Re: [Paddlewise] GPS Errors

From: Michael Daly <mikedaly_at_magma.ca>
Date: Sat, 04 Sep 2004 18:52:25 -0400
On 4 Sep 2004 at 12:41, Dave Kruger wrote:

> The tide book uses MLLW (= Mean Lower Low Water) as its zero point,
> while USGS topos use a National Geodetic Vertical Datum, usually the
> 1929 datum, which uses MHHW, I think, as "zero altitude."

Further to that, remember that elevation errors in GPS are roughly 
50% greater than horizontal errors.  A good spread of satellites for 
horizontal determination is not necessarily a good spread for 
vertical.  For horizontal you can get satellites all around you, but 
for vertical, you never get satellites below you.

Also remember that as with vertical, there are several horizontal 
datum standards that can fool folks when they compare GPS to maps.  
If the GPS uses a different standard than the map, it won't show the 
same location as the map.  

GPS usage is not as simple as just turning it on.  Not everyone 
realizes that.  You don't just read the numbers, you have to 
interpret them sometimes.

Mike
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Received on Sat Sep 04 2004 - 15:50:09 PDT

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