What3Words
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What3Words
Lots of publicity around this app after 3 people got lost in Hamsterley Forest. It seems popular with some police, fire and rescue services. Anyone got it on their phone already? Does it have any use for planners and controllers out in terrain by themselves in case of injury. IME, none of the rescue services seem to understand grid references, they ask for post codes! Useful or just another gimmick for folks who always carry their smart phone?
- Karen
- red
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Re: What3Words
I hadn't heard of this app, but looking at the news article on the beeb it seems like a great idea.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-49319760
As well as the safety angle, it looks useful to describe the car park location on event details. Gradually I have become just like most non orienteers, type in the postcode into my phone and hope I drive near enough to the car park to spot it.
I'm sure most newbies don't want to use grid references, latitude and longitude or follow detailed text descriptions to get to the car park, so it could be good for newbies too.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-49319760
As well as the safety angle, it looks useful to describe the car park location on event details. Gradually I have become just like most non orienteers, type in the postcode into my phone and hope I drive near enough to the car park to spot it.
I'm sure most newbies don't want to use grid references, latitude and longitude or follow detailed text descriptions to get to the car park, so it could be good for newbies too.
- SeanC
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Re: What3Words
SeanC wrote:...
As well as the safety angle, it looks useful to describe the car park location on event details. Gradually I have become just like most non orienteers, type in the postcode into my phone and hope I drive near enough to the car park to spot it.
...
Think of the bigger ... or even smaller picture - you can use it to locate your car IN the event car park (every event I go to I park in the back row, but someone seems to move things about so that it isn't in the back row by the time I finish).
Or indeed, for those competing internationally, ... to locate you car in the airport parking.
what3words has been round for quite a few years now, and I know some lowland rescue teams can make use of it.
JK [currrently located at ... "oasis.fancy.again"]
JK
- JK
- diehard
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Re: What3Words
Love the idea of using it to find my car!
Better than "two rows along from the end of the portaloos".
How do you know what the three words for your location are? Does it come up on the app automatically when you use it? I'm not good at technology.....
Thanks.
Better than "two rows along from the end of the portaloos".
How do you know what the three words for your location are? Does it come up on the app automatically when you use it? I'm not good at technology.....
Thanks.
- Karen
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Re: What3Words
Karen wrote:Love the idea of using it to find my car!
Better than "two rows along from the end of the portaloos".
How do you know what the three words for your location are? Does it come up on the app automatically when you use it? I'm not good at technology.....
Thanks.
Commonly advertised for finding people at Festivals, things like that with loads of people.
With the Android App:
1. Turn on gps location on phone (I normally have it off to save power)
2. Wait few seconds for a fix
3. Open what3words app
It'll say where you are
JK (now at "fantastic.asserts.pretty")
JK
- JK
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Re: What3Words
Looks like you were taking a stroll down the corridor.
- pete.owens
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Re: What3Words
pete.owens wrote:Looks like you were taking a stroll down the corridor.
Indeed: I was testing whether it needed a data or wireless connection to access whatever it is that generates the words.
It didn't. Just GPS turned on (now whether it can get the location information from phone signal and/or wireless in the absence of GPS I'd have to check with my old phone whose GPS no longer works).
JK
- JK
- diehard
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Re: What3Words
Some obvious utility but this site puts up some objections for its universal adoption.
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2019/03/why-bo ... Es_JgDGuIo
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2019/03/why-bo ... Es_JgDGuIo
- johnrobinson
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Re: What3Words
johnrobinson wrote:Some obvious utility but this site puts up some objections for its universal adoption.
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2019/03/why-bo ... Es_JgDGuIo
Universal adoption of any single technology - never mind a proprietrary would be ludicrous.
I have OSLocate on my phone - but that doesn't work in Ireland, nor Finland, so I have other things like W3W which I can use anywhere - even at sea (although then my location is likely to be move even when I try and stay still)
JK
- JK
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Re: What3Words
But then your navigation would be "all at sea" ![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
- johnrobinson
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Re: What3Words
Used in the Final Details for the Lincoln Urban
- Slowtochide
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Re: What3Words
JK wrote:johnrobinson wrote:Some obvious utility but this site puts up some objections for its universal adoption.
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2019/03/why-bo ... Es_JgDGuIo
Universal adoption of any single technology - never mind a proprietrary would be ludicrous.
I have OSLocate on my phone - but that doesn't work in Ireland, nor Finland, so I have other things like W3W which I can use anywhere - even at sea (although then my location is likely to be move even when I try and stay still)
Generally agree with these points... W3W is slick and user friendly but should not be mistaken for an open standard, or problem free (although many of the problems would be unlikely to bite an O event organiser!).
Open Location Codes (pluscodes) provide a properly open alternative, but as far as I can tell lack a dedicated app to find or display codes (leaving aside Google Maps, which some may have their own objections to). It ought to be feasible to create one though...
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
- ricardito
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Re: What3Words
JK wrote:JK (now at "fantastic.asserts.pretty")
Need to be carefull of homophones - or even similar sounding words over the phone.
fantastic.assets.pretty
is rather a long way away for example
or perhaps
spin.swept.also vs spins.swept.also
- pete.owens
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Re: What3Words
I believe they market the distance between near-homophones as a feature, the idea being that it should be immediately obvious that you have misheard a word.
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