Re: Making sense of these "coords"

[firefighterjake]

Looking at a deed and trying to figure out how to convert these numbers to the coords we are used to seeing . . . or if it is even possible.

The deed I have talks about going from a fixed point and then going N30 15 West for 450 feet to a point and then N59 and 45 E 450 feet to a point and then S30 15 East for 450 feet and then S59 and 45 West.

Would like to be able to figure out exactly where my boundary lines are as I will be cutting some firewood here.

[Sabby]

I think this might do it.
First we need to convert the survey measurements to bearings referenced to true north.

N 30 15 W means go northerly at 30 deg 15 min towards the west. Convert the min to deg by dividing by 60 so 30 deg 15 min is 30.25 deg. true north is both 0 deg and 360 deg. N 30 15 W is then a bearing of 360-30.25 = 329.75 deg true.
N 59 45 E is 59.75 deg true
S 30 15 E is 30.25 deg but is measured from south and is 180-30.25 = 149.75 deg true.
S 59 45 W is 59.75 deg again measured from south and is 180 + 59.75 + 239.75 deg true.

Interesting all distances are 450 feet. You have a square lot.

Go to the initial point
Project a waypoint 450 feet at 329.75 deg true. go there.
Project a waypoint 450 feet at 59.75 deg true. go there.
Project a waypoint 450 feet at 149.75 deg true. go there.
Project a waypoint 450 feet at 239.75 deg true. go there. You should be back to the starting point.

Try sketching this on paper using a protractor and scale.

Did you have the lot surveyed when you got it? There should be markers of some type at the corners if you did.

Hope it works out

[brdad]

I think Sabby is on the right track, but rather than go to each location and projecting a waypoint, which will introduce a margin of error - I'd recommend calculating the projections from the first point. Find that fixed point, take the best average you can, and use something like FizzyCalc to calculate.

http://www.fizzymagic.net/Geocaching/FizzyCalc/

I have map software that will project waypoints as well if you want help - MapSource may have it as well if you use that.

Depending on your GPS, you can load your lines to a track file, or as an overlay map in the newer Garmins, so you can look and see where you are in relation to the line, not just the corner points.

[firefighterjake]

Thanks guys . . .

Sabby . . . the actual sketch is more like a rectangle . . . maybe I wrote down some of the distances wrong. Since this was a deed from one family member to another the actual points on the four corners of the lot were not marked in any specific way with markers/pipes, etc.

BrDad . . . I am intrigued. I have no doubt that my older Magellan will not be able to overlay a map, but I do have a good friend who may come down at some point with a very fancy Oregon that I imagine could overlay a map with lines . . . and he's pretty smart when it comes to figuring out these things (either that or he's just got a lot of time and determination to learn things by trial and error -- either way he is smarter than me when it comes to doing things like this with a GPSr.)

Thanks again guys.

[brdad]

At least now that Apple iOS 6 Maps have been released, Magellan is not the worst navigational tool available.