Does Avenza require calibration?

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Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 4:32 pm

I decided to download Avenza and install a map.
I did that and opened the map for a look.
I entered the coordinates of a point I explored last week, but it goes right off the map, about 30km away from the actual point.
So I gave it the coordinates of my house to check, but it tells me I'm not here, I'm actually 35.5kms away sitting in the middle of Won Wron State Forest???
I'd certainly prefer to be there, but looking around me, I don't think it's correct :-)
My phone knows where I am, it's just Avenza that doesn't.

Anybody here use Avenza and encountered this?
I can't see anything obvious about calibrating it.

Specifically I'm looking at the 1:25000 Yinnar South 8121-2-S map, which appears to be a scan of my paper VicMap copy with the same title.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 4:40 pm

Mate I am not familiar with Avenza however know a little about navigation. What format are you entering the coordinates in?
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 4:45 pm

More specifically mate, and without trying to insult your intelligence, are you entering them in the format that is set for your map?
I.e
DDD.DDDDD
DDD.MM.MMM
DDD.MM.SS.S
MGRS
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 4:53 pm

JimTom wrote:More specifically mate, and without trying to insult your intelligence, are you entering them in the correct format?
I.e
DDD.DDDDD
DDD.MM.MMM
DDD.MM.SS.S
MGRS


The format it asks for is a simple decimal.
For example: -3X.XX3380, 14X.XX0547 are the "coordinates" it believes is my location.

I navigate fine, that's why I've never bothered with apps in the past :-)
Last edited by bladeracer on 10 Oct 2020, 10:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 4:56 pm

That is Decimal degrees. So what are the coordinates you are actually at mate?
No doubt you can navigate fine mate, not questioning that. Most of us can, at times apps do help though. I use google maps a bit on the satellite pic to find likely pig hiding spots.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 5:11 pm

JimTom wrote:That is Decimal degrees. So what are the coordinates you are actually at mate?
No doubt you can navigate fine mate, not questioning that. Most of us can, at times apps do help though. I use google maps a bit on the satellite pic to find likely pig hiding spots.


Try 3X°XX'33.80"S, 14X°XX'05.47"E
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 5:16 pm

bladeracer wrote:
JimTom wrote:That is Decimal degrees. So what are the coordinates you are actually at mate?
No doubt you can navigate fine mate, not questioning that. Most of us can, at times apps do help though. I use google maps a bit on the satellite pic to find likely pig hiding spots.


Try 3X°XX'33.80"S, 14X°XX'05.47"E


Okay, interesting, that is 29km due west of the same numbers in decimal.
I hope that doesn't mean I have to convert map coordinates into decimals to use the GPS?
Last edited by bladeracer on 10 Oct 2020, 10:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 5:25 pm

All I want to be able to do with it really is read my lat/long so I can text it to somebody so they can pinpoint a position on GoogleEarth or GoogleMaps.

As it is simply a copy of my paper map I can't say that I'm seeing any value in this at all.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 5:28 pm

I did find in the settings that is was indeed set to decimal, it is now set to DMS.
However, I've already forgotten how I even put coordinates into the damned thing :-)
What a total waste of effort that was.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 5:42 pm

054DEA1B-3F43-4BE3-BA48-DF1FFCD2DA81.jpeg
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Ok mate I have just downloaded that app and had a look. You can change the format to be in whatever you like.

The first numbers you gave me are in decimal degrees only, no minutes or seconds.
The second set you gave me were the same numbers but in deg min secs.
They will never be the same spot.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 5:43 pm

Sorry mate I have just noticed you have already worked that out.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 5:45 pm

If you go to the main map screen and tap on the triangle in bottom
Left corner it will centre over your location and display the lat long in the format of your choice bottom centre of screen
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 5:46 pm

843FB4FD-0C95-45AF-96DB-A7F847F38737.jpeg
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 5:50 pm

2BEDFBCB-EEDD-4E05-B580-292B94791C99.jpeg
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Alternatively open up the compass screen on phone and it’s there.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 5:53 pm

JimTom wrote:If you go to the main map screen and tap on the triangle in bottom
Left corner it will centre over your location and display the lat long in the format of your choice bottom centre of screen


I'm not currently on that map so it just tells me that.
It does now show my correct lat/long across the bottom of the screen at least, which is somewhat helpful.
I guess I was just assuming an electronic gizmo would give me so much more than what I already have on my map :-)

I did hit up Avenza on Youtube for a lesson but can't make sense of that either, their screen looks nothing at all like mine.

I'll mess about with it sometime when I can't sleep and see if I make anything of it :-)
Thanks for your assist!
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 5:54 pm

Cheers mate. I have had a play with it and not the most intuitive app I have ever used. Tipping at some stage you will have to pay to get a reasonable map.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 5:54 pm

JimTom wrote:
2BEDFBCB-EEDD-4E05-B580-292B94791C99.jpeg
Alternatively open up the compass screen on phone and it’s there.


Is that an iPhone?
I'm using my Samsung S9+Edge.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 5:55 pm

Yep it is compass on iPhone mate. That Avenza map displays my current lat long or where ever I move the cursor to. It seems to be working for me.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 5:59 pm

JimTom wrote:Yep it is compass on iPhone mate. That Avenza map displays my current lat long or where ever I move the cursor to. It seems to be working for me.


Okay, it's probably worth buying the maps of where I live then, will probably help me learn to work it :-)
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 6:01 pm

I think android would have a similar compass app mate. May be the easier solution. Compass could be handy as well as the position it provides.
In saying that, the compass on my phone some times swings 180 deg out and requires a calibration every so often, so I guess not so bloody useful eh. :lol: :lol: :lol: :drinks:
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 6:14 pm

JimTom wrote:I think android would have a similar compass app mate. May be the easier solution. Compass could be handy as well as the position it provides.
In saying that, the compass on my phone some times swings 180 deg out and requires a calibration every so often, so I guess not so bloody useful eh. :lol: :lol: :lol: :drinks:


I carry two compasses already :-)
I have tried the phone one but it doesn't seem to know about magnetic declination?
I would've thought that since it knows my location it should automatically make the correction.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 6:25 pm

Maybe in the settings you can choose either true or magnetic?
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 6:26 pm

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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 10 Oct 2020, 6:27 pm

JimTom wrote:Maybe in the settings you can choose either true or magnetic?


I'll check that later, it's downloading 8GB of maps just now and I don't want to upset it :-)
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 6:29 pm

As you have eluded to if it knows your latitude it should be able to work out the magnetic variation.
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 10 Oct 2020, 6:30 pm

bladeracer wrote:
JimTom wrote:Maybe in the settings you can choose either true or magnetic?


I'll check that later, it's downloading 8GB of maps just now and I don't want to upset it :-)



Good plan, I would do the same Sir :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by bladeracer » 11 Oct 2020, 12:04 pm

Had a little play with it during the night and I think I'm getting the idea.
Definitely makes more sense when you can actually see your own position on the map.
I'm going to set it to track my movements, I think I'm going to like it :-)
Thanks so much for your help JT!
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Re: Does Avenza require calibration?

Post by JimTom » 12 Oct 2020, 8:46 am

bladeracer wrote:Had a little play with it during the night and I think I'm getting the idea.
Definitely makes more sense when you can actually see your own position on the map.
I'm going to set it to track my movements, I think I'm going to like it :-)
Thanks so much for your help JT!


Glad it is coming together for you mate and happy that I was able to help. :drinks:
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