Coordinates on GPS

[+geordiell]

I have just bought a GPS (new to geocaching been using iphone) and its a Magellan Blazer12 (cheap to start) and Im trying to put in coordinates to use it but in the app on my phone and the coordinates on my GPS are different..

Example On my phone -My Location is - N 55* 10.218, W 1* 41.583

But on my "new" GPS I cant type them numbers in it will only let me do Example N 55*10.21 W 1* 10.58

So basically the last coloumn of numbers is just not there and the first coloumn after the dot on W only goes up to 5 so any help please and bear in mind Im fairly new only been caching a few month so if Im being ignorant or stupid its not intentionall its a learning curve

THanks guys

geordiell

[+geordiell]

Hello I am fairly new to Geocaching and only used the iphone app so far- Ive just bought a GPS a Magellan Blazer12 and Im trying to enter coordinates into it but they seem to be different?!!

Example on the app my location is N55* 10.211 W1*41.570

But on GPS I can only enter N55*10.21? W1*41.57?

So my question is where and how do I add the 3rd number after the dot?

Thanks a lot

geordiell

[Keystone]

I merged together two duplicate threads.

 

Welcome to geocaching! It's likely that your GPS is set to Degrees-Minutes-Seconds format. Geocaching.com uses Decimal Minutes format. Look for a coordinate format setting in your GPS' setup screens. Someone familiar with that unit will hopefully post with more details.

[+geordiell]

I merged together two duplicate threads.

 

Welcome to geocaching! It's likely that your GPS is set to Degrees-Minutes-Seconds format. Geocaching.com uses Decimal Minutes format. Look for a coordinate format setting in your GPS' setup screens. Someone familiar with that unit will hopefully post with more details.

Thanks I did do two threads wasnt sure if first one worked?! Sorry for clogging up and asking twice ! Basically Ive tried every setting in this GPS and they only let me enter two numbers after the dot so I cant enter the place where the cache is Im wondering if this GPS is no good and I stick to using my phone or get a different GPS altogether?

[Pup Patrol]

I merged together two duplicate threads.

 

Welcome to geocaching! It's likely that your GPS is set to Degrees-Minutes-Seconds format. Geocaching.com uses Decimal Minutes format. Look for a coordinate format setting in your GPS' setup screens. Someone familiar with that unit will hopefully post with more details.

Thanks I did do two threads wasnt sure if first one worked?! Sorry for clogging up and asking twice ! Basically Ive tried every setting in this GPS and they only let me enter two numbers after the dot so I cant enter the place where the cache is Im wondering if this GPS is no good and I stick to using my phone or get a different GPS altogether?

 

You can download the owner manual here:

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/media/i3d/01/A/man-migrate/MANUAL000016931.pdf

 

Pages 26 & 27 describe how to change the coordinates format.

 

Help Center

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php

 

Help Center → Other → Conversions → WGS-84 and HDD(D)° MM.MMM Datum and Format

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=208

 

1.3. WGS-84 and HDD(D)° MM.MMM Datum and Format

 

Why do we use WGS-84 and HDD(D)° MM.MMM Datum and Format?

 

Most GPS receivers are set coming out of the box with WGS-84 and HDD(D)° MM.MMM Datum and Format. Using this setting will be less likely to confuse new GPS owners.

 

 

B.

[+geordiell]

Ive got the manual but it will only allow two numbers after the dot. DEGMIN or DEGMINSEC or UTM is the options!

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

This appears to be a pretty old GPSr unit. Copyright date of the manual is 1999.

Many if not most units of that era did not allow for the third extension of 1/1000^th decimal place.

 

In this case, according to the manual (p 26), your format choices do not even include Decimal Minutes format.

 

If you so desire, the coordinates supplied by geocaching.com are convert-able at this site: http://boulter.com/gps/

-OR-

On the cache page itself, you can select the Other Conversions link which is located directly beneath the UTM.

 

 

Sorry to say this... but going "cheap" with electronic devices these days is usually a pain as the older technologies are outdated enough to be not compatible with newer data sources. In this case, the coordinate format normally used by geocachers.

It'll work, but you need to convert it, one way or another.

Edited March 10, 2015 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+Team Microdot]

Ive got the manual but it will only allow two numbers after the dot. DEGMIN or DEGMINSEC or UTM is the options!

 

As stated in the previous post - looking at page 26 of the manual I'd say that the coordinates format most commonly used on geocaching.com isn't an available option on your unit

 

Looks like you'll need to convert the coords before setting out, but that shouldn't be a massive problem unless you're planning to do huge numbers of finds each day?

 

It's a small hurdle to overcome - but hopefully it'll be worth the effort

[+geordiell]

Well Ive now ordered a different GPS because theres no chance I can carry a laptop to convert coordinates thats just impossible to do so guess I need a GPS that allows me to enter the "correct coordinates" guess I should have checked before I bought but obviously presuming something like coordinates would always be the same is a silly presumption because well you know compass points change all the time????!!!! Old technology to new technology but even the romans and vikings could navigate?!!!!

Thanks for your help guys and girls and hopefully my next one will be straightforward

geordiell

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Good luck with your newly-ordered GPSr. Hopefully, it is a "paperless" model -- I believe all current generation units are.

 

It is not uncommon for folks to start with an older unit just to "get a taste" of geocaching. There is nothing wrong with that... many of us started that way (we did).

 

What does rear its' ugly head, is that usually before too long, one wants to upgrade to a better unit anyway... and, they spend more money for the newer (or "better") unit, after-all. Human nature, I guess.

 

Good luck and most importantly... HAVE FUN!

 

[+geordiell]

Cheers mate- In fairness I think Ive been doing ok with the phone App its just the battery tends to be really crap and sometimes reception is pathetic so decided on the GPS route aswell as phone for back up! Just baffles me theres so many different ways of typing in coordinates?! I presumed it would be "general" numbers and dots to find a compass point? I mean North has always been north so surely 55 degrees North is always gonna be? Ill figure it out

geordiell

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Coordinates, or the ability to pinpoint locations on the surface of the earth, have existed at least since the invention of the magnetic compass.

It only makes sense that over a long period of time "improvements" will be devised.

Add to that, mapping datum procedures have also changed over time... although it is mapping and not coordinates points, it does have an affect when those changes come about. There would be no changes if the earth's surface were truly spherical, not have mountains, valleys or varying sea levels.... not to consider continental drift and tectonic plate activity.

 

The latest 'change' in coordinate formatting came about because using seconds (") gives a location of 1/60^th of a minute -- using decimals of a minute provides 1/100^th of a minute -- in theory, an advancement in accuracy.

It was in direct support of today's hand-held GPSr devices.

 

Consider the degree of necessary accuracy -- searching the ocean via aircraft or ship vs. searching a section of ground, say...100 square yards (or meters), on foot.

 

Same basic reason that road rallies use decimals of a minute... easier computing within the mind, as well as "more precise" accuracy.

 

Somebody is always gonna have a "better idea"!

[+niraD]

Just baffles me theres so many different ways of typing in coordinates?! I presumed it would be "general" numbers and dots to find a compass point? I mean North has always been north so surely 55 degrees North is always gonna be?

Directions use different units in much the same way that other things use different units. Is our meeting in half an hour? Or is it in 0.5 hour? Or is it in 30 minutes?

 

Directions are complicated because historically they used degrees, minutes (1/60 of a degree), and seconds (1/60 of a minute), and would look like N dd° mm' ss" W ddd° mm' ss". Today, a lot of systems use decimal degrees that look like N dd.ddddd° W ddd.ddddd°, or decimal minutes that look like N dd° mm.mmm' W ddd° mm.mmm'. Converting from one to the other is very similar to converting time: half a minute is 30 seconds, half an hour is 30 minutes, half a degree is 30 minutes, and so on.

[+jellis]

This appears to be a pretty old GPSr unit. Copyright date of the manual is 1999.

Many if not most units of that era did not allow for the third extension of 1/1000^th decimal place.

 

In this case, according to the manual (p 26), your format choices do not even include Decimal Minutes format.

 

If you so desire, the coordinates supplied by geocaching.com are convert-able at this site: http://boulter.com/gps/

-OR-

On the cache page itself, you can select the Other Conversions link which is located directly beneath the UTM.

 

 

Sorry to say this... but going "cheap" with electronic devices these days is usually a pain as the older technologies are outdated enough to be not compatible with newer data sources. In this case, the coordinate format normally used by geocachers.

It'll work, but you need to convert it, one way or another.

As suggested look on page 26 of the manual and use one of the alternate conversions like Degree and minutes or Degree, minutes and seconds. Right below the coords on the cache page you will see the link for the alternate conversions.

[+geordiell]

'. Converting from one to the other is very similar to converting time: half a minute is 30 seconds, half an hour is 30 minutes, half a degree is 30 minutes, and so on.

 

So how to convert from Geocaching coordinates to Magellan coordinates? DD,00.000 -DD.00.00?

[+geordiell]

Guys thanks for your advice but I dont think Im coming across clearly? If I find a cache when Im out (a mukti or a puzzle) how do I type these numbers into a GPS to find it without having to walk all the way home use my computer to convert them then walk all the way back up to find them? All I can see here is whats the point of that? Surely it should be able to be done "on the move"??

geordiell

[+jellis]

You have a smartphone?

[+geordiell]

You have a smartphone?

 

Yes I have an iPhone which is what Ive been using always while doing geocaching just Ive noticed most people prefer the gps units and the battery seems to be better and generally better for this hobby so thats why I bought one as it says at the top of the page!

geordiell

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Guys thanks for your advice but I dont think Im coming across clearly? If I find a cache when Im out (a mukti or a puzzle) how do I type these numbers into a GPS to find it without having to walk all the way home use my computer to convert them then walk all the way back up to find them? All I can see here is whats the point of that? Surely it should be able to be done "on the move"??

geordiell

You are coming across clearly enough. I believe everyone posting responses know what you mean... the problem is that you don't seem to understand the differences between those formats.

 

The primary problem you have, is that your GPSr unit WILL NOT accept the format-type as you have them:

Example on the app my location is N55* 10.211 W1*41.570

But on GPS I can only enter N55*10.21? W1*41.57?

So my question is where and how do I add the 3rd number after the dot?

The coordinate format noted above (copied and quoted from one of your Original posts) is Decimal-Minutes format and is not a choice that your unit provides you with (according to the manual).

 

 

 

You can convert in the field (using the numbers you posted) by converting those digits to the right of the decimal point (only) by a factor of 60:

.211 X 60 = 12.66 (drop the .66), replace your original .211 with 12. Resulting coordinate is N55° 10' 12"

.570 X 60 = 34.20 (drop the .20), replace your original .570 with 34. Resulting coordinate is W001° 41' 34"

 

What you need to enter into your GPSr is: N55 10 12 and W001 41 34 (making sure it is set to read Degree-Minutes-Seconds).

 

I would suggest that if you are going to OBTAIN coordinates from your phone and want to ENTER them into your GPSr, you should carry paper and pencil for future calculations -- if you continue to use that model GPSr.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+geordiell]

You can convert in the field (using the numbers you posted) by converting those digits to the right of the decimal point (only) by a factor of 60:

.211 X 60 = 12.66 (drop the .66), replace your original .211 with 12. Resulting coordinate is N55° 10' 12"

.570 X 60 = 34.20 (drop the .20), replace your original .570 with 34. Resulting coordinate is W001° 41' 34"

 

What you need to enter into your GPSr is: N55 10 12 and W001 41 34 (making sure it is set to read Degree-Minutes-Seconds).

 

THANK YOU :)

geordiell