Noob Question regarding GPS coordinates

[+lostnfound02]

Hi all,

 

Sorry for the question but I checked the FAQ and I still seem to be having trouble. I'm very new to geocaching and have discovered that, to find some caches, it is necessary to enter GPS coordinates mannually as obtained from the solution of some puzzle or other. I'm planning to go caching tomorrow so wanted to make sure I have this down in the optimistic expectation that I will be able to solve a puzzle to begin with.

 

Anyway, as practise, using a Samsung Galaxy S III running the latest version of Google Maps, I tried to enter the coordinates of a random cache.

 

I entered them as follows:

 

51 01.764 - 1 20.273

 

Google maps changed these coordinates to:

51 01'458" N - 1 20'16.4.

 

I copied the original coordinates as they were displayed in the cache details.

 

Would another ap be better for navigating to mannually entered co-ordinates? You can't do it from geocaching.com's official Android ap can you?

 

Thanks ever so much in advance for any help!

[+TriciaG]

It looks like Google Maps simply converted your coords from decimal minutes to minutes & seconds. It didn't actually move the point (such as snap it to the nearest road). So you can use that, if you like.

 

I'm sure there's a way to enter corrected coordinates into the Geocaching app. But I don't use it, so I don't know how to do it.

[+Chief301]

You should be able to do it from the Android official app. I'm on iPhone so I'm not familiar with the Android app. I know on the iPhone app folks come on the forums all the time asking how to do it because it's not real obvious....perhaps the same function on Android is also not so, shall we say, intuitive?

 

I'm sure someone who knows will be along shortly....sit tight....😊

[+Chief301]

From the Groundspeak support page:

 

2.7. How do I create an Additional Waypoint?

To add additional waypoints on an Android:

 

Tap Navigate from the geocache details page

Select the Map

Open the Menu

Enter desired coordinates or "Use My Current Location" and tap "+ADD"

 

Sounds like you have to be actually navigating to a cache to access this function, which is the same in the iPhone app.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Chief301

[+lostnfound02]

This is very helpful guys! Thanks a lot!

[+Olddffart]

Hi all,

 

Sorry for the question but I checked the FAQ and I still seem to be having trouble. I'm very new to geocaching and have discovered that, to find some caches, it is necessary to enter GPS coordinates mannually as obtained from the solution of some puzzle or other. I'm planning to go caching tomorrow so wanted to make sure I have this down in the optimistic expectation that I will be able to solve a puzzle to begin with.

 

Anyway, as practise, using a Samsung Galaxy S III running the latest version of Google Maps, I tried to enter the coordinates of a random cache.

 

I entered them as follows:

 

51 01.764 - 1 20.273

 

Google maps changed these coordinates to:

51 01'458" N - 1 20'16.4.

 

I copied the original coordinates as they were displayed in the cache details.

 

Would another ap be better for navigating to mannually entered co-ordinates? You can't do it from geocaching.com's official Android ap can you?

 

Thanks ever so much in advance for any help!

 

Both of those coords are the same location.

Just written in a different format.

First is expressed as Degrees and Minutes to 3 decimals - the usual way for Geocaching.

Second is expressed in Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds. This is the format that Google defaults to.

In Google Earth, you can change this default under the 'Tools'--> 'Options' -->'3DView' menu.

In Google Maps on your phone, I would think there would be an option to change this also, but I have never had anything to do with this setup, so I can't help you fix that.

.

[+Walts Hunting]

We need to get our terminology correct.

 

Corrected Coordinates are when you have a puzzle or something that means the cache is at a different location and that feature is only available on the website. It changes the original coordinates to the new.

 

Additional Waypoint is when you are doing a multi or field puzzle and figure out the coords for the next step and want to enter them on your device so that you can go there. It is a secondary waypoint to the original coords. It does not change the website coords if you are on a stand alone and I am not sure it changes the website on the apps.

 

Someone could test that easily by doing an additional waypoint. Then back out of the app. Come back in and find that cache and see where it points.