Garmin eTrex vs iPhone for GPS accuracy

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During a CPD session at Hornsea on Friday 21st June 2019 I recorded the location of the cliff edge adjacent to Longbeach Leisure Park using an iPhone and a Garmin eTrex 30 GPS device. I was keen to find out how the iPhone and the dedicated GPS device compared. 

The map below shows the routes recorded by both the iPhone 7S and the Garmin eTrex. On the map below the Garmin route is plotted using a blue line and the green line shows the route recorded by the iPhone. It is clear that the iPhone GPS is, in some instances, around 5m out compared to the Garmin eTrex. In some cases the route is recorded over areas of cliff that no longer exist. The start location of the iPhone is out by quite some distance despite starting the routes at exactly the same time. The iPhone records waypoints more often I’m sure there is a setting in the Garmin to adjust how often waypoints are recorded (I’ve just started playing this). 

It is possible to display the recorded route of the coastline that I recorded on the same iPhone back in March. Comparing the two routes recorded on the iPhone, there are clear inconsistencies where the cliff edge appears to extend outwards since the last recording! 

It is worth noting that both devices were held in the same hand at the same time. I’m not sure if GPS signals from different devices can interfere with each other, further reading to do on this. 

As expected the dedicated GPS device is considerably more accurate at recording routes than the iPhone. However, the iPhone is perfectly adequate for regular leisure use. 

Anthony Bennett

Wider Geography Summer Challenge

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What is Wider Geography?

Wider Geography is a free, new project developed by Internet Geography to encourage young people to engage in geography in a fun way. Wider Geography aims to foster a love of geography through challenging young people to try new experiences that will broaden their geographical horizons. Through its six themes, wider GEOGRAPHY has something for geographers from primary age to 6th form. The 6 main themes are:
Each theme recommends activities for students to try out.

Wider Geography Summer Challenge

Internet Geography has launched the Wider Geography Summer Challenge. We’re inviting schools to encourage students to participate in the Wider Geography Summer Challenge. The challenge involves students experiencing a range of Wider Geography activities over the summer holidays. They record their experiences on the table on the back of the wider GEOGRAPHY Summer Challenge flyer. They can then submit a 400-word overview of their experience of the Wider Geography Summer Challenge. Three winners will be chosen from the submissions. Each winner will receive prizes including a £30 Amazon voucher.

How can teachers and schools use Wider Geography?

Below are some suggestions of how teachers and schools can use Wider Geography to encourage young geographers to participate.
1. Primary schools can set the challenge as a project over the summer holidays
2. Secondary schools can set the challenge as a transition activity for year 6 students
3. Secondary school geography departments can set the Wider Geography Summer Challenge as a summer project
3. Hold a school-wide competition and submit the best 400-word overviews to Internet Geography
We’ve created a flyer to share with parents to let them know about the Wider Geography Summer Challenge. Download the Wider Geography Summer Challenge flyer. You can also download an A3 Wider Geography Summer Challenge poster for your classroom.

How can you support Wider Geography?

We are looking for more suggestions for activities to add to those we’ve come up with so far. You can see these by going to www.internetgeography.net/wider
We are also seeking prize donations for the winners of the Wider Geography Summer Challenge. If you can help with either of these please contact us at [email protected] Finally, if you use social media such as Twitter it would be appreciated it if you could help promote Wider Geography using the hashtag #widergeography.