 

Therefore your coords above in MinDec would be 50 deg and 0.92583 * 60 = N 50° 55.5498 and 114 deg and 0.13179 * 60 = W 114° 7.9074. To go to SecDec simply keep everything before the decimal the same and multiply the portion after the decimal by 60 one more time.

 

Now the easiest way of course is to just click the little arrow above the boxes where you enter your hides coords and select the option that matches you format, but math is so much fun!!!! Right???? lol

 

Good Hiding and Hunting.

WCoaster

Edited by WCoaster
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If this cache is 250 meters SW of Woodpath Rd. SW, then you are possibly expressing the N and S co-ords as numbers and decimal of that number, - like this maybe N 50.92583 W 114.13179 ?

Degrees and decimals of degrees is not the standard that is used in this hobby. If this is what you did, you must change the way your GPS unit expresses the co-ords, so it matches the standard used in this hobby, which would be Degrees, Minutes and decimals of minutes. Minutes can never be greater than 59.999 Your unit will do this automatically if you have selected the proper way, as the default for your unit.

Maybe someone in your part of the world can have a coffee with you, and show you how to do this. It should be someone with a similar GPSr if possible. Since the first cache you found is in southern Calgary, I am afraid that I won't be able to have a coffee with you, as I am in Ontario.

N 50.92583 W 114.13179 becomes N 50° 55.550 W 114° 07.907 in the form that is used in geocaching. The little circles that mean degrees, are not entered when submitting your co-ords.

I made the conversion on the laptop here, by looking at any cache listing, clicking on 'Other Conversions' just to the right of the listed co-ords, changing the view to Dec. Deg., entering your figures , and clicking the 'Change Waypoint' button. But that is the hard way to do it. Letting your GPSr do it automatically is the easy way. You don't have to go back to the cache location to do this, just change your settings, and the numbers change themselves.

By the way, I used 'Google Earth' to see where this cache might possibly be. Have fun.

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