birding-aus

Decimal Vs Sexagesimal Notation for Geographical Location

To: <>, <>, <>
Subject: Decimal Vs Sexagesimal Notation for Geographical Location
From: Simon Mustoe <>
Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 06:39:26 +0000
Surely it's much easier than that. You just go the settings in your GPS and 
choose decimal degrees. Decimal degrees is far simpler and less prone to errors 
than other standards. The worst problem is when people confuse decimal minutes 
for degrees, minutes and seconds on their own device, leading to errors up to 
half a kilometre or so. Accuracy depends on everyone using standard notation 
for the division of degrees minutes and seconds and there is no standard for 
this.

For example, here are the many ways I have seen deg min sec represented (excuse 
the degree sign):

35o 2.7'
35o 2' 42"
35o 02.70
35o 02 42
35 02.70
35:02.70

...and so the list goes on and on.

However, with decimal degrees, where's the confusion?

35.045o

It's MUCH simpler and less prone to error. So I don't think the people who 
create websites should be worrying about programming various sophisticated 
fail-safes when such fail-safes are still prone to error, as users commonly 
misread their own devices.

Set your device to decimal degrees and no longer does the user or receiver of 
data have to worry any more.

Regards,

Simon.




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