Degrees, Minutes, Seconds or Decimal Degrees.

[123rover50]

Bought a HN6 a while back and just getting to know it.
Now when we were cruising in the yacht all my navigation was in DMS and the Hema is in DMS and all my maps are DMS.
Joined CMCA and they have a thing called Geowiki that lists dump points etc. Their co-ordinates are in DD.
Is this becoming more common?
How many use DD for their navigation?
Can my Hema be changed to read in DD as well?

Keith

[donh54]

Every gps I've owned or used, has choices in the Settings menu for DD, DMS, etc.

[austastar]

Hi
Google Earth and Maps use DD, but will accept other inputs. This may eventually make DD the accepted default.

We saw some very interesting places by not realising that the Camps 5 book was in DMS an our Garmin Nuvi was still set at DD.

Cheers

[JDNSW]

I've been using DMS for about 70 years - and don't expect to change!

If you are going to change, why not go to radians!

[p38arover]

DMS are too hard to accurately position on a map and impossible on a street directory.

i use UTM - Eastings and Northings. Using those, it is extremely easy, down metre accuracy, to locate or position oneself on a map.

The grid on a topo map is in multiples (or fractions) of 1000 metres and the numbers refer to Eastings and Northings. Ditto on a street directory (if you young blokes have ever seen one :) )

I used to use DMS or decimal when I worked with hydrographic charts (plotting submarine cable positions or trawlers).

[123rover50]

Every gps I've owned or used, has choices in the Settings menu for DD, DMS, etc.

I could not find it in the book. I will have another play. Its a 7 not a 6, wrong button.

K

[123rover50]

I've been using DMS for about 70 years - and don't expect to change!

If you are going to change, why not go to radians!

I will stick with DMS as well. Just have to brush up on my maths to do the multiplication and division to convert one to the other.
I use radians or Mils (milradians) for scope settings on my rifle scopes, thats all.

Keith

[donh54]

When I was a baggy green-skinned animal with black feet, we used mils for navigation, bearings etc.

[trout1105]

When I was a baggy green-skinned animal with black feet, we used mils for navigation, bearings etc.

Me too.
We also used "Clicks" for distance and now the only clicks I get come from my knees [bigwhistle]

[AK83]

I personally use DMS, but prefer UTM myself(Eastings and Northings as P38 says..) easier to estimate how far in a straight another point is in a straight line compared to degree values.
But I use DMS because of the lowest common denominator rule .. that is the device that can only show degrees(ie. not E and N values) so it's easier to quickly determine relative location.


... Can my Hema be changed to read in DD as well?

Keith

I don't have a Hema. looked at getting one but found they cost too much for what you really get .. So I just buy their maps as needed and as they get updated with newer data or more detailed info.

I still use OziExplorer mainly on PC, and Ozi Android now for mobile mapping. Used Ozi WinCE for years too.

Doing a lot of research on the HEMA hardware, they run two different programs, depending on what you want to do.
Some iGo or whatever street nav app, and a cut down mobile version of Ozi for the 4WD mode.

So the answer depends on which app, or mode you mostly use.

if it's the 4WD mode(ie,. non turn by turn mode), then you're using Ozi and there are settings to use whatever mode you prefer DMS, DM or D.
In this instance you go to Settings -> General(gear wheel)->Operation tab .. you should see the Position format box up top there.

Full fledged Ozi has many different position formats many that you wouldn't use(eg. Swiss or Swedish Grid, and other formats for foreign lands and maps), and you wouldn't expect those non Aus related types to be included in the HEMA.
But even a stripped out version should offer the 3 various Degree formats(D, DM and DMS), and most likely the universal UTM too.

hope that helps.

[ramblingboy42]

I have a formula to convert the digital readouts from your phone or google to conventional degrees, minutes, seconds.
Just can't find it at the moment but will put it up here tomorrow.
Unless someone beats me to it.

[Bigbjorn]

I never saw anything but DMS used in machine shops to set up a precision angle on a job or machine tool. My old and my near new vernier protractor both use DMS.

[Slunnie]

I use UTM. Much easier and accurate

[Charliektm400exc]

Degrees minutes and seconds work for marine use. When the first gps started getting used in vehicles they had DMS as they came from marine.

but if you compare working out where you are/need to be on a land based map between DMS and UTM, once you know how to do UTM you wouldn’t go back, it’s so easy.

Sometimes we we get stuck with what we know, and can’t see that moving forward is 5e way to go.

Just my opinion.

Charlie

[ramblingboy42]

yes, it works all ways.
In my role in marine rescue if a person gives us co-ordinates from their phone, our bookwork necessitates us to convert it to DMS for conventional mapping, however if we put their co-ordinates into our phone it shows us exactly where they are and we can proceed to their rescue. When we return we still have to convert for Marine standards paperwork.

[trout1105]

When I was crayfishing everything was in DMS But even back in the seventies in the Army it was all Mills.
It's pretty easy to get your head around either it all depends which map or mapping software you are using at the time
Interestingly the Hema paper maps and the Hema Explorer software I have are in DMS.

[cuppabillytea]

My Google earth has DMS and decimals of seconds.

I was educated in DMS but was also educated to learn and use the language of whatever ship I was on.
The land is a ship that travels at 2'' a year.
I'd be much happier if the land was charted with Mercator Charts though.

[Charliektm400exc]

I'd be much happier if the land was charted with Mercator Charts though.


PSML

[Young Angus]

I've been using DMS for about 70 years - and don't expect to change!

If you are going to change, why not go to radians!

Or Gons...try Gons for something different.

I'm a land surveyor and DMS all the way, mind you if you ever need to use any of the bearings to calculate some trig you'll need to convert to DD, so just get around both :D

(Gave me a good laugh the Radians comment)

[theresanothersteve]

DMS are too hard to accurately position on a map and impossible on a street directory.

i use UTM - Eastings and Northings. Using those, it is extremely easy, down metre accuracy, to locate or position oneself on a map.

The grid on a topo map is in multiples (or fractions) of 1000 metres and the numbers refer to Eastings and Northings. Ditto on a street directory (if you young blokes have ever seen one :) )

I used to use DMS or decimal when I worked with hydrographic charts (plotting submarine cable positions or trawlers).
UTM is fine for absolute referencing but not much good for course plotting, for that you need a relative bearing. Cardinal points don't cut it, so you have to use degrees. And for anything less than one degree you need to use either minutes and seconds or decimal degrees...

[p38arover]

UTM is fine for absolute referencing but not much good for course plotting, for that you need a relative bearing.

That's why I like topo maps with with UTM and DMS - although in most hilly/mountainous Aussie bush, course plotting (when driving) may not be practical.

[Saitch]

I have a formula to convert the digital readouts from your phone or google to conventional degrees, minutes, seconds.
Just can't find it at the moment but will put it up here tomorrow.
Unless someone beats me to it.


Or Gons...try Gons for something different.

I'm a land surveyor and DMS all the way, mind you if you ever need to use any of the bearings to calculate some trig you'll need to convert to DD, so just get around both :D

(Gave me a good laugh the Radians comment)


PSML
But, if you're using the calculator I'm assuming you use, it would be HMS and H.MS.
Steve