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Position Formats Supported by Garmin Marine Devices
Position Formats
A map projection establishes the position of a geographic location on a map and converts geodetic coordinates to two-dimensional coordinates on a map; it projects the datum ellipsoidal coordinates and height onto a flat surface of a map. The datum and a map projection applied to a grid of reference locations establish a grid system for plotting locations. Common map projections in current use include the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), the Military Grid Reference System (MGRS), the United States National Grid (USNG). Coordinates on a map are usually northing N and easting E offsets relative to a specified origin.
Global navigation uses latitude and longitude lines to pinpoint a particular location on the Earth's surface as geographical coordinates. The factory default of Garmin GPS devices is lat/long DM which means it is set to latitude and longitude in degrees and minutes, with decimal minutes.
To change the position format on your Garmin® GPS device, refer to your device's owner's manual.
There are other Position Formats available to choose from on your Garmin GPS, especially if you are using coordinates from a map or other source, not using the lat/long DM set from the factory.
Position Formats Supported by Marine GPSMAP® units
Latitude and Longitude h-hemisphere (N, S, E, W), d-degrees, m-minutes, s-seconds
- hddd.ddddd° or hddd.dddddd° Latitude and Longitude in Degrees only.
- hddd°mm.mmm’ or hddd°mm.mmmm' Latitude and Longitude in Degrees and Minutes only (Garmin's default setting).
- hddd°mm'ss.s" or hddd°mm'ss.ss" Latitude and Longitude in Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds.
British Grid System is used only for map positions in the United Kingdom; it uses the Map Datum Ord Srvy GB.
Dutch Grid System is used only for map positions in Holland; it uses the Map Datum Dutch.
Finnish Grid System is used only for map positions in the country of Finland. It uses the Map Datum WGS84.
German Grid System is used only for map positions in the country of Germany. It uses the Map Datum Potsdam.
Icelandic Grid System is used only for map positions in the country of Iceland. It uses the Map Datum WGS84.
India (Zones 0, IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA,IIIB, IVA, IVB) This is an abbreviated form of the original zones that cover the country of India: Kalianpur 1880 India Zone 0, Kalianpur 1880 India Zone I, Kalianpur 1880 India Zone IIa, Kalianpur 1880 India Zone IIb, Kalianpur 1880 India Zone III, Kalianpur 1880 India Zone IV, Kalianpur 1937 India Zone IIb, Kalianpur 1962 India Zone I, Kalianpur 1962 India Zone IIa, Kalianpur 1975 India Zone I, Kalianpur 1975 India Zone IIa, Kalianpur 1975 India Zone IIb, Kalianpur 1975 India Zone III, Kalianpur 1975 India Zone IV. All zones use Map Datum WGS84.
Irish (ITM) Irish Transverse Mercator. The system is used only for map positions in the country of Ireland. It uses the Map Datum WGS84.
Irish (IG) Irish Grid. The system is used only for map positions in the country of Ireland. It uses the Map Datum Ireland 1965.
Loran TD System was developed during WWII as a radio navigation system and is an acronym for Long Range (Loran) Navigation. TD is Time Differential. Uses the Map Datum WGS84.
Maidenhead The Maidenhead Locator System is a geographic coordinate system used by amateur radio operators to list the locations. Its purpose is to be concise, accurate, and robust in the face of interference and adverse transmission conditions. The Maidenhead Locator System can describe places anywhere in the world. Uses the Map Datum WGS84.
MGRS The Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) is the geocoordinate standard used by NATO militaries for locating points on the Earth. The MGRS is derived from the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid system and the universal polar stereographic (UPS) grid system but uses a different labeling convention. The MGRS is used for the entire Earth.
New Zealand System used only for map positions in the country of New Zealand. Uses the Map Datum Geod Datum '49.
New Zealand TM System is used only for map positions in the country of New Zealand. It uses the Map Datum WGS84.
Qatar Grid Qatar National Grid. The system is used only for map positions in the country of Qatar. It uses the Map Datum Qatar National.
RT 90 Later version of the RT 38 coordinate system for maps in Sweden, still used by the government. It uses Map Datum WGS84.
Swedish Grid (RT 38) Uses the Old Sweden National Grid system. It uses Map datum WGS72.
Swiss Grid System is used only for map positions in the country of Switzerland. Uses the Map Datum CH-1903.
Taiwan Grid System is used only for map positions in the country of Taiwan. It uses the Map Datum WGS72 or WGS84.
UTM UPS (Universal Transverse Mercator/Universal Polar Stereographic) This is a pair of position formats: the UPS system is used for the polar regions, and the UTM system covers everywhere else. The UTM system is not a single map projection but a series of sixty, each covering 6-degree bands of longitude. It uses Map Datum WGS84.
W Malayan RSO Rectified Skew Orthomorphic (RSO) Malayan map projection system used in Malaysia. Uses the Map Datum Kertau 1948.
User Grid to input and define a position format not included on the device.
NOTE: ECHOMAP™ Devices
hddd.ddddd° or hddd.dddddd° Latitude and Longitude in Degrees only.
hddd°mm.mmm’ or hddd°mm.mmmm' Latitude and Longitude in Degrees and Minutes only (Garmin's default setting).
hddd°mm'ss.s" or hddd°mm'ss.ss" Latitude and Longitude in Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds.
MGRS
Loran TD
User Grid
UTM/UPS