Postcode to GPS Waypoint Conversion

AdamZ

Guest
Mapsource drives me up-the-wall trying to find a location. In the end I have worked through the following process to resolve my frustrations.

I attach a document if this does not show:

Postcode to GPS Waypoint Conversion

Software Required:

1. EasyGPS (http://www.easygps.com/download.asp ) FREE
2. Internet Access (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/ )
3. Garmin Device (Multiple types supported & must be connected to PC – I will look at other transfer methods later)

Set Up

a. Install EasyGPS
b. Configure port connection for Garmin Device Attached

Process

i. Access Streetmap and enter post code or address and start search
I entered L23 6TL where I used to live
ii. Once found Steetmap will display a map
iii. Below the map in very small writing there is a link: Click here to convert/measure coordinates
iv. Streetmap will then display a screen with the following:

OS X 330166
OS Y 400145
Nearest Post Code L23 6TL
Lat (WGS84) N53:29:36 ( 53.493355 )
Long (WGS84) W3:03:15 ( -3.054077 )
LR SD301001
mX -339978
mY 7040412
M Actual : FFFACFF6_006B6D9C
Street : FFFAD1D4_006B6C00
Road : FFFAF6F0_006B6C00
Road64 : FFFB1E00_006B6C00
Road128: FFFC1800_006B6C00


v. Run EasyGPS
vi. Press the Add symbol to add a waypoint
vii. EasyGPS will display a pop up box “Edit Waypoint”
viii. Enter a short description
ix. Cut and paste the Latitude & Longitude
- Use the figures in brackets from Streetmap ignoring positive or negative values
- I entered Lat 53.493355 & Long 3.054077
- If Lat is Negative set the Easy GPS Pulldown box to South else leave as North
- If Longtitude is negative set the EasyGPS Pulldown Box to West else set to East
x. Press OK in “Edit Waypoint” Popup screen
xi. Press “Send” button on EasyGPS and magic it will be sent to your GPS unit if connected

This should also work for other addresses. It saves having to buy a Postcode file at around £150 per annum and the Post Code Latitude & Longtitude in Autoroute requires conversion to WGS84 format (there is a spreadsheet to do this which I can provide if I can find it)
 

Attachments

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EasyGPS

Who's been a busy boy then.

Great workaround. Worked first time no problems. Good write up.

It has really been annoying me that I can't FIND my house when it's showing on the map.

Keith
 
Ok as long as you never leave the UK.....otherwise is suspect you may get a tad lost. My postcode is 2590 :( Otherwise a great initiative . Now if you could just compile it for all European country postcodes and while your at it phone numbers too I will be really impressed :D
 
Gecko said:
Ok as long as you never leave the UK.....otherwise is suspect you may get a tad lost. My postcode is 2590 :( Otherwise a great initiative . Now if you could just compile it for all European country postcodes and while your at it phone numbers too I will be really impressed :D
No problem

1. Access MultiMap ( http://www.multimap.com/ )
2. Select Belgium as the Country
3. Enter your postcode (2590)
4. Press the "Find" button
5. This will result in a screen with the map. Below this it has the Longtitude & Latitude (51:06:36N, 4:39:36E) for the map centre
6. Access JeEep.com ( http://jeeep.com/details/coord/ )
7. Type in the Lat & Long then press submit this will provide a screen which shows 51.11 (North as positive) and 4.66 (East as positive)
8. Go to Mapsource
9. Go to "Edit" then "New Waypoint"
10. In popup box in field "Position" Enter the following string "N51.11 E4.66" (no space between the "N" and the first digit of the latitude - space between last digit of the Latitude and the "E" of the longtitude - no space betwee the "E" and the first digit of the Longtitude)
12 Call the Waypoint what you want, press "OK" then in the Waypoints Pane (left side) select you waypoint and right click
13 Select Show on map and your waypoint will nicely popup on the map in the right pane showing that you live in South suburbs of Belaar

Multimap has a large number of countries supoorted and whilst there is a variation in the post code definition capability it is difficult to be consistently accurate within countries. This is based upon the sorting capabilities of each country. The UK use a National Grid Reference which will allow definition down to a few hundred feet. Australia only provides suburbs.

Alternate use of Longtitude and Latitude provides more accuracy. 1 minute of of Latitude is approximately 1 mile (actually it is 1.145 miles at the Equator and 1.156 at each pole). 1 minute Longitude is 1.15 miles at the equator and Zero at the poles)

This method can be applied for any location where you can find the Latitude and Longitude. I have only indicate JeEep.com as it is a simple conversion program. Unfortunately it does not give high accuracy. Alternates would be of interest but it should provide the location within 1.4sq miles....

:D :rolleyes: ;) :eek: :p
 

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Flippin heck !!!! An inch to the right and you would have been right down my chimney !!! I will explore this tomorrow at work :D
Very impressive.....now what about those phone numbers ;)
 
Gecko said:
Flippin heck !!!! An inch to the right and you would have been right down my chimney !!! I will explore this tomorrow at work :D
Very impressive.....now what about those phone numbers ;)

Unfortunately unless you are in enforcement, security or local government reverse telephone number identification is difficult and inconsistent. Firstly only a few countries provide public access to reverse look up, if they do the phone number may be ex-directory and therefore un-available. It is possible but not really worth the effort at the moment.

There is a nicer program for lat/long conversion that supports waypoint management and conversion and will down load to a Garmin (amongst others) units.

It is called G7toWin and available from the following url: http://www.gpsinformation.org/ronh/

It is free and seems to do most things you want with waypoints.

I would recommend this software as it seems to give better definition than JeEep.com

Unfortunately the waypoint file save cabability (*.wpt format) is not in PCX5 structure or there is a problem with the file header structure which means you cannot import direct into the latest version of Mapsource. The alternate path is to down load to your GPS unit and then upload from there to Mapsource.

You need a reasonable definition and accuracy on the Lat/Long. I used MultiMap to locate the Lat/Long of Erzebet Hid in Budapest and the resultant definition from the map centre placed me approximately 1.5miles off the bridge. But I am sure that is due to MultiMap definition.

Don't use the lat/long in Autoroute. I tried it for a hotel in Almeria and when translated back to Mapsource it had me approximately 15 miles North West of Algiers in the sea!!!!
 


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