+Black Dog Trackers Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 A few months ago, I took up the practice of taking averaged GPS readings on all location-scaled benchmarks. I realize now that I should've done it from the beginning. I don't bother taking readings for the location-adjusted marks, but I've come to like the scaled ones better than before because I get to do a lat-lon measurement on them and upload it. I'm not a big uploader to the NGS yet, but I like to get the data so that I can, especially when they upgrade their Mark Recovery website. They allow text form input of lat-lon data on scaled marks now, but it will be a real part of their mark recovery form someday. Even if you never plan to input information to the NGS, entering your data here on geocaching.com makes the hobby more fun, I find. Quote Link to comment
+GEO*Trailblazer 1 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 I always take a long reading and note the differences in the coordinates. Some are precise and others are off. I always update it in the GPS and keep them as my new control. I have brought this up before but it never went any where. I also update it to the TOPO in National Geographic Maps. I have also turned in to NGS. You are right the data will be good to keep till the NGS has updated. The TOPO also gives me a place to put the data for the USGS BLM Volunteer GPS-Mapping I am working on.Saves lots of paper work. Quote Link to comment
+seventhings Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 BDT - I agree 100%. A few months ago I started logging some of my recoveries with NGS and adding handheld coords to the descriptions of those with scaled locations. I figure it might actually help someone with a functional interest find the mark. I also (99% of the time, anyway) post handheld coords in Geocaching for the marks with scaled locations, but have stopped doing it for those with adjusted coords. 7 Quote Link to comment
+happycycler Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 To digress... I have noticed that most of the time my GPS will read with 10 to 20 feet of the ADJUSTED elevation for an elevation benchmark. Does this bode well for the accuracy of my GPS lat. & lon. or does it bode anything at all? I sometimes include my elevation reading even though I know that it is not as accurate as the listed elevation. I do this in hopes that it says something about the quality of my reading at that point on that day. Is this a foolish idea? Thanks in advance for your knowledge about this! Quote Link to comment
+California Bear Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 A few months ago, I took up the practice of taking averaged GPS readings on all location-scaled benchmarks. I have a question... How do you do averaging? Do you 1) Just park your GPSr on the mark for a while and then read the coords after a few minutes, 2) Watch it for a length of time noting all the coords that come up then manually calculate the location Does your GPSr have an averaging function? I've looked through the manual for my GPSr and it doesn't appear to have an averaging function as it was made post-Selective Availability and WAAS. TIA Quote Link to comment
dantonac Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 You *could* do it manually, but what a pain. Most GPSRs have an averaging function. Usually it comes on automatically when you are not moving. I have heard that there are units out there without the functionality, but don't know what they are. Both my old Magellan 315 and my new Magellan Color average when still. In the case of both units the information screen that shows the time/date and other stuff says "Averaging" along with the amount of time it has been averaging. Quote Link to comment
+Black Dog Trackers Posted June 18, 2004 Author Share Posted June 18, 2004 California Bear - My Garmin III+ has an averaging function. Quote Link to comment
+Tahoe Skier5000 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 (edited) A few months ago, I took up the practice of taking averaged GPS readings on all location-scaled benchmarks. I have a question... How do you do averaging? Do you 1) Just park your GPSr on the mark for a while and then read the coords after a few minutes, 2) Watch it for a length of time noting all the coords that come up then manually calculate the location Does your GPSr have an averaging function? I've looked through the manual for my GPSr and it doesn't appear to have an averaging function as it was made post-Selective Availability and WAAS. TIA For the Garmin III+ Mark a waypoint. On the waypoint setup page, hit 'menu' and there should be an option for average position. Click on it. The next page should show you the coordinates and start a count-up. Let it count up as high as you want. The higher you go, the more accurate the position. The accuracy is also noted on that page and it will go down as you wait longer. Edited June 18, 2004 by vw_ev Quote Link to comment
+California Bear Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 I'll check my menus. I also have a Garmin but it is an E-Trex Legend. Quote Link to comment
+Colorado Papa Posted June 19, 2004 Share Posted June 19, 2004 My Garmin III+ Man after my own heart! Quote Link to comment
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