# Determining distance



## bchadcherry (Mar 11, 2009)

So I just picked up a new H20B xpress with a 115 4stroke Yamaha.

Looking to take out Pensacola Pass from time to time when the seas are manageable. 

NO I'm NOT asking for any numbers!! But with ALL the ONLINE numbers how do I determine which numbers are say 4 miles or less in distance.

Like(for instance) anything 30 17 .466 and less would be 4 miles

Does anyone have an exact(close) Latitude degree?

Thank you in advance


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

A degree of Latitude in the Pensacola vicinity is roughly 60NM and a Degree of Longitude is roughly 60 STATUTE miles.

so if your GPS is set up Degrees/Minutes/Seconds then one Minute is 1 NM in Latitude Direction or 1 Statute mile in Longitude.

so from 30.00 to 29.59 would be roughly 1 NM and from 87.20 to 87.21 would be roughly 1 Statute Mile.

If you know the pass numbers subtract .o4 from the 30's line (latitude) and that will give you 4 NM out. ADD .04 to the 87 line (longitude) and that will give you 4 SM east, Subtract .04 and that will give you 4 SM west.


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## bchadcherry (Mar 11, 2009)

10-4. Great explanation. There no use in me inputting info that I will never use. This gives me a way to save that input time. 

Thank you


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

bchadcherry said:


> So I just picked up a new H20B xpress with a 115 4stroke Yamaha.
> 
> Looking to take out Pensacola Pass from time to time when the seas are manageable.
> 
> ...


Go and buy a Hilton's map from your closest saltwater fishing store. I got mine at west marine for 15 bucks. That way you can see it on your kitchen table, and know exactly what is within that 9 mile state water area. I think all the lat and long squares are either in 5 or 10 mile blocks. So it should be easy to understand once you see it .
Also the pensacola dive sites you can find on google, some of them will have distance from land to the reefs. 
P.m. Me If you ever have a question, if someone else on here doesn't jump right out to help you out.


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

By the way...once you get comfortable with that boat you'll easily be able to go 15 miles with no trouble and on a really good day there's no reason you couldn't hit the edge....just get to know the boat first....oh...and with one screw....buy Sea Tow or Boat US..gives you an added confidence!


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## Murphy's Law (Sep 27, 2007)

Billybob+ said:


> .oh...and with one screw....buy Sea Tow or Boat US..gives you an added confidence!


+1 some of the best advice you'll get !

Sent from my S4 using Forum Runner


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Go get Garmin Home Port and open all the numbers takes 5 seconds and then eliminate the ones you don't want. Better yet get a garmin GPS and another minute or 2 and all or any numbers are put on the machine.You are going to have to have a gps for the boat anyway.


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## bchadcherry (Mar 11, 2009)

I have a lowance hds5 with side imaging.


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## Fielro (Jun 4, 2012)

Great advice from BillyBob


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## JFG (Jul 4, 2010)

I use the same GPS, Lowrance HD5 with structure scan. the software to plan and type in waypoints on your computer is called Insight planner or if you can find an old copy of "Mapcreate", that will work with there USR format.


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Chad,

I have a couple of .usr files from where I dumped all the public #'s for Escambia county into my old Lowrance 337C. If you think they may be of use to you send me a PM. I'd be glad to e-mail them to you.


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

You can download the Lowrance GDM software here:

http://www.lowrance.in/Downloads/GPS-Data-Manager-GDM/


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## salty_dawg (Mar 21, 2013)

*Gen 1 or Gen 2?*



JFG said:


> I use the same GPS, Lowrance HD5 with structure scan. the software to plan and type in waypoints on your computer is called Insight planner or if you can find an old copy of "Mapcreate", that will work with there USR format.


I was looking at this software and it shows the platforms supported as HDS Gen 2. Do you have a Gen 2 or 1? I have the HDS-8 but it is a Gen 1 unit.


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## JFG (Jul 4, 2010)

My GPS is an HD5 Gen1, Lowrance units will also download there waypoints in .GPX format, I'm not sure they will upload them. If they do, other software options are available. If not you'll need to use insight planner or map create (USR format)


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## ryanbr (Oct 10, 2007)

Question is, have you ever fished in the gulf by yourself at all? If not, putting some of the close, known spots on your computer is invaluable. Note the Mass, the 3 barges, Tex, Liberty Ship, etc. Familiarize yourself with SOME of those main ones. Spend a day just playing around w your equipment and happen to carry a couple of rods to troll and bottom fish, w/o expecting to catch anything. Run first to the 3 barges and look at a "chart" for the rest of your numbers. There's nothing like having a little time on the water having fun and getting familiar w your surroundings and capabilities.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Billybob+ said:


> A degree of Latitude in the Pensacola vicinity is roughly 60NM and a Degree of Longitude is roughly 60 STATUTE miles.
> 
> so if your GPS is set up Degrees/Minutes/Seconds then one Minute is 1 NM in Latitude Direction or 1 Statute mile in Longitude.
> 
> ...


Some of the dive sites list the coordinates, then depth and miles from shore.


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## osborne311 (Aug 1, 2011)

salty_dawg said:


> I was looking at this software and it shows the platforms supported as HDS Gen 2. Do you have a Gen 2 or 1? I have the HDS-8 but it is a Gen 1 unit.


Running Gen 2 and having a few issues. I am kind of new to this so if this is a stupid question - sorry.

Trying to use the GDM 6 software to load some numbers to transfer to the Lowrance. Doing the easy ones first from a dive site. I am trying to enter:
30 06.257 N 87 07.964 W However, when I enter these numbers within the auto parameters in the GDM 6 software I get an error message: Longitude seconds must be < 60 seconds. I am entering numbers exactly as they are posted on a well known site and cannot get this software to accept it. I have tried putting a 0 in front of the 87 and no luck. Any suggestions?


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## foxtrotuniform (Nov 11, 2013)

osborne311 said:


> Running Gen 2 and having a few issues. I am kind of new to this so if this is a stupid question - sorry.
> 
> Trying to use the GDM 6 software to load some numbers to transfer to the Lowrance. Doing the easy ones first from a dive site. I am trying to enter:
> 30 06.257 N 87 07.964 W However, when I enter these numbers within the auto parameters in the GDM 6 software I get an error message: Longitude seconds must be < 60 seconds. I am entering numbers exactly as they are posted on a well known site and cannot get this software to accept it. I have tried putting a 0 in front of the 87 and no luck. Any suggestions?


Your coordinate format is different than what it's looking for. There are several different kinds.

DD MM' SS.ss" -->Degrees, minutes, seconds. *30° 06' 15.2" *
DD.dddd -->Decimal Degrees. *30.1456°*
DD MM.mmm --->Decimal Minutes. *30° 06.257

*I think what's happening is that it is expecting coordinates in "Degrees, minutes, seconds" format, but your typing them in Decimal Minutes. *

Try this: 
Click "View" --> Click "Map Display Options." 
Click the "Position Format" tab. 
Change* format from *"Deg, Min, Sec" *to *"Deg, Min." 
Click "OK"*

And try again. I just tried it with the waypoint from your post and it worked for me.


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## osborne311 (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks Foxtrot - I knew it was a format problem but I could not find a way to change it. That directed me right to it and works like a charm. I really appreciate the help.


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## foxtrotuniform (Nov 11, 2013)

osborne311 said:


> Thanks Foxtrot - I knew it was a format problem but I could not find a way to change it. That directed me right to it and works like a charm. I really appreciate the help.


No sweat. Glad to help! The coordinate formats are confusing as hell until you figure out what's going on. After that, they make perfect sense. I should write a GPS Coordinates 101 post or something...


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