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[cedrikg]

Hi!

I am going to Gabon in a couple of day's for exploration and study of theraphosidae. I am ready on everything, except one ...

I'll receive my GPS in the next day's, and I started reading how i am going to work with this tool, and I quickly realise that I got NO knowledge on how a map works.

I dont understand the degres, minut, and second. My GPS will give me my location, but i'll not know how to situate where I am EXACTLY on the map. Some college gave me location where I should find what I am looking for, here's an example : 00º33'N, 07º40'E ...

I tried to find this location on the map, what i've done not to bad, this said, i've had a range of 2 inch of mistake. That is not TO bad, at least I can situate an area on the map, this said, when my GPS will give my location, I want to know EXACTLY where I am. Because 2 inch on the map result in many kilometer's on the field, and that is a big mistake when you are lost and want to know exactly where you are andf where to head to.

My questions ... :

1. How does a map works ?
- I see there's some degre's : 0, 1,2,3 ... but theres no details from 0 to 1, 1 to 2 ... If my location is 00º25'N, i've to evaluate by eye's where's my location between 0 and 1?
- How the degres - minut and second works ? wich is the most precise ?
- Where can I find the most precise Gabon map, actually, i've 3 here and none are really precise.

2. Once i've my locasion given by the GPS, is there a way I can locate myself very precisely with a very low range of mistake ?

3. Is a GPS very trustable in these kind of environnment ''very humid'', mixed with a boussole + map?

[starlagurl]

Hi Cedrikq, maybe a website with GPS basics will help you...

Try this link, or do some google searches.

http://www.gpsnuts.com/myGPS/GPS/Tutorials/Maps/maps.htm