Difference between revisions of "Coordinates"
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[[Image:Coordinates.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A set of coordinates]] | [[Image:Coordinates.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A set of coordinates]] | ||
| − | [[Coordinates]] are a | + | [[Coordinates]] are a set of numbers, [[Latitude]] and [[Longitude]], used to define a location, or [[waypoint]]. |
| + | |||
==Format== | ==Format== | ||
| − | There are | + | There are four commonly used formats for [[coordinates]]: |
* DDD° MM.mmm' - Degrees and decimal minutes - used in [[geocaching]] | * DDD° MM.mmm' - Degrees and decimal minutes - used in [[geocaching]] | ||
* DDD° MM'SS" - Degrees, minutes and seconds - used in general naviation, particularly nautical navigation | * DDD° MM'SS" - Degrees, minutes and seconds - used in general naviation, particularly nautical navigation | ||
| + | * +/-DDD.dddd° - Decimal degrees, with North and East being positive, S and W negative. | ||
* UTM - [http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/FieldMethods/UTMSystem.htm Universal Transverse Mercator] - UTM would be a better system to use for geocaching, because it's more accurate and, being based on the metric system, it's better suited to terrestial applications. However, even though [[geocaching.com]] lists UTM as well as [[Latitude and longitude|Lat/Lon]], very few cachers or [[waypoint_management_software|waypoint management programs]] seem to use it. | * UTM - [http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/FieldMethods/UTMSystem.htm Universal Transverse Mercator] - UTM would be a better system to use for geocaching, because it's more accurate and, being based on the metric system, it's better suited to terrestial applications. However, even though [[geocaching.com]] lists UTM as well as [[Latitude and longitude|Lat/Lon]], very few cachers or [[waypoint_management_software|waypoint management programs]] seem to use it. | ||
Latest revision as of 22:38, 24 June 2007
Coordinates are a set of numbers, Latitude and Longitude, used to define a location, or waypoint.
Format
There are four commonly used formats for coordinates:
- DDD° MM.mmm' - Degrees and decimal minutes - used in geocaching
- DDD° MM'SS" - Degrees, minutes and seconds - used in general naviation, particularly nautical navigation
- +/-DDD.dddd° - Decimal degrees, with North and East being positive, S and W negative.
- UTM - Universal Transverse Mercator - UTM would be a better system to use for geocaching, because it's more accurate and, being based on the metric system, it's better suited to terrestial applications. However, even though geocaching.com lists UTM as well as Lat/Lon, very few cachers or waypoint management programs seem to use it.
Datum
Coordinates are based on a datum. Geocache listings use the WGS84 datum, and your GPS needs to be set to this.
