Lat/Lon conversions

Hey fellas, about a month ago we decided to get in on the Seabass fishing by the San Diego wreck. I'd never been there before so I got some coordinates from the web. Seems they were useless because the format they used didn't match any of the three formats my Furuno offered. Is there a way to convert different formats to match what your machine uses without a degree from MIT?

You need to do a little arithmetic. No MIT degree required. The 3 typical formats are:

1) Decimal Degrees ie: 41.456° N

2) Degrees with Decimal Minutes ie: 41° 27.360 minutes N or 41° 27.36' N

3) Degrees, Minutes, Seconds ie: 41° 27 minutes 21.6 seconds N or 41° 27' 21.6"

OK, there are 60 minutes in one degree. There are 60 seconds in one minute. I am not talking about time BTW. Minutes and seconds are nautical talk for fractions of a degree. Minutes are usually symbolized by ', and seconds by ".

So to go from number 1 above to 2, take the 0.456 and multiply it by 60 to change the decimal degree to the amount of minutes. To go from 2 to 3, take the 0.360 and multiply it by 60 to go from the decimal portion of minutes to seconds.

To go in the opposite direction (3 towards 1) you must divide by 60 instead of multiplying.

The most common GPS unit lat / lon format is number 2.

I hope this cleared things up rather than make it even more confusing. Really just some basic arithmetic.

Degree is ALT0176, such as 41.456°

Thanks that helped me.

Degree is ALT0176, such as 41.456°

That is what I wanted to do instead of writing "deg". I tried to edit my post but couldn't get the hang of what your instructions are.

Should I hold down the ALT key and type "0176"? How do you do this??

That is what I wanted to do instead of writing "deg". I tried to edit my post but couldn't get the hang of what your instructions are.

Should I hold down the ALT key and type "0176"? How do you do this??

Hold down ALT the whole time you're typing "0176" on the KEYPAD!! It doesn't work with the number keys over the letters.

Hold down ALT the whole time you're typing "0176" on the KEYPAD!! It doesn't work with the number keys over the letters.

Ah Haaa! That was the ticket. I was using the numbers above the letter keys. It only works with the keypad numbers. I edited my post. Thanks.

And how the heck did you guys know to type alt0176?? Where is that info from??

Ah Haaa! That was the ticket. I was using the numbers above the letter keys. It only works with the keypad numbers. I edited my post. Thanks.

And how the heck did you guys know to type alt0176?? Where is that info from??

We Google "Windows ALT Keycodes" for sites like this...

ALT Key Code Shortcuts and How To Make Symbols With Keyboard

But that's just my 2¢ worth, 😉

And how the heck did you guys know to type alt0176?? Where is that info from??

I had the same question thanks and thanks for the response roccus

Or you could just copy and paste it from the Character Map.

Maybe I’m missing the point here, wouldn’t be the first time. His Furuno seems to have the three standard formats but the numbers that he was given don’t match any of them. Something else is going on.

GPS and Loran Shipwreck Coordinate List New York, New Jersey and New England's

Hey fellas, about a month ago we decided to get in on the Seabass fishing by the San Diego wreck. I'd never been there before so I got some coordinates from the web. Seems they were useless because the format they used didn't match any of the three formats my Furuno offered. Is there a way to convert different formats to match what your machine uses without a degree from MIT?

Could you be mistakenly trying to use LORAN numbers.?

Great point, I was wondering that, but got caught up in the ALT KEY CODE discussion.

Here's a link to a Loran to Lat/Lon Converter: Loran Conversion Tool

You need to do a little arithmetic. No MIT degree required. The 3 typical formats are:

1) Decimal Degrees ie: 41.456° N

2) Degrees with Decimal Minutes ie: 41° 27.360 minutes N or 41° 27.36' N

3) Degrees, Minutes, Seconds ie: 41° 27 minutes 21.6 seconds N or 41° 27' 21.6"

OK, there are 60 minutes in one degree. There are 60 seconds in one minute. I am not talking about time BTW. Minutes and seconds are nautical talk for fractions of a degree. Minutes are usually symbolized by ', and seconds by ".

So to go from number 1 above to 2, take the 0.456 and multiply it by 60 to change the decimal degree to the amount of minutes. To go from 2 to 3, take the 0.360 and multiply it by 60 to go from the decimal portion of minutes to seconds.

To go in the opposite direction (3 towards 1) you must divide by 60 instead of multiplying.

The most common GPS unit lat / lon format is number 2.

I hope this cleared things up rather than make it even more confusing. Really just some basic arithmetic.

Actually that was very good, thank you Aquarius I'm pretty sure I got it.

Could you be mistakenly trying to use LORAN numbers.?

i've got the unused lat\lon numbers in the boat but I believe their format was xx yyy zzz. I got the degrees and seconds but the 3 positions in the minutes did not jive with any format my machine has. My Furuno is currently using decimal degrees but can be changed to DMS.

i've got the unused lat\lon numbers in the boat but I believe their format was xx yyy zzz. I got the degrees and seconds but the 3 positions in the minutes did not jive with any format my machine has. My Furuno is currently using decimal degrees but can be changed to DMS.

Try to use the GPS numbers provided in my previous link to local Wrecks i.e. San Diego.Good luck. You may be inadvertently using Loran coordinates.

Is there any accuracy in converting loran to lat lon ? Last I remember was that the loran lines were curved which made accurate conversions nearly impossible. Has this problem been overcome ?

I miss my loran ....... I had those lines imprinted on my brain. 🙁

There is no good way to convert LORAN to Lat Lon. You will see programs available on line and many GPS units have "Phantom" LORAN conversion but there is not direct mathematical correlation.

Even taking LORAN coordinates off a chart, inputting them to a LORAN unit (back when the system was still on line) would still not bring you to coordinates accurate enough to put you on a wreck or sometimes even in a channel. The advantage of LORAN was the repeatability. The ability to bring you back to the same spot over and over.

Even taking LORAN coordinates off a chart, inputting them to a LORAN unit (back when the system was still on line) would still not bring you to coordinates accurate enough to put you on a wreck or sometimes even in a channel.

I tried a couple times to convert from charts that had both sets of lines on them ...... never worked.

While many GPS units claim to have "false loran" conversions their algorithms fail miserably., Based upon lots of web research I have done, there is no effective way to make the conversion, because as you said, the curved lines of position on Loran are somewhat inconsistent based upon your location so converting is near impossible. You can be hundreds of feet off with the GPS units conversion which as you know, if you are looking for a rock the size of a VW Beetle is pretty ineffective.