Adios
...
And if it used SMS there is no reason to not keep using lat and long
What Three Words
- Thread starter Dutch01527
- Start date
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
The SMS solutions all require data. (Perhaps surprisingly.) If they didn't I'd agree it would be a slam dunk.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
______Which is interesting. None of my position apps directly create a SMS for me. W3W lets me copy my position to a buffer, but it's not as good as creating a text message for me. Wonder why they don't. It would solve all the other problems.______
I'm wrong they all do - simply using the share button.
RobbieW
Well-Known Member
Based on what I glean from a router forum I follow, I'm not convinced that is true in all implementations - it may be for 5G but in the UK using 4G I'm pretty sure the services are seperate and SMS will get through where other connections wont
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
Adios
...
Never heard of requesters but i was thinking it would be simple to create a feature in a phone that puts position lat and long in a standard text message.
Its so obvious I wonder why it doesn't already exist.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
It does, the share button on the location app of your choice. I confess I only clocked that tonight hence my correction above .
The W3W app does it in both W3W and lat/long format. (Or the settings imply that).
Adios
...
I mean why there isn't a sos text with location feature as a part of the standard OS, on the lock screen, press a few buttons to operate. You used to be able to call 999 without unlocking the phones but thats not possible on my iphone now that i can see.
Adios
...
Just found this Can I text 999? - How do I register my phone for this service?
Adios
...
More info on the text 999 service further down this page. This comes up when you register your phone as I just did. https://www.relayuk.bt.com/how-to-use-relay-uk/contact-999-using-relay-uk.html
Seems run by BT as a service for the deaf but doesn't say no one else should use it. I guess that's why its not widely advertised or integrated, its a loss maker not a money maker.
Seems run by BT as a service for the deaf but doesn't say no one else should use it. I guess that's why its not widely advertised or integrated, its a loss maker not a money maker.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
Code:
https://w3w.co/irrecoverable.feasts.unlicensed
///irrecoverable.feasts.unlicensed
50.368949, -0.997317
This 3 word address refers to an exact 3m x 3m location. Tap the link or enter the 3 words into the free what3words app to find it.That's the contents of the text the W3W app generates for you.
Code:
Dropped pin
https://maps.app.goo.gl/v5HHoJZoBRceTsiD7...and that's Google maps.
Up until now (from a big boat sailing POV) I thought of W3W as something you'd be handling as a receiver from a kayak in distress or somesuch rather than transmitting. Strikes me that if you have signal in an emergency situation you really might as well send a text/WhatsApp from your chosen position app as well as the routine EPIRB/PLB/VHF stuff. It can't hurt. Depending on the circumstances, if the boat has several people on board with phones and nothing to do they might as well be sending the position out too... I guess there's a risk of overloading the CG but in many circumstances to many is probably better than too few.
Last edited:
Adios
...
Are you out fishing?
No reason not to use that app then having both (unless it data mines our phones of course). I wonder which the emergency services will use when offered both though? If its not integrated well at their end and they need to type it into another system its easy to type 50.36 -0.99 while potential for misspelling those three words
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
My pre-bed time swim. Very refreshing.
From overheard CG traffic it's clear they like a lat long format. (Causing a somewhat frustrating delay when someone has given a cast iron pinpoint like "I'm clinging to "Coronation", Southapton Water." and then has to spend precious tens of seconds reading out Lat Long. )
mjcoon
Well-Known Member
Although ideally the SMS text should always be automatically copied to avoid any transcription errors. Not difficult to arrange, though...
Last edited:
mjcoon
Well-Known Member
I'm certain that is not true. I keep phone data switched off, but I can use SMS fine. There is also a trap that if you put fancy emoticons in a SMS message it may switch to data to be able to encode it because it is not a regular character. But I don't do that either...
TernVI
Well-Known Member
What do you mean 'data'?
Since 2G a phone call is 'data'.
SMS needs less in the way of comms between a phone and a basestation than voice does. SMS will get through when nothing else will.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
I'm talking about the SAR SMS solutions, Phonefind, SARLOC etc.
Obvs you don't need data to send an SMS.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
I take data to mean 'internet', I've never heard it used in any other context.
Agree re SMS as I did earlier, don't think there's any doubt about that.
mjcoon
Well-Known Member
Are you confusing the words "data" and "digital"? If you look at phone charging they distinguish voice, text and data. That seems a good enough set of definitions to me. And I guess by "less in the way of comms" you are talking about signal quality, which phones usually display. As GPS devices (whether or not embedded in a phone) often also display for the absolutely separate GPS satellite signals.
Adios
...
Yes its all digital data since 2g. Its over my head mostly but its clear SMS over GSM is not the same digital data service as internet data even when a phone is 3 or 4 G for data
"While SMS is still a growing market, it is being increasingly challenged by Internet Protocol-based messaging services such as Apple's iMessage, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, WeChat" SMS - Wikipedia
In use its frequently the case that my phone looses the 3G while I still have the ability to send a text. And it will keep trying to send with any momentary bit of signal where a voice call wouldn't work. So have to wonder why text messaging isn't more integrated for emergency functions
