GPS can't find coordinates

[Puffin2525]

I am new to Geochaching and am using a Magellan car GPS. I tried sending coordinates by clicking "send to GPS" and nothing happens. I then tried entering manually but the GPS only lets me enter the first few numbers, after which the choice becomes limited and I cannot enter the numbers that I need to enter. What is the problem here? Is that b/c I am using a car GPS as opposed to a handheld one? Would a hand held GPS have more coordinates options?

[+kunarion]

Is that b/c I am using a car GPS as opposed to a handheld one?

The car GPS receivers will disallow numbers that are outside of the possible coordinates. It's likely that your GPSr is set to a coordinate format that's different from Geocaching.com's, and that the coords must first be converted to a format that your car GPSr understands.

 

Here's a page that is very easy to enter coordinates, and covers some common conversions: http://boulter.com/gps/

 

Geocaching.com uses "DD MM.MMM" (Degrees, Decimal Minutes). It's called "GPS" on the site above, a format common to Garmin GPSrs, and many handheld GPSrs. What format is your GPSr expecting? Can you change it in the device settings? If you can make it match "DD MM.MMM", it might be less confusing.

 

Be careful about using a car GPSr for Geocaching. Even if the coords are in the woods, the car GPSr driving directions place you in the middle of a street. Not all caches are found there.

Edited March 18, 2017 by kunarion

[+on4bam]

I am new to Geochaching and am using a Magellan car GPS. I tried sending coordinates by clicking "send to GPS" and nothing happens. I then tried entering manually but the GPS only lets me enter the first few numbers, after which the choice becomes limited and I cannot enter the numbers that I need to enter. What is the problem here? Is that b/c I am using a car GPS as opposed to a handheld one? Would a hand held GPS have more coordinates options?

 

2 issues...

1. Send to GPS is a well known problem (search for communicator plugin on these forums) it's unsafe and phased out by just about any browser.

 

2. You probably have the wrong format. DD MM.mmm <> DD MM ss <> DD.dddddd check your settings.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Another option would be to cache with your smartphone, assuming you have one. Most phones​ nowadays have GPS capability built in.

 

Then all you'd need is a caching app. There are many to choose from, varying from free to cheap, basic to feature-packed.

 

Just a thought...

[Puffin2525]

Thank you everyone! I tried entering the numbers in a variety of ways, with the last 3 digits going first, the dot, then the 1st 3 digits, then the degrees. And a bunch more variations... but nothing works. It still limits the entry.

 

I then realized that the format it used for other locations is DD.MMmmmm(and the degree sign at the very end). I was able to enter the full coordinate using this format, but then the GPS location shows was completely off! (Compared to the above strategy, where even though the coordinates were limited, the location was approximately correct).

 

Kunarion, I just tried the link you sent and the first set of numbers seems to show the location, however, I wouldn't know how precisely it shows until I actually go there and check it for myself. I guess I'll have to play around with this a bit.

 

Viajeron, nope, no smartphone, just an old Nokia:)

[+Bear and Ragged]

 

I then realized that the format it used for other locations is DD.MMmmmm(and the degree sign at the very end). I was able to enter the full coordinate using this format, but then the GPS location shows was completely off! (Compared to the above strategy, where even though the coordinates were limited, the location was approximately correct).

 

 

Worth a read:

 

Coordinates and Map Datums

http://www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk/resources/gps.html#coords

 

Depending on the format

Decimal degrees 51.55160, -2.55255 (the - indicates West of Greenwich)

Degrees minutes and seconds N51°33'05.7", W2°33'09.2"

Degrees and decimal minutes N51°33.096', W2°33.153'

 

The same spot/location can have different numbers...

All the above are for the same location.

[+kunarion]

Kunarion, I just tried the link you sent and the first set of numbers seems to show the location, however, I wouldn't know how precisely it shows until I actually go there and check it for myself.

I guess it's "Decimal degrees", then. One long string of numbers for each of latitude and longitude.

 

If you can find a setting in your device, and change it to "DD MM.mmm" (Degrees, Decimal Minutes), typing coords will be easier, since you may copy directly from the Geocaching.com cache page. Otherwise, copy/paste coords into the Boulter site first, to convert them.

 

And then it might get tricky. Once you arrive at the cache site by car, you next must get the icon to show where the cache is. So you might switch between "Street Routing" and "Pedestrian", depending on whether you're walking or driving. My old GPSr in my car would almost always think I want to be a "pedestrian" in the street , so it would show my walking route around to the other side of a park, for example. Until you get a feel for what your GPSr is telling you, be sure you know where the cache page is telling you to go.

Edited March 18, 2017 by kunarion

[+ecanderson]

Also, be certain that your particular Magellan isn't designed to force you to 'nearest road' locations. Some older automotive units were unwilling to navigate directly to an 'off road' location, and would instead take you to the nearest location on a known road. In some cases, that was a user configurable option, too.

[+ecanderson]

Ah,. I see that Kunarion already addressed that after a fashion. Depends upon whether your particular device understands 'pedestrian' mode or not.

[Puffin2525]

Worth a read:

 

Coordinates and Map Datums

http://www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk/resources/gps.html#coords

[Puffin2525]

THank you, I opened the link and will read in a bit!

[Puffin2525]

Yes, my GPS understands pedestrian mode. I arrived at the location by car, and then switched to pedestrian after entering the coordinates. However, it said that the destination is "too far to walk to" even though the cache was supposed to be just a few meters away. And again, with the first coordinate it didn't allow me to enter the entire number (I could enter everything except the last digit). I"m not quite sure what the issue is. And Kunarion, the reason why I said it is the first set of digits on the link you sent me was the one that fit best, is b/c the other two required a spacing in between number which my GPS does not allow. Perhaps I should just enter the number without any space?

[+kunarion]

Yes, my GPS understands pedestrian mode. I arrived at the location by car, and then switched to pedestrian after entering the coordinates. However, it said that the destination is "too far to walk to" even though the cache was supposed to be just a few meters away. And again, with the first coordinate it didn't allow me to enter the entire number (I could enter everything except the last digit). I"m not quite sure what the issue is. And Kunarion, the reason why I said it is the first set of digits on the link you sent me was the one that fit best, is b/c the other two required a spacing in between number which my GPS does not allow. Perhaps I should just enter the number without any space?

What is the model number of your Magellan?

 

I tried to find some general info about how it might work, and haven't found much. One Magellan forum post I found specifically says that you may enter GPS coordinates, but that this will produce an address. If this is how yours works, you can get no waypoints that are off of a road. I saw no Magellan manuals that mentioned entering coordinates at all, so a model number may help with rersearch.

 

I saw two references to Magellan using "Decimal Degrees". This is not the same as what you see on the Geocaching.com cache page, so Geocache page coordinates would need to be converted for entry. As Bear and Ragged posted:

Decimal degrees 51.55160, -2.55255 (the - indicates West of Greenwich)

 

It's possible that you must enter coords a special way, or that it may not extend to 5 decimal places.

 

Many car GPSrs will route you on roads, even in pedestrian mode. My first Nuvi did that, but it also could show the coordinates of my current location, so one day I found two caches using it that way... watching the numbers change until they matched the cache location. That was kind of a chore.

 

The Magellan may prove to be no good for caching. If so, you might use it to get you close, but then use general Geocaching techniques to find the cache upon arrival. This could include zooming into the map on the web site and printing it (satellite view), and reading the cache page for clues on where you might search. And of course start with caches that are near the road, or at least in spots easily identified on a satellite map.

 

And that gets back to a question in your first post. Yes, a handheld GPSr tends to be more configurable for coordinates, and generally more suitable for Geocaching. The car GPSr guides you on roads. Once you park and start off road, the handheld is right tool for the job. Depending on your budget or what you have lying around, the "handheld" might even be an old smartphone with no data service.

Edited March 24, 2017 by kunarion

[Puffin2525]

My model is Magellan RM5322-LM GPS Navigator. When I enter the coordinates, it doesn't give me an address. It just shows the way, so I thought it would be ok, but I guess not. Was pretty disappointing for my son and his friend yesterday b/c they already prepared items to trade lol.

 

I can buy a hand held GPS at some point if I need to, but I sort of wanted to give this whole thing a try with the one I have now..

 

If I get the yellow basic Garmin GPS, would I be able to just enter the coord's off the geocaching.com website?

 

"watching the numbers match until you found the cache"? lol, you're funny!

[Puffin2525]

And Kunarion, thank you for digging into all the other posts, that sounds like a lot of work, thanks for all your help! And thanks to everyone else as well, I really appreciate the support.

[+kunarion]

My model is Magellan RM5322-LM GPS Navigator. When I enter the coordinates, it doesn't give me an address. It just shows the way, so I thought it would be ok, but I guess not. Was pretty disappointing for my son and his friend yesterday b/c they already prepared items to trade lol.

 

I can buy a hand held GPS at some point if I need to, but I sort of wanted to give this whole thing a try with the one I have now..

 

If I get the yellow basic Garmin GPS, would I be able to just enter the coord's off the geocaching.com website?

 

There is an inexpensive "Garmin Etrex 10", but cachers recommend the Etrex 20 instead, which may prevent having to upgrade again too soon. Most any hiking GPSr allows manual coordinate entry so you might find an even better pre-owned handheld somewhere. Or borrow one and see how it goes. Remember there are a lot of reasons you may not find a cache, even with the finest guide. You may find a cool park you never knew was there.

 

I still use my car GPSr to drive to a centralized parking area.

 

"watching the numbers match until you found the cache"? lol, you're funny!

Worse, It was in a park where the trail was a loop! Both sets of numbers kept changing, not always in the right direction. I much prefer a compass pointer and distance.

 

That's also where I discovered that "Pedestrian Mode", instead of pointing to the cache, would try to get me to walk back out of the park along the streets, all the way around the park, and then go straight over a fence (through someone's yard) . Some car GPSrs will display an icon, so you walk until you're at the icon. But that won't work if the icon is automatically placed on a road instead.

Edited March 24, 2017 by kunarion

[Puffin2525]

Lol, did you jump the fence??