The Most Popular GPS Coordinate Format, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the format you think is the most popular!
Updated on Apr 27, 2024 06:39
In the world of navigation and mapping, having a clear and efficient way to enter and use GPS coordinates is essential for travelers, adventurers, and professionals alike. The multitude of formats available can sometimes lead to confusion or errors when transferring data from one system to another. Recognizing the most popular GPS coordinate format is not only about preference but also about practicality and precision in real-world applications.
By contributing your vote on your preferred GPS coordinate format, you help clarify which methods are best suited for general usage. This ongoing tally offers insight into current trends and user confidence in various formatting options. Your participation directly influences the ease of use for many, ensuring that the most efficient and user-friendly format is easily recognizable and widely adopted.
What Is the Most Popular GPS Coordinate Format?
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148votesThis is the most popular GPS coordinate format used by most modern GPS devices and mapping software. It is easy to use and provides a high level of accuracy.Decimal Degrees (DD) is a GPS coordinate format that represents latitude and longitude as decimal numbers.
- Coordinate System: Geographic
- Format: Decimal
- Latitude Range: -90 to +90 degrees
- Longitude Range: -180 to +180 degrees
- Precision: Up to six decimal places
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229votesThis format is commonly used in navigation and geocaching. It provides a more precise location than DD.The Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS) format is a common method for representing GPS coordinates using degrees, minutes, and seconds as units of measurement.
- Units: Degrees, Minutes, Seconds
- Range: Latitude: -90 to +90; Longitude: -180 to +180
- Format: Degrees (°), Minutes ('), Seconds (")
- Positive/Negative: North and East are positive; South and West are negative
- Precision: 1 second
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316votes
Koenb at Dutch Wikipedia (Original text: productie van de afbeelding uit het .shp-bestand: Koenb) · Public domainThis format is commonly used in military, surveying, and mapping applications. It provides a more accurate location than DD and DMS.The Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) is a coordinate system commonly used for accurate positioning and navigation. It divides the Earth's surface into 60 zones, each 6 degrees of longitude wide, and projects it onto a plane using the Transverse Mercator projection. The UTM coordinate system provides a simple, easily interpretable representation of location on the Earth's surface.- Coordinate Format: Northings (Y) and Eastings (X) expressed in meters.
- Zone Width: Each UTM zone is 6 degrees of longitude wide.
- Latitude Range: The UTM system covers latitudes from 80 degrees South to 84 degrees North.
- Zone Number: Each UTM zone is identified by a number from 1 to 60, starting from -180 degrees longitude.
- Grid Zones: The UTM system divides latitude bands into 20 zones, lettered from C to X (excluding O and I).
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413votes
Military Grid Reference System (MGRS)
United States ArmyThis format is used by the military and emergency services. It provides a precise location and is easy to use.The Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) is a geolocation system used by the military and intelligence agencies to specify locations on the Earth's surface. It provides a universal grid reference system that allows precise and unambiguous communication of locations.- Coordinate Format: Alphanumeric grid reference
- Precision: 10-meter resolution
- Grid Zones: 60 zones worldwide
- Grid Square Size: 1-kilometer by 1-kilometer
- Easting/Northing: Both are provided in meters
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522votes
Maidenhead Locator System (Maidenhead grid square)
John Morris, G4ANBThis format is used by amateur radio operators to identify their location. It provides a compact and precise location.The Maidenhead Locator System (Maidenhead grid square) is a widely used geographic coordinate system that is used to pinpoint locations on the Earth's surface. It provides a compact and intuitive way to represent global coordinates.- Format: Alphanumeric combination of two letters and two numbers
- Precision: Approximately 2.4 km in latitude, 4.8 km in longitude
- Coverage: Worldwide
- Ease of Use: Intuitive and easy to remember format
- Compactness: Requires minimal characters to represent a location
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69votesThis format is used for identifying a location using a short code. It is commonly used in web applications and provides a high level of accuracy.Geohash is a coordinate encoding system used to represent latitude and longitude coordinates as a string of alphanumeric characters. It provides a way to index and retrieve data based on location.
- Precision: Each additional character in the geohash increases the precision by a factor of 32.
- Length: The geohash length can vary, but a commonly used length is 10 characters which provides a precision of around 1.2 meters.
- Encoding: The geohash is constructed by interleaving bits from the longitude and latitude.
- Compactness: Geohash values are compact and easily sortable, making it efficient for indexing and querying large datasets.
- Neighboring Areas: Similar geohashes represent nearby areas, allowing easy searching for nearby locations within a defined radius.
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78votes
Plus Codes
GoogleThis format is used by Google Maps to provide a location code that can be easily shared. It is precise and easy to use.Plus Codes is a digital addressing system that provides a simple and consistent way to identify any location in the world, even those without a traditional street address.- Format: Alphanumeric code consisting of 6 or 8 characters
- Encoding: Open Location Code (OLC) algorithm to encode/decode coordinates
- Precision: 6-character codes provide an area of roughly 14x14 meters; 8-character codes provide an area of roughly 2x3 meters
- Global Coverage: Applicable to any location in the world
- Offline Usage: Does not require an internet connection for generation or decoding
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87votes
Natural Area Code (NAC)
Geocoding Systems Ltd.This format is used to identify locations in remote areas. It provides a compact and precise location.The Natural Area Code (NAC) is a geo-referencing system designed for identifying any location on the Earth's surface. It employs a hierarchical alphanumeric code structure.- Code Structure: The code consists of ten characters, divided into two parts: The first part represents the global area, and the second part represents the local area within the global area.
- Hierarchical Representation: The code hierarchy starts with a 3-letter Country Code, followed by a 2-letter National Area Code, and finally a 5-letter Grid Cell Code.
- Resolution: The code can provide a resolution up to 1-meter accuracy for any location on Earth.
- Versatility: Unlike latitude and longitude, NAC codes can be easily communicated using various media, including paper maps, email, and text messages.
- Shortness: NAC codes are shorter than latitude/longitude coordinates, making them more concise and easier to remember.
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97votesThis format is used to identify a location using three words. It is easy to use and provides a unique location code.What3Words is a global addressing system that assigns a unique three-word address to every 3m x 3m square on Earth, providing a simple and accurate method to specify locations.
- Format: Three words separated by periods, e.g., 'table.lamp.chair'.
- Precision: Each word represents a 3m x 3m square, providing a high level of accuracy.
- Uniqueness: Every combination of three words is unique, allowing for precise location identification.
- Ease of Use: Easy to remember and communicate compared to long numerical coordinates.
- Multilingual: Available in multiple languages for global use and accessibility.
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103votesThis format is used by the military to identify locations on a global scale. It provides a precise location and is easy to use.The Global Area Reference System (GARS) is a geospatial reference system used to identify locations on the Earth's surface using a grid system. It divides the entire globe into equal-sized squares, each identified by a unique alphanumeric code.
- Coverage: Global
- Longitude Representation: Decimal degrees
- Coordinate Order: Latitude, Longitude
- Grid System Type: Regular Grid
- Grid Shape: Square
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Discussion
Ranking factors for popular format
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User-friendlinessA popular GPS coordinate format should be easy to understand and interpret for the majority of users, both technical and non-technical. It should have clear, simple notation and be easy to read and write.
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CompatibilityThe format should be widely compatible with various GPS devices, software, and mapping applications to ensure seamless usability across different platforms.
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PrecisionA popular coordinate format should offer the required level of precision to accurately represent locations on Earth, enabling users to locate specific points with a high degree of accuracy.
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Global applicabilityThe coordinate format should be applicable worldwide, without any restrictions or limitations related to regional systems or land divisions.
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StandardizationThe GPS coordinate format should be standardized, recognized, and endorsed by relevant international organizations and authorities, ensuring its acceptance and usage across borders and industries.
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AccessibilityThe coordinate format should be easily available and accessible by the general public, encouraging widespread use and adoption by a broad user base.
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Ease of conversionUsers should be able to convert between different coordinate formats without much difficulty, ensuring that the coordinate format can be easily adopted and integrated into existing systems and procedures.
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CompactnessA preferred coordinate format would be compact and concise, which makes it easy to share and communicate with others, both in writing and verbally.
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Educational and historical significanceIf a GPS coordinate format has been widely used in context of historical maps, geodetic surveys, or educational materials, it may be more easily understood and favored by a wider user base.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular GPS coordinate format. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or form is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 2140 views
- 161 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each form once every 24 hours. The rank of each form is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular gps coordinate format
When it comes to location data, GPS coordinates are a widely used format for pinpointing exact locations on the Earth's surface. GPS, or Global Positioning System, is a satellite-based navigation system that provides accurate location and time information anywhere in the world.
GPS coordinates are expressed in two different formats: Degrees, Minutes and Seconds (DMS) and Decimal Degrees (DD). DMS format divides the Earth's surface into 360 degrees of longitude and 180 degrees of latitude, with each degree further divided into 60 minutes and each minute divided into 60 seconds. DD format, on the other hand, represents coordinates as decimal fractions of a degree, with positive values indicating coordinates north of the equator and east of the Prime Meridian.
Both formats have their advantages and disadvantages, with DMS being more intuitive for some users and DD being easier to use in calculations and data analysis. Ultimately, the choice of format depends on the specific application and user preference.
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