AMG coordinates using Garmin 62s

[brett70]

Still getting use to what is this marvel of technology, the Garmin 62s.
I did my homework and decided this was the best one for bush walking.
I have loaded into the unit via card the Australian and NZ topographic map series (1:100,000 I think)
Anyone had experience with how to integrate the Australian Map Grid 6 figure system using the unit?
Eg, I want to load a 6 figure grid reference into the unit, the unit guides me to that exact location.
Thanks.

[icefest]

Have you had a look at the mgrs thread?

That'll probably solve your problem.

[brett70]

I did I search for mgrs, but couldn't find a thread dedicated to the topic. Is it possible to give me a link?
Thanks

[GPSGuided]

This Youtube clip come close. You just have to select the MGRS grid option in your 62 and the finer details can be worked out by you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbZScoFu67w

[neilmny]

Still getting use to what is this marvel of technology, the Garmin 62s.
I did my homework and decided this was the best one for bush walking.
I have loaded into the unit via card the Australian and NZ topographic map series (1:100,000 I think)
Anyone had experience with how to integrate the Australian Map Grid 6 figure system using the unit?
Eg, I want to load a 6 figure grid reference into the unit, the unit guides me to that exact location.
Thanks.

Hve you set the unit to record/display MGRS?

Go to setup.....Units and choose MGRS for position format.
This sequence is for a Vista Hcx but should be very much the same on your 62s.

[Strider]

I'm confused. What is the difference between MGRS and UTM? Don't AMG maps use UTM grid referencing?

[GPSGuided]

It's a derivation of UTM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_g ... nce_system

[keithy]

...
Anyone had experience with how to integrate the Australian Map Grid 6 figure system using the unit?
Eg, I want to load a 6 figure grid reference into the unit, the unit guides me to that exact location.
Thanks.

As others have posted set the "Position Format" to MGRS. This is found by going through Setup > Position Format > Position Format in the menu screen. Make sure you change the Map Datum to GDA94 as well.

To derive the six digit grid ref from the MGRS, you take the first three digits on the top line, and the first three digits on the bottom line. To enter a six digit grid reference, you enter the first three digits in the top line and add two zeros to the end (this is to the nearest hundred metres) and the second three digits to the bottom line and add two zeros to the end again.

If you use UTM UPS as the Position Format, to derive the 6 digit grid ref, you skip the first digit of the first set, take the next three, and on the second set skip the first two digits and take the next three, and that gives you your six digit reference. But seriously bernieq explains it clearer than I can here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14004#p185151

I'm confused. What is the difference between MGRS and UTM? Don't AMG maps use UTM grid referencing?

When the GDA replaced the AGD, the Grid coordinates moved to the MGA94 from the previous AMG84 (or AMG66). Both are still projections of the UTM just using the different datums.

Geoproject has a good FAQ explaining it here: http://www.geoproject.com.au/gda.faq.html#q07

[brett70]

thanks I've got all this grid reference thing just about nailed thanks to the posts here.
You know what strikes me though...?
For such a capable machine like the 62, that the manual and documents are so limiting.
It seems like we are relying on YouTube tutorials, forums such as this and word of mouth.
Anyways, cheers for that

[GPSGuided]

Like most consumer electronic gadgets these days, there's typically a very limited instruction manual at most. The idea is that few people bother to read to that kind of depth and the Internet is much more efficient in the provision of additional training material. In any case, if the GUI is well designed, it should have been intuitive for most.

[Strider]

Is the full manual not stored on the device? It is on my Etrex 20.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[keithy]

Is the full manual not stored on the device? It is on my Etrex 20.

Wasn't on my eTrex 30, but I copied it there anyway. But even the full manual http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/eTrex ... _OM_EN.pdf doesn't detail everything that you can do with the GPS. For AMG/MGRS coordinates for example, they assume you already have mapping/GPS knowledge in setting this up. There are undocumented features as well, and things like custom maps aren't covered.

But that's why I like Garmin. With such a big user base, you come across people who can either explain the features that you didn't even know existed on your GPS via a blog or a video or on a forum.

[brett70]

some more questions .....before heading off to the Grampians on Monday.

btw ... found this thread very helpful viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14004#p185151

ok so I've completed all the setting changes I needed to according to this thread and the link above.

I've check this against a place near my house. For example on the Noarlunga 1:50,000 map the GR is 773 229 (park near my house), and on my Garmin it displays:
54H TG 77381
22925

so that works out ok.

Question 1

How do I enter in some waypoints for an upcoming bushwalk to the Grampians based on data I can read from the Southern Grampians 1:50,000 paper map?
For example, on this map I want to start the walk at 123 740
What 'code' do I put in so the Garmin can interpret it correctly?
Is it:
54H then (2 letters as in the blue type above) then 12300
74000
I guess I'm confused with the TG part in my easting reading where I live.
Do I still enter TG for Grampians?
(when i enter that data in it gets me no where near the Grampians, so I know I've gone astray somewhere)

Question 2

What's the best way of entering a location into the 62s
Is it .....
using the FIND button - Coordinates - enter location, or
using the MARK button - then entering the location manually

and are these just the same thing essentially?

[GBW]

Using Basecamp to create your waypoints and then transfering them to your device is much easier (just a right mouse click and create waypoint). For the Grampians it will be 54HXE?????????? in the North and 54HXD?????????? in the south. eg

Mt Zero = 54HXE2201316975
Mt Abrupt = 54HXD1946837968

[brett70]

thanks so much that's great. How did you know this, where is this information found? Thanks

[keithy]

Question 1

How do I enter in some waypoints for an upcoming bushwalk to the Grampians based on data I can read from the Southern Grampians 1:50,000 paper map?
For example, on this map I want to start the walk at 123 740
What 'code' do I put in so the Garmin can interpret it correctly?
Is it:
54H then (2 letters as in the blue type above) then 12300
74000
I guess I'm confused with the TG part in my easting reading where I live.
Do I still enter TG for Grampians?
(when i enter that data in it gets me no where near the Grampians, so I know I've gone astray somewhere)

On your map, there is a square in the Grid Reference box that should identify the "100000 Metre Square Identification" This is the two letters you need, not the two letters identifying the 100000 metre square of the park near your house. Here is a sample map grid reference showing the box I am referring to: https://services.land.vic.gov.au/landch ... K_info.pdf

So for example, Mount Abrupt would be in the MGRS grid reference of 54H XD 19500 37900

If you are using the Spatial Vision 1:50000 map, it is in UTM, so referring the UTM grid for that same example is: 54 H 0619500 5837900

Question 2

What's the best way of entering a location into the 62s

Both are the same thing really. If you have topo maps on your 62s, you can even just scroll to the waypoint on the map, and save the location that way. Confirm by checking the details of the grid reference.

[brett70]

ok thanks that was helpful.
Is there an online resource that will delineate the borders between the letter codes (if the topo map does not show the letter codes) ?

[Strider]

ok thanks that was helpful.
Is there an online resource that will delineate the borders between the letter codes (if the topo map does not show the letter codes) ?

[keithy]

Is there an online resource that will delineate the borders between the letter codes (if the topo map does not show the letter codes) ?

The picture in Strider's post is the first part of the MGRS or UTM coordinate. It is the Grid zone designation. For Victoria, we are half in 54H and half in 55H.

But this is not the letter codes you are referring to. The two letter code is the second part of the MGRS coordinate, which is the 100000 metre square id. Each UTM zone is divided into these square of 10000 metres.

When getting grid references from paper maps and inputting into a GPS receiver, I think it is important to remember to use the same grid reference format your paper maps are using. So if your paper maps grid reference is MGRS, use that format to enter the waypoint coordinates on the GPS receiver. If it doesn't specify this, but says UTM or Transverse Mercator Projection on the map then use UTM format to enter the waypoint coordinates.

If you need to give someone else that grid reference in MGRS format, you can change the "Position Format" in the Garmin GPS receiver to MGRS, and when you go back and check the waypoint you entered it will display it in MGRS.

For an online reference, Geoscience Australia may have something but I've noticed a lot of my bookmarked links to GA are now broken. http://www.ga.gov.au

This is a good one that is still there though http://www.ga.gov.au/webtemp/image_cache/GA7194.pdf