Position averaging when hiding caches

[Guest Captain Cache]

I've yet to hide my first cache, but I am eager to do so shortly. I have read a lot of what many of you have said about averaging your positions in order to post the most accurate coordinates a cache. When I do hide my first cache, I want to do a good job.

 

So I webt out and experimented earlier this evening with averaging my position for the purposes of getting the best coordinates when hiding caches.

 

I took 5 readings with my Mag 315. Each reading was averaged for 2 minutes. Before each reading I turned the unit off and then back on. Here are the minutes and seconds (mm.sss) of each of the readings...

 

Latitude:

1) 28.290

2) 28.290

3) 28.292

4) 28.290

5) 28.290

 

Longitude

1) 03.401

2) 03.405

3) 03.403

4) 03.403

5) 03.402

 

Averaging the five values left me with a latitude of 28.290 and a longitude of 3.403 for my pretend cache.

 

So did I do this right? Do you think this would be pretty accurate?

 

Also, what does .001 seconds translate to in feet? For example, how many feet are there between 03.401 and 03.405 in my readings above? Or is it not that simple?

 

Thanks for your help/insight,

 

Captain Cache

[Guest Kerry]

Doubt if they are decimal seconds (don't know of any recreational units with that type of precision).

 

More like decimal minutes which 0.004' (3.401' to 3.405') equals about 7.5m (~24')

 

No real problem with how you did it but how accurate? well certainly within SPS accuracy spec but exactly? well that's an unknown.

 

Cheers, Kerry.

[Guest Pote]

I recently posted a similar question on the Units and Software board, Capt. Not germain to hte same unit, but good info nevertheless. Look for "Position averaging how to question" or just click here:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000538.html