What Three Words
- Thread starter TeeDee
- Start date
Probably can't be done sensibly as the emergency can be anything. An all text msg might make sense in some circumstances.
The one I'm talking about had a Share button with myriad choices about how to share the location.
Can't say I've ever tried it mind...
I'm a bit late to this party, but just to chip in that I have the What Three Words installed on my phone. The only time I have needed to use it (when calling the AA after my car destroyed itself), and they didn't use it, so I had to tell the (obviously new) operator where I was in the country. Anyway, in theory it works fine, but is not perfect.
I was in a semi remote location a few years ago, before W3W, on the side of a loch. I had located a vehicle that, by nature of where it was, what was in it etc was very suspicious - someone gone off for a walk never to return? Anyway I phoned the Police and being ex MR I gave them a 6 figure grid ref of the location. Could the Police find it, no they couldn't; at one point I saw them on the other side of the loch a few miles away. Eventually, after a long wait, they got to my location. The first thing they said was that they didn't know how to use 6 figure grid refs so the just made their way round various points on the loch hoping to find me. If they had W3W at that time, they'd have probably come straight to me - not everyone understands the OS system. The person was located safe and well, they'd locked their keys, phone, wallet, watch etc in the car and walked to a friends house, quite a number of miles away.
The OS grid is one way to give your position, there are lots of other possibilities. I really don't know if any is better than the others but degrees, minutes, seconds is probably the most universally used.
Now I am sure there exists a small card that explains the 6 fig system, maybe somebody should sent it as a Christmas card to all policemen.
Now I am sure there exists a small card that explains the 6 fig system, maybe somebody should sent it as a Christmas card to all policemen.
You don't have to understand the grid reference system to use it, you just enter the figures in a map app and it shows the position - exactly the same way as with the W3W method. No one can claim to 'understand' the W3W system, they just enter the words into the mapping app it and it shows the position - if they've got the three words correctly; otherwise, unlike a grid reference system, it could be the other side of the world just by having one character wrong.
Being able to determine a 6 figure reference on a map is a requirement of our 'amateur' 4x4 Response volunteers - I am dismayed that a professional emergency service team cannot do it!
Being able to determine a 6 figure reference on a map is a requirement of our 'amateur' 4x4 Response volunteers - I am dismayed that a professional emergency service team cannot do it!
IF you have the app and not just an ordinary "paper" map. One could understand W3W system if there is any logic to it if not it might be even dangerous. In the old lat-long system there is a certain safety built into the system
We use Traccar in Western Beacons. Ties in nicely with SARCALL and MR Maps so we can see their location in (near) realtime. If they do lose phone signal it shows their last reported position for a short period as a grey circle and label. We're not Brecon so can't afford Spot satellite trackersThanks; probably beyond our budget then
We currently use Viewranger with the buddy tracking switched on that allows a coordinator to see where everyone is as long as they have a phone signal.
That's free to us
W3W is OK but we often get misreported words from the police. I've coordinated a couple of calls where we get the wrong grid figures/location in SARCALL, automatically converted from W3W. If they have a phone signal we send them a Phone Find message. It has a link which uses the GPS in their phone to report it's position directly into the SARCALL and MR Map map screen, showing their location usually to within 10m.
Interesting thread.
I have used GRIDREF for years. Takes up very little room on my phone & gives an accurate position which you can send as a text message & has various options to copy it to a memo app or clipboard etc. Also useful as a confidence check of your position/direction (Not that any of us need that of course!)
I have used GRIDREF for years. Takes up very little room on my phone & gives an accurate position which you can send as a text message & has various options to copy it to a memo app or clipboard etc. Also useful as a confidence check of your position/direction (Not that any of us need that of course!)
I've been catching up on this thread but got through the first page and had some comments before I forget them. I hope I'm not repeating posts.
Firstly the issue with not hearing the words properly is less of an issue. AIUI (from that recent Facebook comment from an MRT leader about COVID issues) once reported the mrt base usually calls the person who called it in. I'm guessing mobile phones being used. There's always texting between mobiles which TBH is more likely to happen. In the hills near us you often can't get a good enough signal for a call but you can text ok? Not sure if texting between victim/call maker and MRT happens but why not?
Second my understanding is it's really better for non outdoors, hill based or remote locations but places in and around towns, rural but not remote areas. Places where you're dealing purely with ambulance of police services. Which used to only know postcodes I believe. Probably better than trying to work out the postcode where you are in a town?
It's really just a tool. If it be doesn't work where you are and you've got nothing better then you've gone out without the right tool for your possible needs. Plan for possible risks that are reasonable. Personally I had it and kept getting different results when tried at home. Not moving but different words. Wasn't impressed. Not sure it's still on my phone. I hope it is as it could be all I have to use. I hope not, I hope viewranger and the grid references I can get from it would be better.
Firstly the issue with not hearing the words properly is less of an issue. AIUI (from that recent Facebook comment from an MRT leader about COVID issues) once reported the mrt base usually calls the person who called it in. I'm guessing mobile phones being used. There's always texting between mobiles which TBH is more likely to happen. In the hills near us you often can't get a good enough signal for a call but you can text ok? Not sure if texting between victim/call maker and MRT happens but why not?
Second my understanding is it's really better for non outdoors, hill based or remote locations but places in and around towns, rural but not remote areas. Places where you're dealing purely with ambulance of police services. Which used to only know postcodes I believe. Probably better than trying to work out the postcode where you are in a town?
It's really just a tool. If it be doesn't work where you are and you've got nothing better then you've gone out without the right tool for your possible needs. Plan for possible risks that are reasonable. Personally I had it and kept getting different results when tried at home. Not moving but different words. Wasn't impressed. Not sure it's still on my phone. I hope it is as it could be all I have to use. I hope not, I hope viewranger and the grid references I can get from it would be better.
They're all working off the fundamental inaccuracies of your phone GPS system which will waver by around 8 metres in any direction - with WTW that's about 64 different sets of words as far as I can make out. That's true of any of the other apps as well; anything above a six figure grid reference will fluctuate as well.
Sorry for necroposting but I wonder if an update is appropriate here.
I am a huge fan of W3W and have used it since its inception.
It has developed considerably since the last post on this thread.
I’ve been a user of OS and even lat/long and can understand that W3W might seem to lack the formality of the traditional systems but it’s simple and it works.
I have had the privilege of working in sub-Saharan Africa and can report that three words transmits over a shortwave better than any other system I’ve used. If there is any uncertainty ask the caller to take two paces and report new position. The two references are self confirming. I used that when my son was panicking on the hard shoulder of the M54 and telling me he was on M6.
Also the emergency services have a W3W add on that sends a “Where Am I? Button to the casualty’s phone. Hit that and they know where you are.
I am a huge fan of W3W and have used it since its inception.
It has developed considerably since the last post on this thread.
I’ve been a user of OS and even lat/long and can understand that W3W might seem to lack the formality of the traditional systems but it’s simple and it works.
I have had the privilege of working in sub-Saharan Africa and can report that three words transmits over a shortwave better than any other system I’ve used. If there is any uncertainty ask the caller to take two paces and report new position. The two references are self confirming. I used that when my son was panicking on the hard shoulder of the M54 and telling me he was on M6.
Also the emergency services have a W3W add on that sends a “Where Am I? Button to the casualty’s phone. Hit that and they know where you are.
