Why do co-ordinates change after I enter them in GPS app?

[JChinn]

Hi,

 

Total novice here, looking to head out to find our first geocache this weekend. Will have our nine year old with us, so don't want our first attempt to be a total bust! I did not download the official app, based on the many negative reviews, but instead downloaded the GPS Tour app, which seems to have a simple user interface, and is highly rated by users.

 

I have determined a local cache I want to find (GCP2PW). Problem I'm having is that when I enter the given co-ordinates, the app changes them, and as I have only the most tenuous grasp of how co-ordinates work, I don't understand why. (I "think" the number following the longitudinal and latitudinal degrees is minutes, 60 minutes equals one degree, and therefore it is expressing the fraction of the degree, correct?) Is the app making some sort of conversion, I wonder?

 

Here's what's listed as the co-ordinates: N 39° 56.097 W 074° 53.625

Here's what I'm entering: N 39 56.097 E -74 53.625

Here's what the app automatically changes it to: N 39 56.097 E -73 6.375

 

I'd be very grateful for any help!

[Keystone]

I think you're talking about GCM2PW, which is in New Jersey at the coordinates you provided, rather than GCP2PW, which is in Maryland.

 

I am not familiar with the app you're using, or what its rules are for coordinate format. But for starters, make sure you input coordinates in the western hemisphere (with a minus sign before the longitude) rather than eastern hemisphere as stated in your post. "E -74" makes no sense to me.

[JChinn]

I think you're talking about GCM2PW, which is in New Jersey at the coordinates you provided, rather than GCP2PW, which is in Maryland.

 

I am not familiar with the app you're using, or what its rules are for coordinate format. But for starters, make sure you input coordinates in the western hemisphere (with a minus sign before the longitude) rather than eastern hemisphere as stated in your post. "E -74" makes no sense to me.

 

Yes, sorry, GCM2PW is the cache.

 

The app defaults to N & E, and therefore I did enter -74, for W. Thoroughly confused as to why it then changes the co-ordinates as soon as I enter them. And it is placing the cache out in the Atlantic off the Jersey shore, which is obviously not correct.

 

Any recommendations for an app to use, since it seems that the official app is no longer deemed useful/helpful by many veteran users?

[Keystone]

I looked up "GPS Tour" and it's a basic navigation app, not a geocaching-specific app. One iTunes review panned the app because of the same "randomly changes the coordinates" problem that you've noted, plus the app defaulting to eastern hemisphere. It's also limited to 30 saved waypoints.

 

I'm assuming you're using an Apple device. You might want to look into Cachly, a third party partner app that allows basic members to see the details of three geocaches per day.

[JChinn]

I looked up "GPS Tour" and it's a basic navigation app, not a geocaching-specific app. One iTunes review panned the app because of the same "randomly changes the coordinates" problem that you've noted, plus the app defaulting to eastern hemisphere. It's also limited to 30 saved waypoints.

 

I'm assuming you're using an Apple device. You might want to look into Cachly, a third party partner app that allows basic members to see the details of three geocaches per day.

 

Thank you. I actually just stumbled upon Cachly myself. I am aware GPS Tour is a GPS navigation app, and not a geocaching specific app. From what I read here at geocaching.com, the former is really all that is needed to get started, but apparently not...

 

ETA: Just frustrated that this is not as easy to get going with as it first appears! But thank you for taking the time to respond.

Edited March 19, 2017 by JChinn

[Pup Patrol]

 

Here's what's listed as the co-ordinates: N 39° 56.097 W 074° 53.625

Here's what I'm entering: N 39 56.097 E -74 53.625

Here's what the app automatically changes it to: N 39 56.097 E -73 6.375

 

I'd be very grateful for any help!

 

Is that a typo or are you actually entering E -74 53.625 when it should be W 074° 53.625?

 

B.

Edited March 19, 2017 by Pup Patrol

[JChinn]

 

Here's what's listed as the co-ordinates: N 39° 56.097 W 074° 53.625

Here's what I'm entering: N 39 56.097 E -74 53.625

Here's what the app automatically changes it to: N 39 56.097 E -73 6.375

 

I'd be very grateful for any help!

 

Is that a typo or are you actually entering E -74 53.625 when it should be W 074° 53.625?

 

B.

 

Not a typo. The GPS app I was trying to use shows only N & E, therefore I had to enter -74 for W. However I've since abandoned that app, as it was randomly changing the coordinates I entered, as I mentioned above, and have downloaded Cachly. Off to find (hopefully!) find our first cache later today.

[+kunarion]

I did not download the official app, based on the many negative reviews

You should try the Official App anyway. It's free, so it's no loss if you truly cannot use it. The pay-once Apps fade away.

Edited March 19, 2017 by kunarion

[+cerberus1]

I did not download the official app, based on the many negative reviews

You should try the Official App anyway. It's free, so it's no loss if you truly cannot use it. The pay-once Apps fade away.

+1

Nothing to lose there...

 

It seems (to me) that many don't like this app simply because it's not yet equal in function to an earlier version, that is now outdated.

Now doesn't that make sense...

 

As per the link Blog on that subject:

- "The Geocaching Classic app was developed in 2008. Over the past nine years, mobile phone and app technologies have changed significantly. The Classic app was built on code that no longer can support the dynamic functionality geocachers want and need".

[+kunarion]

I did not download the official app, based on the many negative reviews

You should try the Official App anyway. It's free, so it's no loss if you truly cannot use it. The pay-once Apps fade away.

+1

Nothing to lose there...

 

It seems (to me) that many don't like this app simply because it's not yet equal in function to an earlier version, that is now outdated.

Now doesn't that make sense...

The "reviews" are mistaken ideas of what the App does (complaints that it doesn't show all caches for free, etc.), and mainly it's used as a forum to protest Groundspeak. Don't look now, but the beloved "old" paid App had exactly the same poor reviews. If someone actually enjoys any App in particular, say something nice about it, or it's gone.

Edited March 19, 2017 by kunarion