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triangulation Request

MDIWade shared this idea 8 years ago
Declined

I have been using Locus for several years and have it on almost daily. One feature I would love to see is good triangulation. I have installed a LOT of apps that claim to do this but not one has succeeded.


If I were a developer I would build this as an extension. It is not something used a lot, but when needed would be a wonderful feature.


Thanks

MDIWade

Replies (12)

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Maybe are the line tools at geocaching tools a solution for you?

Details here:

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This is a good thought, I have looked at lines, middle point and projection. They do not quite work for triangulation. Using a compass the old fashioned way, you plot from where you are and using line of sight draw a line on a map. Picking two points won't work for triangulation.


If I'm trying to find a radio tower on a hill, I can't easily move somewhere and put in the GPS locations. You need to observe and use line of sight to find the object.

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Have you seen this explanation:


Line tools - draws a line between two defined coordinates or calculates an intersection point of two lines


The second part is IMHO what triangulation does.

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As we know, by definition a line is between 2 points. Line of sight triangulation you only have your location and the unknown point location you are looking at.


You don't have 2 defined points, you are in fact defining the common point between a minimum of two lines.


This tool requires you already have 2 defined points, unless I completely missed how to define the second point.

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Have you checked the app called GCC (geocaching calculator) under Coordinates section?


http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eisbehr.gcc


I'm not sure i understand your needs? Do you do land surveying?


Hallgeir (mainly geocaching/hiking)

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Thank you Hallgeir, I have in the past had this installed and looking at it again, it is close. Your mention of surveying is right on. That is the idea.


Growing up in Scouts and later spending a lot of time in the mountains, I always had a magnetic compass with me. This may say something as to my age, but we learned to navigate and triangulate using a magnetic compass, a protractor, and a ruler. We were finding stashes in scouts before geocaching was even an idea, so starting geocaching with my family was great fun.


This is one of the apps I have tried

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=afr.trianulation


If it worked it would be great, but it has flaws and after many attempts, this app and several more on Android and Ios have failed to give any results accurately.


I have a few magnetic compasses still, but I am looking for an app that replaces having to carry one around all of the time. I'm hoping to have one less app on my phone, while at the same time having something that will accurately function.


Thanks again MDIWade

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Hi

As a replace for old compass, i use this app http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appyhand.bearingcompass


It has layout as an ordinary compass laying down.. hold vertical it shows bearing, protractor, orientation etc... some functions need "in app pay".. it serves my need, but doesn't necessary serve you.


Could you please describe generally you steps of what you want to achieve? I'm just curious, want to expand knowledge .. and I am sure others will chime in with guidance..


Sidenote: I would never ever trust a smartphone if hiking/trekking far away from people/road. And compass functions of my Galaxy Note 3 is very flimsy.. basically useless.


Hallgeir

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I think something is wrong with definitions. With triangulation I meant this:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulation

but your description is something like this:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearing_(navigation)


Bearing you can do with 'Guidance' in Locus, where the guide line change during moving around. For fixing line like a line at the paper you should use the single line tool in geocaching tools. First point could be your GPS-Position second point your destination, selected from the map.

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Here is how to do triangulation with locus geocaching tools:

suppose that you have two points, "point 1" and "point 2", and two azimuths, "azimuth 1" and "azimuth 2".

1. use projection. as starting point, input "point 1". as asimuth, input "azimuth 1". as distance, input some random value. let's call the result "point 3"

2. the same for "point 2" and "azimuth 2". we'll call the result "point 4"

3. find intersection of the lines "point 1" to "point 3" and "point 2" to "point 4"

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Scenario:

You search for some lost sheeps in the mountains....you are on a top, spot them, aim your device towards them.....save your position and sheeps azimuth. Next, walk..whatever..to next position..like a km or something. Aim, save.....show result of triangulation in Locus. Report to buddies, sheep owner, search party, authorities the approx. coordinates they are.

I think OP wants a plugin/function to achieve this without manually input like user aaaa describe. Maybe I misunderstood .

Luckily there are such an app. Its called XYZ Triangulate. And it can share result with any map app on your device. Even Locus :-)

Sadly my Note 3 compass doesn't give me very good azimuth, so I can not trust result every time.

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Hello Wade & others,


Hallgeir in latest post wrote really nice answer with sheeps :) @aaaa above wrote nice workaround that may be usable over Locus.


My opinion on this topic is, that a) it's is possible, even a little bit complicated, do this in Locus, b) there exists alternatives on Google Play as also mentioned above, c) usage of this feature is quite low for most of users.


Because of this, please use a) or b). Idea declined because of c). Thanks for understanding.

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Menion: Thank you for the consideration, I appreciate the response.


KaHeMu: per your supplied definition, I am looking for EXACTLY what is given in the second definition on your example of what you don't think I want.

Triangulation can also refer to the accurate surveying of systems of very large triangles, called triangulation networks. This followed from the work of Willebrord Snell in 1615–17, who showed how a point could be located from the angles subtended from three known points, but measured at the new unknown point rather than the previously fixed points, a problem called resectioning. Surveying error is minimized if a mesh of triangles at the largest appropriate scale is established first. Points inside the triangles can all then be accurately located with reference to it. Such triangulation methods were used for accurate large-scale land surveying until the rise of global navigation satellite systems in the 1980s


aaaa: While this will work in a pinch I am looking for a more automated system.


Hallgier: I have seen this app, but with the poor results from those I have tried I am hesitant to spend any money on an app. I may just go ahead and do it anyway as it is not much money, and if it will send to Locus than it is probably equal to an official locus add-on.


Thanks for your time everyone.

MDIWade

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