Coordinates

[+Thelittlepeople2011]

We are new to this, but yesterday my son and I went out in search of local caches and we certainly enjoyed it, but we can across the below and for the life of me I couldn't work it out, could someone let me when how I do this for future reference.

 

FINAL CO ORDS ARE Nxx xx.ABC Exxx xx.DEF

A=Number of steps MINUS (number)

B=Number of steps MINUS (number)

C=Number of steps plus (number)

D=Number of steps MINUS (number)

E=Number of steps MINUS (number)

F=Number of steps MINUS (number)

 

Thanks 

Edited August 21, 2022 by geoawareUSA9
Removing specific cache information

[geoawareUSA9]

I edited your post so it does not contain cache-specific information.

 

Not to be glib, but did you try counting the steps, and then carrying out the addition or subtraction as directed, and applying the information to the coordinates?

 

For example, let's say I had a cache that asked you to count the rocks. You count three rocks.

 

Then I say the cache is at N 12 12.AAA E 000 00.BBB, and A = rocks plus one and B = rocks minus two.

 

Using the total of rocks you counted, you calculate that the cache is at N 12 12.444 E 000 00.111, and you put this information into your GPSr, or add a waypoint in your caching app of choice for N 12 12.444 E 000 00.111, and then you go there and find the container.

 

Does this help?

[+vw_k]

Agreed. Looking at the puzzle I'd guess there's a set of steps at the start co-ordinates that you have to count.

 

There are a lot of puzzles like this in my area that make use of architectural features, counting the number of stairs or steps, the number of windows on one side of a building etc etc. It's a simple way of setting a puzzle or multi cache as you can count just about anything and do some simple maths to get some co-ordinates.

[SBL1965]

Hi

 

I had my very first go at finding a cache today - be gentle on me!

 

I came across a similar puzzle to the above where I had to find and calculate numbers on a gravestone. I found the grave, made the sums. Fine. But as above the answers were like, "N52 01.xxx W02 06.yyy". But my compass showed me at N52 00 aa W02 06 bb. I'm a complete novice with coordinates, but how does "xxx" translate to "aa"??

 

Steve  

Edited September 21, 2022 by geoawareUSA9
Removing puzzle solution

[geoawareUSA9]

9 hours ago, SBL1965 said:

Hi

 

I had my very first go at finding a cache today - be gentle on me!

 

I came across a similar puzzle to the above where I had to find and calculate numbers on a gravestone. I found the grave, made the sums. Fine. But as above the answers were like, "N52 01.xxx W02 06.yyy". But my compass showed me at N52 00 aa W02 06 bb. I'm a complete novice with coordinates, but how does "xxx" translate to "aa"??

 

Steve  

 

Hi Steve, and welcome to geocaching. I edited your post slightly so it didn't give away any puzzle solutions.

 

Coordinates don't all come in the same format. The standard format for geocaching is degrees and decimal minutes, or DD MM.MMM - while your compass is set to degrees minutes and seconds, or DD MM SS. You can convert seconds to decimal minutes by dividing by 60 (or decimal minutes to seconds by multiplying by 60), but the easier thing would probably be to set the app you're using for a compass to decimal minutes.

 

More info here.

 

Once you have that, the numbers you calculated might make a bit more sense.

 

Good luck!

[+niraD]

9 hours ago, SBL1965 said:

I came across a similar puzzle to the above where I had to find and calculate numbers on a gravestone. I found the grave, made the sums. Fine. But as above the answers were like, "N52 01.xxx W02 06.yyy". But my compass showed me at N52 00 aa W02 06 bb. I'm a complete novice with coordinates, but how does "xxx" translate to "aa"??

See also the Help Center article Coordinate formats.

 

In general, geocaching uses degrees and decimal minutes, for example 12 34.567 , which can also be written 12° 34.567'

 

Your other example looks like degrees, minutes, and seconds. But degrees, minutes, and seconds work just the same as hours, minutes, and seconds. So if the decimal part of the minutes is .567 , then to get the number of seconds, you just multiply by 60 (because there are 60 seconds in a minute). With my previous example, .567 * 60 = 34.0 , which is the number of seconds. The degrees and whole minutes don't change, so the equivalent coordinate in degree, minute, and seconds format is 12 34 34.0 , which can also be written 12° 34' 34.0"

 

[SBL1965]

Thank you both - for the explanations and for not making me feel more stupid! 

 

I'll give that cache another go later this week. But if I may ask...how close to the cache does 'seconds' put you? 

 

I found my first cache near my office yesterday lunchtime - what a thrill!  I walk and cycle quite a bit, often aimlessly. Why did I never consider geocaching sooner?! 

Edited September 21, 2022 by SBL1965

[+barefootjeff]

11 minutes ago, SBL1965 said:

But if I may ask...how close to the cache does 'seconds' put you?

 

One second in latitude is about 30 metres (90 feet), which is why geocaching uses DDM rather than DMS. If you need to work in seconds, you have to go to tenths of seconds for them to be useful.