What map reference should we give the Mountain Rescue?
Q. Walking with a GPS and ord.map. We need to call for help, question, must our position be lat long or would our gps mvt7smap reference be ok, die do we have to change our gps settings to obtain lat long reading.
John Harrison, Cleveland
A. Keep it simple and give the Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference to the emergency services. They will understand it and be able to find you quickly and efficiently - particularly important if it is dark. You can either get this grid reference from your GPS Device if you have one - and give the map reference as a 12 digit reading (i.e. to the nearest metre*) - or simply read it off on your OS Map - which you must always have with you (whether you use GPS or not) and give the map reference as a 8 digit reading (i.e. to the nearest 100m).
If you are not sure how to give a grid reference - or just want a refresher - see Giving a Grid Reference
*Actually you can only rely on a GPS Device being accurate to about 25m even though it gives readings to the nearest metre. See Hill Skills > GPS Myths & Truths > GPS - The Myths and Truths - Part 1 and Hill Skills > GPS Myths & Truths > GPS - The Myths and Truths - Part 2 for more information.
For fellow user Questions and Answers about GPS for walking & hiking and GPS Devices - see Q & A - GPS Waypoints
Add an answer THIS question | Ask a NEW walking and hiking question
Return to the main list of Walking and Hiking Questions
Search for an existing Walking and Hiking Question or Answer
To contribute to go4awalk.com or to contact us about anything at all
- see Talk To Us. For help see Help.
NB. To see our navigational hills you must have the Macromedia Shockwave/Flash Player plug-in installed in your browser. This is free and comes as standard with later versions. If you have an early version browser - click here and follow Macromedia's installation instructions.
go4awalk.com and go4awalk.co.uk are registered trademarks of TMDH Limited.
Copyright © 2000-2010 TMDH Limited. All rights reserved.
Copyright | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Statement
A - Z Walks Home Log On / Accounts Photo Gallery
Walk Ideas and Collections Fell Facts Places to Stay Hill Skills
Walking Questions and Answers Your Stories News Competitions
Product Reviews/Gear Tests Walking Gear Guides Contents
Peaks and Mountains Peak Bagging Find New Walking Friends
Ordnance Survey Walking Maps Camping GPS Waypoints for Walking
Walk Search Talk to us go4awalk.com Help Free example walks
