Apologies if this has been covered on the site before, but has anyone here any experience, good or bad, with this emergency geolocator?

https://what3words.com/pretty.needed.chill

As a frequent visitor to the IS PNW and Canada, and given the size of the 'off the beaten track' areas of both countries, it seems like a great idea to me to carry a satellite phone with this embedded in the SOS call system.

Thoughts?

Yes!!! I've been telling people that it's much easier when sending directions than making a pin and doing long/lat.

I use it a lot. When the girlfriend says her car won't start, or left her keys locked in her it's so much easier to find her using what 3 words.
It's so easy to send 3 words link to someone else. It may not work so well in far rural areas, I don't know about that for sure. But is a really good thing to use.

Edit to add: I just scrolled through part of Canada in the rural areas, didn't spend much time doing so, just a moment, but pulled up 3 words for all the rural areas I clicked on.

I highly recommend it. Thanks for posting it.
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This would have saved me some frustration during my last Craigslist sale. Meet me at the edge of the Giant Eagle parking lot next to the Get Go means in the middle of the parking lot to some people apparently. A 3 words location would have at least narrowed it down for the guy.

Is this just another version of Google Plus Code?

I guess ///hang.metro.closed

is a little easier than 86HJW8XV+6P7X

But three words doesn't work in Google Maps

Some drawbacks to the PLUS CODE...no visual overlay for Google Maps, but a pin drop shows the info. I use Google earth with a plus code KML grid service overlay to see the grid.

Another drawback, as you near the poles, the grid is stretched weirdly. My understanding a hex grid like Uber's H3 is better for the semi round earth.

For example, my previous post was for Wrigley Field's pitcher mound.
A nice small square. In Wrigley Canada, it is like a rectangle 94MR6GGM+HF5

Edit to add another...plus code only locates in 2d, doesn't do anything like an elevation, such as what floor of a building.

Here is the plus code kml file for Google earth...

https://grid.plus.codes/pluscode.kml

Once you download it, open Earth and load it as a project.
You may have to turn it on each time you open Earth.

If there was broader integration, it would be very helpful - we deliver to a lot of larger buildings/campuses - being able to specify where the gate/door is would make it much easier.

BUT, I think it needs further refinement, to be useful for automated deliveries -it needs to able to define an elevation, and maybe refine the area a bit tighter.

But, for people, as it is now,it would be a big improvement.

I will have to ask and see if we can put in coordinates instead of addresses. All of the delivery drivers are using navigation systems.

That would do the same thing.

I asked this question a few months ago and didn’t get much response. I then asked some members in the intelligence community if they had ever heard of or used it and they said no. I was wondering if it might have some military implications…

Then 2 weekends ago I volunteered my time with the USFS and Tread Lightly to geolocated dispersed campsites in the TJ/GW National Forrest and they were all about using what 3 words to mark the sites. Apparently it’s easier for people who don’t have any experience with lat/lon and in an emergency would be able to say 3 words instead of a string of numbers.

Of course, everybody would need the app and therein lies the problem…

Most all SoCal FDs use it or are capable of using it. I believe that in LA County when you call 911 it includes your W3W location. Each truck as the capability to read locations.

It's been used for rescues here.

For me, it's a lifesaver at places such as Disney where you'll pick a place to meet inside the park but really can't find them without an exact location.

Going hiking, I'll leave my destination as W3W with someone in case something happens. I also shoot at a remote location that really doesn't have an address so the wifey has my W3W location.

quote:

Originally posted by TRIO:
Some drawbacks to the PLUS CODE...no visual overlay for Google Maps, but a pin drop shows the info. I use Google earth with a plus code KML grid service overlay to see the grid.

Another drawback, as you near the poles, the grid is stretched weirdly. My understanding a hex grid like Uber's H3 is better for the semi round earth.

For example, my previous post was for Wrigley Field's pitcher mound.
A nice small square. In Wrigley Canada, it is like a rectangle 94MR6GGM+HF5

Edit to add another...plus code only locates in 2d, doesn't do anything like an elevation, such as what floor of a building.

I tend to stay away from the Poles here in rural Eastern England, as well as within 300 miles of the US/Can border and the states of Oregon and Washington,.but I see your point.

Are the PLUS codes logical? It seems like they are.

I watched a promo video for them. Growing up in a place where our address was “XYZ Ranch, Road not on the official map” I get the point about not having an address.

The downside of W3W, as far as I understand it, is “halibut.cod.table” isn’t necessarily near “halibut.cod.chair”

Which would limit how useful it would be to find a location, if your phone is dead/something is glitching, etc.

It looks like the PLUS system is regional, which I think, means you could ignore most of the coordinates, and just use the end of it, and know where you are, relative to your desired location.

Here is the article I read when I went down the rabbit hole...

https://www.placekey.io/blog/g...-codes-location-keys

The first few digits can be ignored if you name the town.

Ex. V9QC+8FG Chicago, Illinois is same as 86HJV9QC+8FG


Since I'm just an end user, I have no idea how to use H3 as mentioned.

The Earth file was easy enough to figure out. Also grabbing the plus code from Google Maps pin drop is also simple enough for me.

I’ve been playing with placekeys - and it now explains why Uber has such location issues.

At least for the couple locations I tried, the “hex” for my addresses is well off center/the gates/building entrances are barely in the hex.

Drawbacks to W3W: English words, might not go well with English as second language, also if you misspelled a location, it is nowhere near where you want to be.

Why in the world is an app like this called 'what3words'?

Yeah, shouldn’t it be where3words?

Or which3words

quote:

Originally posted by TRIO:
Drawbacks to W3W: English words, might not go well with English as second language, also if you misspelled a location, it is nowhere near where you want to be.

I was in error...W3W supports many languages. The spelling could throw you off.