GPS navigation

[presidio]

1. If you are a LAT/LON person, use decimal degrees, and not DMS - Much easier.

Correct. I was mostly making the point that determining distance using Lat/Long is more troublesome than using UTM.

2. UTM requires a Zone designation as well as northing and easting. Additionally there are 2 points on the globe that have the same coordinates and must be differentiated by an additional notation of which hemisphere. Sometimes the convention to identify the southern hemisphere point is to use an "S" and this can cause some confusion because there is also a zone S.

Also correct. In the world of nautical and aviation use, Lat/Long is always (well, probably always) used because you do not have to designate anything other than N/S/E/W in the coordinates, and those uses occur where large changes in location can occur relatively rapidly. It's not that UTM couldn't be used, but Lat/Long is easier in a global setting for quickly determining position and is, of course, the traditional system of navigation. When I say easier/quicker it's in the context that for any given set of coordinates you can form a mental image of location fairly fast since the equator and the prime meridian are the reference points. Outside of the UTM zone(s) where you typically spend your time, you have to consult a chart to figure out where a coordinate is that someone gives you; it's not intuitive at all.

As noted, neither is better than the other, but one may be more suitable than the other depending on your application.

[Terlingua50337]

The easiest is the Joey method. Recall the episode when he was in London and "got in the map". For plain dead reckoning its a great method.

[RichardM]

I don't recall a complaint here that something wasn't posted using UTM, but I have received several complaints that I only post UTM coordinates.

Especially when you make us guess the zone...

[mule ears]

The easiest is the Joey method. Recall the episode when he was in London and "got in the map". For plain dead reckoning its a great method.

Yeah, I like dead reckoning!

One of my hiking partners always says "You know why they call it dead reckoning"

In light of Laurence Parents new book, this might be more topical than usual.

[Terlingua50337]

Daniel Boone was asked once if he ever got lost. His reply was "No, but I was bewildered once for two or three days"

[badknees]

author=iCe link=topic=9820.msg94066#msg94066 date=1280897494]
I was skimming through posts. Someone posted a trip log and someone else asked why no UTM or something like that.

On another note, I downloaded BaseCamp 3.0.2. I kind of like it it but it's not all that and a bag chips. One thing that was disappointing was finding that it couldn't import files from GPSFileDepot.com.

Base Camp should be able to read any mapsets that are MAPSOURCE compatible. Can you provide a little more detail in the problem you are having?

[iCe]

author=iCe link=topic=9820.msg94066#msg94066 date=1280897494]
I was skimming through posts. Someone posted a trip log and someone else asked why no UTM or something like that.

On another note, I downloaded BaseCamp 3.0.2. I kind of like it it but it's not all that and a bag chips. One thing that was disappointing was finding that it couldn't import files from GPSFileDepot.com.

Base Camp should be able to read any mapsets that are MAPSOURCE compatible. Can you provide a little more detail in the problem you are having?

According to a post on the GPPSFileDepot forum:

BaseCamp only works with maps which contain DEM (digital elevation model) data. Garmin has never revealed their format for DEM data and there are no third party tools for using it in your own maps. Therefore user-created maps (like the ones on this site) will not be compatible I'm afraid.

[MilesOfTexas]

Thanks Presidio!  I will check them out.

I am wondering if you know of an 'authoritative' publication that I can purchase.

Well, you can go here and get this for a few dollars (I have an ancient version of this...very well written)
http://www.amazon.com/Be-Expert-Map-Compass-Orienteering/dp/0020292651

or

you can go here and get a free ebook
http://www.map-reading.com/

Either one will tell you what you need to know.

[badknees]

author=iCe link=topic=9820.msg94066#msg94066 date=1280897494]
I was skimming through posts. Someone posted a trip log and someone else asked why no UTM or something like that.

On another note, I downloaded BaseCamp 3.0.2. I kind of like it it but it's not all that and a bag chips. One thing that was disappointing was finding that it couldn't import files from GPSFileDepot.com.

Base Camp should be able to read any mapsets that are MAPSOURCE compatible. Can you provide a little more detail in the problem you are having?

According to a post on the GPPSFileDepot forum:

BaseCamp only works with maps which contain DEM (digital elevation model) data. Garmin has never revealed their format for DEM data and there are no third party tools for using it in your own maps. Therefore user-created maps (like the ones on this site) will not be compatible I'm afraid.

Mapsets from gpsfiledepot will work on both Basecamp and Mapsource without DEM data. Have you installed the mapset? Are you on PC or Mac?

[iCe]

I'm on a Mac. I installed the mapset and it's not visible in the... 

Well... s o b... I fired BaseCamp up so I could tell you exactly where the map wasn't and there it was...

[badknees]

I'm on a Mac. I installed the mapset and it's not visible in the... 

Well... s o b... I fired BaseCamp up so I could tell you exactly where the map wasn't and there it was...

Glad you got it working!

[Doc Savage]

Well for me back in the "old" days before mapping GPS, I used a GPS and map and quickly found that translating the UTM coords to the maps was FAR easier. Grids for UTM are on most USGS 100k maps and the grids were 10cm square if I remember. As UTM was a decimal coord system, it translated easy to the map to plot where you really were.

Robert