Steps to getting coordinates

[+CourtSC]

Hi. I would like to place a geocache but am very very clueless when it comes to understanding coordinates and all the terms I've been reading about. I am using the Geocache app and have either the iPhone compass or EasyGPS app that I can use to find coordinates. The problem is, I have no clue how to do it! Do I go to the location and then record the exact coordinates shown on my phone? Really looking for step by step help because I'm pretty clueless but really want to understand!! At this point, I won't be buying a GPS unit, only using my phone. Thanks!!

[+niraD]

I don't use an iPhone myself, so I can't give you step by step instructions. The app I use makes it pretty easy, but it's available only for Android. However, the Help Center article How to Get Accurate Coordinates should prove useful.

 

And as some general advice, once you have coordinates, if you don't trust them, then test them.

 

Enter your coordinates into your device, and then approach the cache location from at least 100ft/30m away. The arrow should point right at the cache location as you approach. Repeat the process, approaching the cache location from various directions, from at least 100ft/30m away each time. No matter which direction you approach from, the arrow should point right at the cache location.

 

If it doesn't, then adjust your coordinates until it does.

 

Bonus points for repeating the test on another day when the GPS satellites are in a different configuration.

[Keystone]

Do NOT use the compass that comes "out of the box" with your iPhone. It can only display coordinates in degrees, minutes and seconds, and that's an insufficient level of precision. Geocaching.com uses the decimal minutes format. Use an app that can provide coordinates in this format or in another acceptable format, such as decimal degrees.

[+CourtSC]

Would that be dd.ddd or dd(degrees) mm.mmm'

Those are the 2 choices in my GPS app that have decimals!

[Pup Patrol]

Would that be dd.ddd or dd(degrees) mm.mmm'

Those are the 2 choices in my GPS app that have decimals!

 

Help Center → Other → Conversions

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

 

3.3. 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.

[Pup Patrol]

Worth reading before going out and placing a cache:

 

Guidelines

 

https://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

Help Center → Hiding a Geocache

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.book&id=19

 

B.

[+Cardinal Red]

Would that be dd.ddd or dd(degrees) mm.mmm'

Those are the 2 choices in my GPS app that have decimals!

 

Based on the average length of a Nautical Mile by International agreement:

1 Degree = 364,566.9291 feet, so round that to 365,000 feet.

.00001 Degrees then = 3.65 feet.

 

1 Minute = 6,076.115486 feet, so round that to 6,000 feet.

.001 Minutes then = 6 feet.

 

1 Second = 101.2685914 feet, so round that to 100 feet.

.1 Second then = 10 feet.

 

You indicate you have a dd.ddd option. If that is correct, that isn't good enough. You need dd.ddddd

That is 5 decimal points needed in Decimal Degrees instead of only 3 decimal points in Decimal Degrees. If your app will actually give you 5 decimal points of Decimal Degrees accuracy, that is good no matter what they call it in the app.

 

The mm.mmm option is good. That is the Geocaching standard.

 

When Keystone says that an "out of the box" iPhone in degrees, minutes and seconds is an insufficient level of precision, that must mean it is only capable of ss.s

 

At ss.ss it would have more precision than either dd.ddddd or mm.mmm

 

Explaining to someone that 6 foot precision is the desired Geocaching standard, while 10 feet is insufficient precision could be a bit of a hard sell. So we usually don't explain it. We just say don't do it. I know why mm.mmm is the Geocaching standard. dd.ddddd would have been a much better standard at 3.65 foot precision, and one nice clean number. To late to "fix" that, but you can still collect coordinates as dd.ddddd - but they must still get published accurately on the cache page as mm.mmm

 

Good Luck with your hide.

[+wmpastor]

Would that be dd.ddd or dd(degrees) mm.mmm'

Those are the 2 choices in my GPS app that have decimals!

 

Based on the average length of a Nautical Mile by International agreement:

1 Degree = 364,566.9291 feet, so round that to 365,000 feet.

.00001 Degrees then = 3.65 feet.

 

1 Minute = 6,076.115486 feet, so round that to 6,000 feet.

.001 Minutes then = 6 feet.

 

1 Second = 101.2685914 feet, so round that to 100 feet.

.1 Second then = 10 feet.

 

You indicate you have a dd.ddd option. If that is correct, that isn't good enough. You need dd.ddddd

That is 5 decimal points needed in Decimal Degrees instead of only 3 decimal points in Decimal Degrees. If your app will actually give you 5 decimal points of Decimal Degrees accuracy, that is good no matter what they call it in the app.

 

The mm.mmm option is good. That is the Geocaching standard.

 

When Keystone says that an "out of the box" iPhone in degrees, minutes and seconds is an insufficient level of precision, that must mean it is only capable of ss.s

 

At ss.ss it would have more precision than either dd.ddddd or mm.mmm

 

Explaining to someone that 6 foot precision is the desired Geocaching standard, while 10 feet is insufficient precision could be a bit of a hard sell. So we usually don't explain it. We just say don't do it. I know why mm.mmm is the Geocaching standard. dd.ddddd would have been a much better standard at 3.65 foot precision, and one nice clean number. To late to "fix" that, but you can still collect coordinates as dd.ddddd - but they must still get published accurately on the cache page as mm.mmm

 

Good Luck with your hide.

 

This seems like a great explanation but may be more technical than they wish to absorb.

 

The main thing is that you've pointed out the standard format used in the game (which they can see for reference by looking at the description of an existing cache). That's how they should set their device.

 

So they should choose the location, measure the gps coords several times (even better on different days), and then write the listing, place the cache, and last, submit for review and publication.

[Pup Patrol]

So they should choose the location, measure the gps coords several times (even better on different days), *** and then write the listing, place the cache, and last, submit for review and publication.

 

***

 

Help Center → Hiding a Geocache → Review Process: Hiding a Geocache

1.13. Saturation Guideline: Hidden, Virtual and Additional Waypoints

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=232

 

Help Center → Hiding a Geocache → Review Process: Hiding a Geocache

1.12. Understanding the Geocache Planning Map

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=464

 

All clear? No other Guideline issues? Then submit for Review.

 

B.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Would that be dd.ddd or dd(degrees) mm.mmm'

Those are the 2 choices in my GPS app that have decimals!

 

dd.ddddd is decimal degrees format

dd mm.mmm is Degrees/Decimal Minutes

 

The web site and geocaching application all use the Degrees Decimal Minutes but Decimal Degrees is used behind the scenes. If you find an app that only uses Decimal Degrees there are lots of coordinate conversion sites that will convert to DDM.

[+CourtSC]

Thank you to everyone who took the time to explain! This is all literally like a foreign language to me, but I want to be sure to do it right!

[+Ben0w]

There is an App for iOS named "GPS Averaging" made for exactly this: taking multiple coordinate readings and average them into sufficient coordinates.

 

Take in count that GPS readings are blurred within woods, canyons, beside other high obstacles (buildings) and sometimes in pouring rain.

 

As already was stated, coming back another day and using different devices for more readings are a good advice plus providing beta tests (letting another cacher try out with his equipment).

[ohgood]

There is an App for iOS named "GPS Averaging" made for exactly this: taking multiple coordinate readings and average them into sufficient coordinates.

 

Take in count that GPS readings are blurred within woods, canyons, beside other high obstacles (buildings) and sometimes in pouring rain.

 

As already was stated, coming back another day and using different devices for more readings are a good advice plus providing beta tests (letting another cacher try out with his equipment).

 

gps averaging works well on Android also.

[+GeoTrekker26]

gps averaging works well on Android also.

 

How does this contribute to this thread which is about using an iPhone. Many standalone GPS units have averaging too, but that doesn't help the OP in the least.

[+niraD]

Some of the partner apps (e.g., CacheSense for Android) also implement GPS averaging.

[+MKFmly]

How does this contribute to this thread which is about using an iPhone. Many standalone GPS units have averaging too, but that doesn't help the OP in the least.

Oh the irony...