How to

Find your
location

Not sure how to grab your coordinates to note down on your field sheet?  Here are some different ways you can find out your location.

From the sampling location:

No cell service or GPS:

On your cell phone with Google Maps

Almost everyone has Google Maps already on their smart phone, or can access it through the browser app.  Here are the steps for finding your coordinates:

  1. Open the Google Maps app on your phone or navigate to it through your browser app
  2. Touch and hold where you are on the map.  A red pin should appear.
  3. At the search bar at the top or the dropped pin menu, the coordinates will appear.  These are the latitude and longitude.  Please record them on the field sheet and sample bag.
phone_coords

Using a GPS

A handheld GPS is a great tool for field work and a must in remote locations.  Each GPS is different, so please consult the user guide for your particular model for instructions if you are unsure.
 
We prefer coordinates in latitude and longitude, but if you are providing coordinates in UTM coordinates, please be sure to note down your UTM zone!

From your personal computer with Google Maps

If you don’t have cell phone service at your sampling site, but you have internet access from your home computer or local library, you can estimate your sampling location afterwards using Google Maps. Here are the steps for finding your approximate sampling coordinates:

  1. Open Google Maps on your browser: www.google.com/maps
  2. Type in your nearest town in the search bar.
  3. Zoom in on the map to your sampling location, and touch and hold where you are on the map.  A pin should appear.
  4. As well as a pin appearing at your selected location, a pop up box should appear with a general location label and coordinates below.  These are the latitude and longitude.  Please record them on the field sheet and sample bag.

From a paper map

Who needs technology?! A paper map works just as well for finding your coordinates. The latitude is the distance measurement north or south of the equator, and the longitude is the distance measurement east or west of the prime meridian. Most maps will have latitude measures along one or both sides of the map, and longitude measures along the top or bottom. To find your coordinates:

  1. Locate your site on the map.
  2. Trace a line horizontally from your point to the latitude markers at the side of the map. Record the latitude.
  3. Trace a line vertically from your point to the longitude markers at the top (or bottom) of the map. Record your longitude.

WikiHow has step-by-step instructions for locating your coordinates on a map as well!