db wrote on Sep 9^th, 2011 at 6:00pm:

It could be just a difference in format (although I use WGS 84 ... which might produce a very small difference in location).  What I originally posted was in a "decimal minutes" format.  Here is the same location expressed in degrees-minutes-seconds format:

N48 38 32.6 W91 39 05.4

as a UTM reference, it would be:

15 U 599336 5388582

I've checked on Google Maps and it does (eventually) provide the correct location.  All I can surmise is that Google Maps is "city-centric."  It gives the location of the nearest incorporated area. 

So, try this (for google maps).  Enter the original coordinates provided in the google tool bar (which was N48 38.544 W91 39.090).  It will show an initial arrow head near Atikokan and a coordinate position of +48° 42' 31.85", -91° 39' 34.83". (Note: this is NOT the position initially provided.)  Go ahead and click on the map segment provided ... it will indeed show a red pin head located in the presumed position with the letter "A" on it.  Now, re-paste the original coordinates (as in, NO!  I REALLY mean that spot).  It will not relocate to the new location, but if you scroll down to McAlpine lake there will be a green arrow head at the correct spot.)  You can also get the same result if you re-search once the map is on the screen.

This is not exactly good map making, IMHO!

I'll try the PCD and Memory Maps to see why you got your results, but when I created a wayppoint and edited the location (cut/paste) to show the spot, it was dead on in MM (so I suspect a format/conversion difference there).

dd

I appreciate it DD. FWIW - I'm not playing around. I know you guys know this stuff and use it. I just expect it to be simple math with a rounding error of (what?) 20 feet or so no matter the format offered? I'm wondering if there is some sort of variable I'm missing so I can curse at it while I try to understand it's purpose and allow for it.

We could not calculate directions between 53005 and 48.642389, -91.651500.

In some instances where the GPS waypoints show up 30-100 yards off on the map, it is the map that is wrong. No one could tell until the GPS came along. This summer I was in an area of WCPP where this happened. The trail I marked would show up starting 100 meters out in the water when viewed on the map screen.

This is why a GPS option is to set it on "lock on road." It corrects and puts you on the road and not off to the side. In actual use on the trail, if you are using the same datum as the person who marked the waypoint it should put you really close.

Ummmmmmmm no.

I have/see a problem I want to understand.

Google was the control - or so I thought. A generic, ubiquitous constant I thought I could go/point to and I now get that part.  The green arrow is close enough I expect but what I really wanted (expected) was something repeatable, for everyone no matter.... It's math. Words depend on what you bring to them but this is math.

There's only ten numbers and who knows how many words and counting. With math, translations should be easy - to the point where someone says close enough. Both have commas to catch your breath but math should be exact until you lose interest after the decimal. IMO.

We have pictures now. Is the math that subjective?