Discussion
ric p said:
I take your point, Rob. However currently sat on standby at Exeter airport and we have a visitor from Coastguard with us today. For them, most locations between ambulance and themselves are passed by what3words now as all units have the ability to translate and then use the facility to track to that location.
SARloc is great but like w3w, it still requires user response to send back the location. If the individual is able to use the w3w share facility, it is much more robust than trying to talk a stressed individual through the settings on a phone. And they still have to correctly read out the lat/long correctly.
As for accuracy, a 3x3m box, ie 9 square metres is an much quicker search at night or in woodland than a 100 x 100 m box of 10,000 square metres. Your 40 w3w squares are only 360 square metres.
Of course none of this works if either the app is not installed or the phone is dead. It is just another tool in the tool box. We, as a ground or air asset, can use any format in reality.
Capital by any chance? If so one of my old colleagues Paul works in ops. SARloc is great but like w3w, it still requires user response to send back the location. If the individual is able to use the w3w share facility, it is much more robust than trying to talk a stressed individual through the settings on a phone. And they still have to correctly read out the lat/long correctly.
As for accuracy, a 3x3m box, ie 9 square metres is an much quicker search at night or in woodland than a 100 x 100 m box of 10,000 square metres. Your 40 w3w squares are only 360 square metres.
Of course none of this works if either the app is not installed or the phone is dead. It is just another tool in the tool box. We, as a ground or air asset, can use any format in reality.
Cant say I’m aware of any instance that W3W has been used control to control in the example you’ve said however I’m guessing on the ground it may be used but can’t see the benefit as generally ambulance are responding to an RV like a car park.
I downloaded w3w and it’s ok but I scraped it and downloaded a grid position finder app instead what can do up to 10 digit grid references, almost instantly.
W3w seems like a bit of a white elephant when grid references and lat long already exist?
You can mis pronounce, mid read or accidentally pluralise your w3w, but numbers are pretty clear.
W3w seems like a bit of a white elephant when grid references and lat long already exist?
You can mis pronounce, mid read or accidentally pluralise your w3w, but numbers are pretty clear.
ecsrobin said:
Most phones that are able to use the software or load a website already have gps coordinates available and just requires the user to know where to find them.
Just for a test as I’ve never tried before I’ve just gone on google maps, pressed the little icon in the bottom right to locate me and I’ve pressed every thing I can find to press but cants see an option for grid ref or coordinatesIpad not phone, so how do I find the, coordinates?
By the way w3w I’ve just tried as well and its perfectly stable exactly at my location so seems to work here.
Ok never mind sussed it . Long press gets two 8 figure numbers in search box.
Edited by Pesty on Tuesday 27th August 01:08
Pesty said:
Just for a test as I’ve never tried before I’ve just gone on google maps, pressed the little icon in the bottom right to locate me and I’ve pressed every thing I can find to press but cants see an option for grid ref or coordinates
Ipad not phone, so how do I find the, coordinates?
By the way w3w I’ve just tried as well and its perfectly stable exactly at my location so seems to work here.
Ok never mind sussed it . Long press gets two 8 figure numbers in search box.
As per my earlier post, stab your finger or mouse on the map to place a pin and the lat and long will appear in a pop-up at the bottom (on desktop). If you click the lat and long co-ords you'll get your unique Plus Code as well, which works in the search box, unique W3W codes.Ipad not phone, so how do I find the, coordinates?
By the way w3w I’ve just tried as well and its perfectly stable exactly at my location so seems to work here.
Ok never mind sussed it . Long press gets two 8 figure numbers in search box.
Edited by Pesty on Tuesday 27th August 01:08
Lemming Train said:
Pesty said:
Just for a test as I’ve never tried before I’ve just gone on google maps, pressed the little icon in the bottom right to locate me and I’ve pressed every thing I can find to press but cants see an option for grid ref or coordinates
Ipad not phone, so how do I find the, coordinates?
By the way w3w I’ve just tried as well and its perfectly stable exactly at my location so seems to work here.
Ok never mind sussed it . Long press gets two 8 figure numbers in search box.
As per my earlier post, stab your finger or mouse on the map to place a pin and the lat and long will appear in a pop-up at the bottom (on desktop). If you click the lat and long co-ords you'll get your unique Plus Code as well, which works in the search box, unique W3W codes.Ipad not phone, so how do I find the, coordinates?
By the way w3w I’ve just tried as well and its perfectly stable exactly at my location so seems to work here.
Ok never mind sussed it . Long press gets two 8 figure numbers in search box.
Edited by Pesty on Tuesday 27th August 01:08
except it's not a laughing matter. Will give it a more extensive try later on when not rushing because getting dark and still fair way to go.Pesty said:
Just for a test as I’ve never tried before I’ve just gone on google maps, pressed the little icon in the bottom right to locate me and I’ve pressed every thing I can find to press but cants see an option for grid ref or coordinates
Ipad not phone, so how do I find the, coordinates?
By the way w3w I’ve just tried as well and its perfectly stable exactly at my location so seems to work here.
Ok never mind sussed it . Long press gets two 8 figure numbers in search box.
Obviously the key bit was phones. iPad doesn’t have the compass app. Also unless you have an iPad with SIM card it won’t have gps. Of course all this is irrelevant as you’re unlikely to be in a scenario where you’re in the wilderness with an iPad and no phone. Ipad not phone, so how do I find the, coordinates?
By the way w3w I’ve just tried as well and its perfectly stable exactly at my location so seems to work here.
Ok never mind sussed it . Long press gets two 8 figure numbers in search box.
Edited by Pesty on Tuesday 27th August 01:08
Despite being an old fart I took to this app immediately after hearing about it last year. One of many uses is exact location of areas in the countryside where I'm involved in conservation work and it's also great at locating your lost mate in the wilds of Silverstone. Life saver potentially too- yes , the phone has got GPS but using w3w is so much faster and easier.
FiF said:
Still need a connection though. As a quick experiment on last night's dog walk in the forest near home, it was a real pain to find an accurate location. Tried several methods, easiest was an app using a digital OS map, or the OS locate, though on my phone you have to fiddle about to get it to display properly. The other stuff either didn't work, or gave a wrong answer, in one case not even the right town.
except it's not a laughing matter. Will give it a more extensive try later on when not rushing because getting dark and still fair way to go.
Possibly the GPS was struggling in the tree cover? except it's not a laughing matter. Will give it a more extensive try later on when not rushing because getting dark and still fair way to go.Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff