Google maps Lat Long

[geoffbristol]

Having a boat - it bugs me a bit my phone will not easily show a gps lat long position in a proper format !
But actually it will !

Someone should tell Google that all marine charts and land maps - are gridded to Deg and minutes.
The decimal deg - is maybe what the gps sattelite sends - but maps and charts use minutes.
Why - simply because 1 min of 1 deg of Lat defines the nautical mile !

Deg, min, secs is archaic and seldom used now for anything.

Even an OS Landranger map - with its own grid system - if you look to extreme outside edge of the map it will show a deg Lat grid - and divisions in minutes. For marine use - minutes are diviided as a decimal - ie 24 deg 18.78 minutes.

So - straight Google maps - if you press and hold on the screen ( with a data or wifi connection ) you get a box below citing 'an address' or a named location. In the search box at the top will appear the lat long as decimal deg ( not helpful ) ie 24.29467 etc

However - if you do the same 'offline' - no wifi, no data ( airplane mode is easiest ) - even if right on a blued out area thats in google maps memory ( ie near your home ) - the bottom box now shows a nice Lat Long position in Deg, Min Secs.

Shame I can't change the settings to deg, decimal minutes - but its good enough for a position on an OS map to within 100 m or so - interpolating the secs.

 

[Dannydet]

http://m.gps-coordinates.org

 

[tommo47]

It may be worthwhile having a look at :-

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cruthu.latlongcalcpro

It will give you a location directly from GPS in a number of formats and a second location can be entered directly or from your own database of saved locations to give a bearing and distance.

I use it for hiking/hill walking.



The locations can be viewed in any map apps you have on your device including Google Maps. I prefer to use OsmAnd+ which is my goto app for hill walking.

 

[geoffbristol]

Thanks - I realise there are many apps that will do this - and more.. I have tried a few out. I was interested what Google maps could come up with on its own !

Apps like GPS status and toolbox - I played with a bit. Nice compass - abilty to set waypoints etc. For walking ( with a hard map ) an app that shows OS grid is what you want - or of course dedicated OS mapping app.
I have done some serious mountain walking over the years and would not like to be without a paper map - better overview of options.

Sailing is a little different as you can have larger equipent on board than walking - but paper chart size is hard to beat.

With both though - knowing exactly where you actually are is one huge bonus ! You used to have to work it out ! A bit of both is needed though - gps 'does' go down now and then !