GPS virgin

Submitted: Thursday, Jun 01, 2006 at 17:16
ThreadID: 34510 Views:1794 Replies:4 FollowUps:1
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I've never used a GPS and have now been loaned one for a upcoming trip. I thought I'd be clever and pre enter some waypoints from this website using the Trek notes. The maps I have and the GPS I have want the location like this; N38 deg 51.334, W094 deg 47.941. I guess these are northern hemisphere but it is just the layout I am talking about. The trek notes list them in a slightly different format, ie127.666473E, 18.224874S. Can one be easily converted to the other to maintain what is already stored in the GPS, or how do the 2 systems marry up. May be obvious to some but confusing to me.
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Reply By: Scubaroo - Thursday, Jun 01, 2006 at 17:29

Thursday, Jun 01, 2006 at 17:29
You'll probably find the easist thing to do is change the display format of the GPS - enter your waypoints, then change the display back to the format the map requires.

Post the model of the GPS and I'm sure someone on here will have the same model and be able to run you through changing the display format (if it's possible).

I have to do it all the time for maps that deal in eastings and northings.
AnswerID: 176163

Reply By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Thursday, Jun 01, 2006 at 17:52

Thursday, Jun 01, 2006 at 17:52
Here is a 'simple' explanation of the different coordinate systems used by GPS:

Coordinate Systems

127.666473E is in decimal degrees. It is the same as:

127º 39.988' E which is Degrees and Decimal minutes. Or:

127º 39' 59.3" E Which is degrees Minutes and Decimal Seconds.

To get from 127.666473E to 127º 39.998 E multiply the .666437 by 60 to get 39.98838.

Hope this helps

Pete
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AnswerID: 176166

Follow Up By: Garbutt - Thursday, Jun 01, 2006 at 19:36

Thursday, Jun 01, 2006 at 19:36
Thanks to both, makes sense now, will try it out.

GB
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Reply By: Darian (SA) - Friday, Jun 02, 2006 at 16:06

Friday, Jun 02, 2006 at 16:06
Yep - I'm with Paj - found that myself recently - our new GPS was supplying odd readings until I twigged about the display format - after choosing the format used in the book we were referencing, it was spot on to the inch (well - it seemed like an inch) !
AnswerID: 176387

Reply By: Garbutt - Friday, Jun 02, 2006 at 19:08

Friday, Jun 02, 2006 at 19:08
Yeah it asll makes sense now, except for why, my HEMA maps and Ron and Viv's 4WD Australia book all use the degrees, minutesd and decimal seconds as described by Pajman, why does this site use something else?

GB
AnswerID: 176421

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