What is the difference between utm and gps

In angular coordinate systems like latitude and longitude, the distance covered by a degree of longitude differs as you move towards the poles and only equals the distance covered by a degree of latitude at the equator. Since land navigation is done in a very small part of the world at any one time using large scale maps. The UTM system allows the coordinate numbering system to be tied directly to a distance measuring system.

This is just like the X Y Cartesian coordinate system you learned high school math class. Simple Cartesian coordinate mathematics can be used.

Then I give them a meter stick with CM marking on it. Have them remeasure the room. They get a better measurement and more accurate reading that way. Flying, driving to another city or state, ocean voyages, etc.

It will get you there. UTM breaks it down into more digits and you can use it for precise coordinates. You would want very accurate coordinates for that!

I'm doing this, too. I'm not sure how much you've read about it, but imagine a globe, and draw a grid on it. Then imagine peeling the paper off of the globe and laying it flat The UTM grid makes an adjustment for this so that the grids are square, parallel to the central meridian, and small enough so that there's not as much distortion.

If you had some photocopies of a world map with the latitude and longitude lines, they could make their own very basic version by drawing their own UTM grid over it.

For the easting and northing parts, think of it as marking X and Y coordinates on a simple graph; it's very similar with the easting X figured first, and then moving up to the northing Y.

We're definitely letting the GPSr do the math for us, since changing coord systems seems really complex. I haven't quite decided if that's the exercise I'm going to do, but it seems the easiest. Then we'll use a real topo with the UTM grid on it and plot a point with the grid overlay tool.

Someone mentioned that one can make smaller marks than the tool has to be more accurate. Here's the link to my forum post about it. Honestly, I've read a ton of websites about it, and I still think I'm going to ask a couple of people to work with me on a real topo so that I know I get it.

BTW, I think www. In all of my googling around I came across a Merit Badge Counselor who, if you e-mail him, will send you a very nicely done, very thorough Power Point Presentation that he uses to teach the badge including UTM worksheets. Everything is editable so you can swap out maps that are more relevant to your area. E-mail me rhondagarran msn. Invite him to the forum and ask if he would like to post it here. Sounds like a good resource for everyone!

Great resource, thanks! I have a volunteer at work who did mapping for the USGS Forgot Password Lost your password? Ask A Question. In Process. Abbas Khan Civil Engineer. View Profile. These are two different but related concepts. The datum provides the following information: Where is the center of the Earth, which is the origin of the reference system co-ordinate system that you use for locating everything?

What is the orientation of the spin axis, and hence where is the equatorial plane for determining latitudes? Where is the reference meridian for determining longitudes? What is the rotation rate of the Earth?

What are the basic gravitational parameters for the Earth? What are the units of measurement for this model of the Earth?

AdityaBhandakkar User. This answer was edited. WGS84 allows you to have a datum in the full meaning of the term, and this is projected using the map projection. WGS is a datum and ellipsoid that model the Earth.