setting a gps

The UK and I believe Ireland use a grid system for their maps. The Transverse Mercator grid system in Europe is typically metric and will have a easthing and northing coordinates. You will also have to set your datum to match the map datum that your coordinates are based on. You should read your GPS manual.

It sounds like the coordinates are lat/lon which can be in three formats. You might could switch the GPS around to take the format provided, or you might have to convert formats before entering. The other thing is that it could be based on an OS or landranger grid square. If you can fine the place on google earth, it's real easy to lift lat/lon from there. It bit harder from google maps. What happens if you try to enter a street and house number? What do the coordinates look like?

Someone who stayed there previously, started with IRL then some numbers-but they used a Tom Tom

http://www.osi.ie/Services/GPS-Services/Reference-Information/Irish-Grid-Reference-System.aspx "Irish Grid Reference System The Irish Grid is a plane co-ordinate system based on a modified Transverse Mercator Projection. Map positions expressed in this system are based on a co-ordinate reference frame observed by two primary triangulations during the 1950's and 60's, and combined in one adjustment in 1975 to produce geographic positions (latitude and longitude) for the primary stations in the reference frame. This adjustment is known as the 1975 (Mapping) Adjustment. A modified Airy ellipsoid was used as the figure for the earth. The Geodetic Datum is known as the 1965 Datum, and is defined by the positions of the ten Northern Ireland primaries (as defined by the 1952 adjustment) and the positions of two primary stations in the Republic (as defined by the 1965 adjustment)." "Positions on maps are expressed in two dimensions as Eastings (E) and Northings (N) relative to a false origin...."

Transverse Mercator is one type of a map projection, there are hundreds. UTM (Universal.....) is the coordinate system addressed by Edgar. It's used by the British as well as the Irish Ordnance Survey and is what I was alluding to in my second paragraph above. I'm a geographer by training. I have several GPSs, some pretty spiffy. Only one will let me use UTM and it's too expensive for casual lugging around. I've never seen an automotive GPS that would do it, nor am I aware of a conversion app and I wish I were. Very complex conversion formulae exist, but they're clunky and cumbersome. There's undoubtedly some British recreational/military units that will do it, but I don't know where you could get one or if it would be worth the unknown cost. Take a look at this: http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=306500&y=762500&z=120&sv=Enochdhu&st=3&tl=Map+of+Enochdhu,+Perth+and+Kinross+%5BCity/Town/Village%5D&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf. Never mind that it's Scotland, that's just want on my tablet at the moment. Your coordinates might look like the white letters just below the actual map. Note there's a way to convert coordinates to lat/lon and you'd have to set your GPS up for that format or make a format conversion. The system in the link is streetmaps.co.uk. I don't know if something similar exits for the RoI. If there is, keep in mind that it sucks cellular data - - so you might want to just take screen shots. Other ideas are to just run a search of the name of the joint on google maps, or use MapsWithMePro (five bucks with a search function which free Lite doesn't have). This program will work with the tablet/phone GPS without using data, but won't give turn-by-turns. When all else fails.......call the suckers.

I just walked down to the car and switched a Tom Tom from Scotland to Ireland. That method of entry does not exist. Unless you tell us what your coordinates look like, were running out of steam and guesses as well.

GPS Coordinates: 52.5703,-8.2439

52.5703 in Ireland would likely be North latitude in decimal fraction degrees And -8.2439 would likely be longitude West of the prime meridian. If you visit Greenwich you can straddle 0.00000000 longitude. You are closer to the North Pole than equator by 7.5703 degrees and are 8.2439 degrees West of Greenwich. If you have an OS map with a UTM grid and your GPS capable of displaying UTM grid coordinates, it is easy to locate your position within a 100 meters. A GPS, OS maps and compass are good to have for UK walking holiday. Lat-Long grids are harder to use because they are not as closely spaced as UTM grids, or on some maps OK only tick marked in the margins.

http://www.doogal.co.uk/LatLong.php Looks like your place is ESE of Limerick on route R505 between Doon and Cappawhite.

Diane, I'm not sure what the answer is, but have several questions..... > What model of GPS are you using? > Is it an automotive model or a hiking model? > Does it have European Maps? I also have a Garmin Nüvi, but destinations are entered as names of cities, hotels, restaurants, etc. rather than using co-ordinates (although I believe it also has the capability to use co-ordinates instead, although I've never used that method). Cheers!

I have a Garmin Nuvi which served us very well last month in the UK and Ireland. The Garmin uses simple Lat. & Long. data which is what you have. The only odd thong about they way it was expressed is the use of + and - instead of the normal North, South, east, West. Ireland has North Latitude nad West Longitude. To enter the points starting fro the very first screen, Click on "Where To"; scroll down on that page to Coordinates which has a globe icon and select it; at the bottom of the Coordinates screen there is a tab marked Format. Format give you the choice of using 1) decimal degrees (h ddd.ddddd) 2)degrees and decimal minutes (h ddd mm.mmm) or 3) degrees minutes and seconds (h ddd mm ss.s). You have decimal degrees. My experience was that the GPS is really important in the UK and Ireland because they have an incredible lack of street signs and trying to find your way can be unbelievably difficult. This is compounded by the tendency to change street names. My favorite one was a major street that changed names 5 times in less than 1.5 miles. Likewise we stayed outside of Dublin in Howth and the GPS did not recognize the town name, it was Dublin 13 to my lady friend Ms. Garmin. My advice is to preload everything you can and if you can get coordinates for locations make a note of them because you may need them .. the Hotel Ibis at Heathrow is on Bath Road and the problem with the street address is that there are a half dozen Bath Roads in greater London and I had no idea which one I wanted. However the reservation confirmation had the coordinatess on it and my cheese was saved. Have a great trip, and stay left!

Those coordinates you provided, Diane, work perfectly. Unless your Garmin is very old or very new, and probably even then, this is how to do it. First, make sure you have Ireland in your maps before you start. Then go to the "Where To" button. Keep going down to the last screen with an icon of the World called "Coordinates". Open that. Tap on the three stripes in the upper left. Tap "Format". Don't worry, that's not to format the card, it is to change coordinates format. Tricky language, English. The top choice is proably "h ddd.ddddd". Make sure that that is the chosen choice, and "save". Then enter your coordinates. Tap the top one, use N for north, not S for south. Put in a zero if you need to if you are missing a small digit. Then do the same for the lower one. Use W. It will help you. Then save it and view it, and then you can see where your farmhouse is, just as noted above by Edgar.

I think I got it....thank you all.