Thank you for being part of this exciting
project to map all 4-H Clubs in the state of
To gather information for the project, a =
4-H
Club Data Form for your club is enclosed. We encourage you to make this an
educational experience for club members to learn about the use of geographic
coordinates to make maps.
To find the Geographic Coordinates of the=
location
where you hold most of your 4-H Club meetings, we recommend the following
procedure.
1. &n=
bsp;
Using a GPS Device to Find
4-H Club Geographic Coordinates
The Global Positio=
ning
System (GPS) consists of 24 satellites that revolve around the earth at an
altitude of 20,000 kilometers, following six distinct orbits. Although the =
GPS
was originally designed solely for military purposes, many civilians now ac=
cess
it to find their precise latitude and longitude on the face of the earth.
Hand held and
=
dashboard-mounted GPS devices are now common for a multitude of personal us=
es
such as hiking, camping, boating, hunting and finding map locations while
driving. For most clubs, at least one family will own a GPS device or will =
have
access to one through work or other connections.
Once you have identified a Club member,
parent or volunteer in your club who uses and has access to a GPS device, we
recommend that you schedule a demonstration at a regular club meeting to sh=
ow
how the device is used and to obtain the geographic coordinates that
you’ll send in with the 4-H Club Data Form.
2. &n=
bsp;
Useful Concepts to Explore as Part of =
Your
GPS Demonstration
&m=
iddot; =
The
receiver works by the principle of Triangulation. It measures the travel time of sig=
nals
transmitted by each of at least three satellites, computes its distance from
them and then calculates the current location and speed of the person holdi=
ng
the receiver.
· =
When
the earth is represented as a globe, the Equator and the lines running para=
llel
to it all the way to each pole, mark the Latitude. Latitude lines are eithe=
r in
the northern and southern hemispheres. Running up and down the globe and
converging at each pole are the Longitudinal lin=
es
that divide the world into Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
· =
Together,
Latitude and Longitude are referred to as Coordinates, and are measured in
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds. Each Latitude reading is accompanied by N or S
(for Northern or Southern hemisphere) and each Longitude reading is accompa=
nied
by E or W (for Eastern or
Important Note: If you are unable to gain access t=
o a
GPS device for determining your 4-H Club’s coordinates, you may also
obtain this information on the Internet. This would also be a great exercise
for club members between meetings to learn more about coordinates and mappi=
ng
on their home computers. A special instruction sheet describing the necessa=
ry
steps is downloadable in PDF format at: ___________________________________=
________________________________________________
For More Information: