Newbie...help with coordinates please?

[gem1409]

Hi,

We recently made our own cache which we are very new to!

We logged the new cache and it went for review but the coordinates were unfortunately incorrect (the GPS app wasn't much use!!)

We have been back and I have taken them again various times and now have more of an accurate area.

The problem I am having is that the log will only let me input DDM...Sorry we are very new to all the coordinates.

Please could somebody possibly let me know the correct way in which I can enter the coordinates on the attachment.

Thank you 

[+TriciaG]

A very quick web search gave me this:

http://www.csgnetwork.com/gpscoordconv.html

You'll want the second one down: decimal degrees to GPS Coordinate (DDD MM.MMM)

 

 

[+icezebra11]

Or you can just use a calculator.  There are 60 minutes in a degree so 0.7726x60=46.356 and 0.3269x60=19.614.  That makes your DDM coordinates N 53 46.356, W 002 19.614.  Positive latitude is north and negative longitude is west.

[+WarNinjas]

Are you are getting your coords that way off of google earth.  You can go into the settings and click on them until you pick the right ones.  For some reason, for me anyways the default one is wrong and I always have to go change it.  

  I am not saying to get your coords from google earth but that is where I have seen them in the wrong format the most. If you are going to keep caching it is best to change it so you can use it as a tool for hides.

[+icezebra11]

11 hours ago, WarNinjas said:

Are you are getting your coords that way off of google earth.  You can go into the settings and click on them until you pick the right ones.

Likewise, if you are getting your coordinates using an app, you probably can go into the app's settings and change the coordinate format.

[+kunarion]

On 1/16/2018 at 9:17 AM, gem1409 said:

it went for review but the coordinates were unfortunately incorrect (the GPS app wasn't much use!!)

 

Do a search for "Free GPS", to find a selection of Apps.  For Android (and now IOS), there's a handy App called "GPS Status" that shows coordinates in the right format by default.

Or use the Official Geocaching App.  Select any cache at all, tap "Start", switch to the Compass screen, and you see your current location in the same coordinate format that the web site cache page uses.  A quick way to get a pretty good cache waypoint is to let the App settle out, approach from a couple different directions, and pick the coordinates that seem most consistent at your chosen spot.

You will need to convert coordinates from time to time, especially if you work puzzle caches, so get familiar with how to do that.  Here's a web site where you can convert a couple of different formats: http://boulter.com/gps/?c=37+23.516+-122+02.625#37 23.516 -122 02.625

For Geocaching.com and many hiking GPS devices, select the coords under the heading "GPS" in the above link.

Edited January 17, 2018 by kunarion

[GPS-Hermit]

There is a piece of software you need to have an "keep" it is called Fizzycalc - down load it and  use it. It will show the same co-ordinate in different formats - choose the one you want -   input can be almost any format - output is many formats or the same co-ordinate. Very useful when you cut and paste co-ordinates from the internet which show up in  many different formats. Give it a try - it is a fast and tiny little program. 

[+jellis]

I use Boulter.com Coordinate converter.