Map references

General slalom chatter...rant about the bad, rave about the good
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Do we keep Map references

Poll ended at Thu May 02, 2019 8:30 am

Yes, I use them all the time
1
8%
Yes, it helps to get the right side of the river
4
33%
Don't care, I know where the slalom sites are
0
No votes
No, never use them / dont know how to use them
7
58%
 
Total votes: 12

Secretary Man
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:09 pm

Map references

Post by Secretary Man » Tue Apr 02, 2019 8:30 am

In this day of Sat Navs, does any one use the Map references printed in the Calendar or should we save space and remove them?
Hon Secretary to the British Canoeing Slalom Committee
( a different Id is used for personal rants and raves)

JimW
Posts: 570
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:17 pm
Location: Pinkston

Re: Map references

Post by JimW » Tue Apr 02, 2019 11:41 am

Some locations do not have an exact postcode for Sat Nav (Fairnilee) so map reference is sometimes useful. Perhaps unnecessary for HPP, LEE Valley and Teeside which all have brown signs once you get close, but for rural venues a postcode can get you to the wrong side of a village never mind wrong side of the river.
For Wark slalom it is important to remember that there are 2 Warks in Northumberland, one on the Tyne and one on the Tweed, so don't just type the village name into SatNav becasue you know the way from middle of the village - I really must remember to remove the wrong one from 'my places' on my TomTom!

Tip: you can enter a national grid reference directly into the smart search (default) box on http://www.streetmap.co.uk/ For example for Fairnilee enter NT457326 and the arrow lands on the entrance to the camping field.

An alternative option would be to create POI files of all slalom venues in formats for all main SatNav systems and make it available to download...

Dee
Posts: 1444
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 8:34 pm

Re: Map references

Post by Dee » Tue Apr 02, 2019 12:08 pm

Slight oddities/inconsistencies with these in that the yearbook shows postcode and Map references whereas www.canoeslalom.co.uk shows post codes only, BUT if you click the "show directions" link then you can see a longitude/latitude (in url) which is used to identify the position on google maps.

Perhaps we should add to https://what3words.com/ - could potentially pinpoint control that way :)
Kit Washer, Entry Clerk, Chauffeur, Reluctant Organiser, Online Entry Advocate .....
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!

Nick Penfold
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 8:21 pm

Re: Map references

Post by Nick Penfold » Wed Apr 03, 2019 11:45 am

The online calendar has never shown the codes, and hasn't shown OS grid references for about 10 years, partly because entries need to be compact for the window display and partly because I have an opinion about their usefulness.
I had to check the Wayback machine to find out that I once included the OS grid references!

djberriman
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:19 pm

Re: Map references

Post by djberriman » Wed Apr 03, 2019 3:23 pm

I'd like to see them kept, Howsham doesn't have a postcode and neither will Linton, in Linton's case it is very easy to end up on the wrong side, and then struggle to find it as it is down a long farm track. That said I'm sure we will cope as we publish the nearest post code and have plenty of signage.

InsertUsernameHere
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2018 10:03 pm

Re: Map references

Post by InsertUsernameHere » Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:46 am

Our site also doesn’t have an exact postcode - the nearest one sends you to the wrong side of the river. Our site has now been added to google maps (which I’m promised was very easy to do) and we link to that from our website and race info.) Feedback has been that people have found that helpful.

[Instructions for adding to google maps
Steps Open Google Maps. Tap the Google Maps app icon, which resembles a location pin on a map. ...
Tap ☰. It's in the upper-left corner of the screen. ...
Tap Add a missing place. ...
Add the place's name. ...
Enter an address. ...
Select a place category. ...
Enter non-required information. ...
Tap SEND.]

Seedy Paddler
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed May 26, 2004 2:00 pm

Re: Map references

Post by Seedy Paddler » Fri Apr 05, 2019 11:45 am

May be preferable to change from OS Map refs to Lat/Lon ref, these can be taken off the likes of Bing maps by finding the site and right clicking on your desired location then comes up with references - e.g. Alva is 56.145853, -3.782823 which is the entrance off the main road rather than a post code for a property to the south of the river. Actually a lot easier than working with OS Landranger maps.

I know I changed references for Seaton as the nearest post code is actually on the opposite side of the river and nearest road approach is at St Machars Cathedral. Sat Nav post code is for the main gate to the Park and then follow the drive through the Park.

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Phil
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 9:35 am

Re: Map references

Post by Phil » Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:15 am

POI files for sat-navs where created by Ken Trollope (RIP) and are available to download on
www.canoeslalom.co.uk -> menu -> more -> slalom courses and are available for TomTom and Garmin.

JimW
Posts: 570
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:17 pm
Location: Pinkston

Re: Map references

Post by JimW » Tue Apr 09, 2019 12:08 pm

Why did I never spot that before? I wonder if it is complete - there are some courses not on that web page, but may be in the POI files?

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