[aprssig] Degrees

[KC2MMi]

<<So just because you disagree, do not put the blame on me. The rest of
the world is (gradually) adopting a standard that simply makes more
sense. Despite KC2MMI's assertion that decimal is "some newfangled
ISO standard" (when I first read this, I thought it was an
hysterically funny, sarcastic comment, only on re-reading I think he
maybe he actually meant it, either way I'm ROTFL), I'm pretty sure
decimal has been around longer than any of us have been alive ;-)

Steve K4HG>>

Hi Steve. Believe it or not, I'm equally glad to be wrong & get educated on
this. My navigation background comes from land navigation, traditional
cartography, remote sensing and photo interpretation back in the 70's. At
that point it was *all* always DD.MM.SS on all the maps we worked with. Now
I navigate mainly in marine navigation and land navigation, and I've got to
tell you there are no sextants (that I've ever heard of) with DD.ddddd on
them. They all still use DD.MM, as do all the marine charts I've ever seen.

The default on any GPS or LORAN I've used has been DD.MM.xx, never DD.ddddd
but then again I've never used an aviation GPS. And, despite claims that
Street Atlas "uses" DD.ddddd I have SA2004 and SA8 here and neither one
installs in that mode by default. They *can* use it, they don't normally.
Neither did the GPS nav/tracking system installed ten years ago in my car.

Apparently BobB with his USN background shares my lack of aviation
knowledge. But then again, the USN sings their own special version of the
USAF flight song, too.<G>

So, forgive me if I gave you a good laugh & exposed my lack of aviation
education. I'll stand by it though, and say no humans use DD.decimal.
Pilots? Heck, don't accuse them of being mere humans. You'll insult them.<G>

What the list has proven, fairly well, is that DD.ddddd, no matter how
popular in aviation, is still unheard of for a large portion of the
"navigators" in the professional (naval) and civilian worlds. Like UTM, it
is a break from traditional navigation. Both have their uses and
advocates...but like the kilometers on the speedometer of a US car, neither
one has replaced the universal standard that existed before it. Maybe they
should--but they haven't yet.

I look on these lists as a place to exchange knowledge and learn. I'm glad
to have learned from this.