Longitude - Latitude vs UTM

[Guest Littlbigd]

So what does everybody like to use? I notice that Longitude and Latitude seem to be the standard I always convert everything to UTM. It is so much easier to read and plot on a map and I can still use my compass if my GPS goes down.

I was taught how to plot once with Long/lat but it involved a ruler, a pencil and other similar complicated pieces of machinery.

Any other thoughts?

 

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[Guest Markwell]

Only other comment is that not everyone uses a map other than those provided on TopoZone or Mapblast, and almost all GPS units come out reading Lat/Lon WGS-84 out of the box. It doesn't really matter to me what format the coordinates are in, as long as I can get to the cache!

[Guest Markwell]

Only other comment is that not everyone uses a map other than those provided on TopoZone or Mapblast, and almost all GPS units come out reading Lat/Lon WGS-84 out of the box. It doesn't really matter to me what format the coordinates are in, as long as I can get to the cache!

[Guest Fish]

I use both, after over 13 years in the Canadian military I will use UTM to plot the cache on a map, also it helps while I show my 8 year old how we used to do it the old fashoned way...."Dad....why does your compass use mils and my compass has degrees?"

 

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[Guest Havasu Desert Rat]

I've taught map & compass classes for over 15 years and I've been teaching a basic GPS class for 5 years. Ever since I started the GPS classes, I've taught my students the UTM system. I think that for the person on the ground, it is MUCH simpler and more user friendly. Also, I would love to see the geocaching site use UTM. I think there would be a lot less opportunity for errors when entering coordinates. So what if that isn't what the GPS manufacturers default to? It's soooo easy to change.

[Guest c.mathis]

quote:

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Originally posted by Havasu Desert Rat:

Ever since I started the GPS classes, I've taught my students the UTM system. I think that for the person on the ground, it is MUCH simpler and more user friendly. Also, I would love to see the geocaching site use UTM. I think there would be a lot less opportunity for errors when entering coordinates.

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I'm with you. Except for geocaching, UTM is all I use.

[Guest Fish]

I do know that jeeep.com will convert lat-long over to UTM

[Guest Team JackQuest]

I'll jump on the band wagon. I also use UTM for everything but geocaching.

 

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TEAM JackQuest

Jack & Cyber

www.jackquest.com

Base Camp N 40° 20.268' W 75° 37.969' (WGS84)

[Guest n1niq]

I'll jump on the band wagon. UTM seems to be the easiest way to go when looking from map to GPS. Remember to draw in the grid lines on your USGS topo map (the tic marks are there on the borders).

 

Chris

[Guest Campeon1981]

Humor the newbie again...

Please define these terms: (i'm a visual learner so links to pics help)

 

1. UTM (and how to convert lat-long into this)

 

2. SA

 

Thanks!

[Guest Markwell]

Camp - UTM is a different datum - a different way to plot points on a map. Easiest way to convert them is by using your GPS. Points entered in Lat/Lon in HDD° MM.MMM like they are on Geocaching.com will be converted if you change your units on the GPS Receiver.

 

SA - selective availability. This was the scrambling signal that made it so only the military could get the accuracy of the signals that we are getting now. Clinton turned it off May 2, 2000 - which gave birth to Geocaching!

[Guest AngstMonger]

Actually, I believe UTM would be considered a geographic coordinate system rather than a datum. It stands for Universal Transverse Mercator (if memory serves), and is based on the metric system of distance measurement. There's a pretty good discussion of both UTM and datums (datae?) at: http://www.basarc.org/maptools/index.html You'll also find some inexpensive and very useful tools for downloading or ordering there.

[Guest Hard Slate]

I prefer the utm when using map&compass/and gps together, and lat.,long. when geocaching.

[Guest mrgigabyte]

UTM is by far easier to "visually" see your position relative to where you want to go. The is especially true in geocaching.

 

UTM coordinates are referred to metres, NOT angles. I couldn't tell you how far 2 minutes and 10 seconds is at 49 degrees N, but I can tell you how far 250m is. If you can subtract, you can calculate distances easily with UTM.

 

When I get close to a cache I switch from the electronic compass on the navigation screen of the eTrex to the satellite page. This not only shows me how good my signal is as I move around in the bush but shows me my position in ground measurable and visual units... metres. I can see I am 10m south and 15m west. As long as I have a rough idea where north is, I can pace right to the cache. This technique never fails and would be impossible to do in angular measurement modes unless you lived on the equator (i.e. latitude & longitude).

 

The only problem with UTM is if you are in one zone and the cache is in another. You must be very careful you enter the zone designation correctly or you will have a long hunt ahead of you.

[Guest BigFig]

Me too - I use UTM for everything but geocaching. There seems to be a lot of confusion about UTM vs LAT/LON, WAAS, Datums, etc. I think early on a lot of us came from navigation backgrounds and assume newbies understand what we are talking about when we discuss coordiant systems and datums.

Do we have a FAQ one the site - I have to confess all I look at are my caches and discussion pages. I'd be happy to write some of a FAQ if anyone is interested. Jeremy??

[Guest mrgigabyte]

Here is an excellent tutorial on map projections, with a special focus on UTM. It is very well written and most newbies should be able grasp the basics on the first read.

 

http://maps.nrcan.gc.ca/maps101/utm.html

 

If you back up one level on the site to http://maps.nrcan.gc.ca/maps101, you can find our more about navigation than you would ever want to know. A great resource produced by the Canadian government. We know about mapping here... we have more land than anybody!

[Guest BigFig]

Looks like Jeremy has a pretty good "what is geocaching" FAQ. Maybe a list of links to "technical" resources would suffice.

[Guest Campeon1981]

Mr. Gigabyte, and all others who contributed to my knowledge, thank you. I now remember what the heck UTM is... I've used it before but didnt remember it called UTM. It is MUCH much easier to locate the spot on the map and navigate to that point on a UTM map then it is on a Lat-Long.

 

My new question would be, do you all use civilian UTM or military UTM? I personally prefer military, its what i know.

[Guest CharlieP]

In response to mrgigabytes last post above, I use the same method he describes to determine my position north/south and east/west of the cache, but I still use the LL mode, .001 minute Lat is about 6 feet and .001 minute Lon is about 5 feet (here in north GA) so it just takes a little math. But I do use the UTM grid to plot positions, e.g. on terraserver pics. I agree that you can get screwed up near a UTM section boundary, and some of the caches here are close to the W84 boundary between zones 16 and 17. Enter a zone 17 position as a zone 16 and you will be in the wrong state!

 

FWIW,

CharlieP