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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Maps and coordinates

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "T'mi Fi" <tfinkle@erols.com>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Maps and coordinates
  • Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:04:53 -0500

Well said Una.

In Maryland and Virginia UTM is standard used by most Incident Commanders on the majority of searches. Our team has also found UTM utilized for incidents in Delaware, eastern West Virginia, and southwest Pennsylvania. In my opinion, the primary advantage with using UTM is using two sets of 4 digit numbers to call you location, plus the grid readers are easy to use and carry. Although all SAR teams need to be familiar with all regionally used coordinate systems.

T'mi
Maryland

Una Smith wrote:

With a GPS, in my experience the choice of coordinate system is a
non-issue.

The TOP issue is what do SAR managers in your region prefer to use?
The NEXT issue is what coordinate systems are marked on maps used
by your team and by SAR management?

I used to record all my field coordinates in lat/long, but here in
New Mexico the SAR community prefers UTM. For SAR UTM has one big
advantage: all UTM grid squares are 1km on a side, which makes for
very easy arithmetic to figure the distance between two locations
within a UTM zone.

Una Smith
New Mexico





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