This is enlightening. I assumed lat/long was the preferred method. You know what the say about the word assume though.

True, I thought that at least a 75% in lat/long responses. There goes your assume statement. But we also have to consider who is responding. From reading the messages and articles on ETS, most of us have been exposed to different map datums and coordinates. I'm sure if we were to go to the general public who owns GPS's, we would get an "UTM what?" type answer.<br><br>I can't say everyone in the forums here are cut from the same cloth, but the cloth was in the same warehouse at least.

As a rule of thumb you could assume that short range navigation (e. g. hiking, rescue work) benefits from a rectangular grid. When you have to you use formula for spherical geometry the polar grid (i. e. lat / long) is superior as you don´t need to convert data.