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What 3 Words

I use it occasionally It quite a simple way of showing, recording or sharing a location with three words based on 9m squares. I find it useful in locating a place without a post code, say a farm track where your going to turn or park then sending the three words to your navigation system
 
Morturn said:
I use it occasionally It quite a simple way of showing, recording or sharing a location with three words based on 9m squares. I find it useful in locating a place without a post code, say a farm track where your going to turn or park then sending the three words to your navigation system
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Sorry can I amend title, should be "What 3 Words".
So you find the three words from the app from your position and then your contact can enter them into their app and so find your location on an online map, as you say useful in countryside or perhaps at sea?
 
I've been using it for a few years. Its brilliant for meeting up with friends. I also use it a lot when reporting flytips, potholes and problems on public footpaths. In fact, where I live in Worcestershire you are prompted for the What 3 Words location (if you have it) when reporting such incidents online. Works a treat.
 
devonjim said:
Sorry can I amend title, should be "What 3 Words".
So you find the three words from the app from your position and then your contact can enter them into their app and so find your location on an online map, as you say useful in countryside or perhaps at sea?
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In the countryside yes, but I would not rely on this when at sea. Once you establish your location you can share you position with others.
 
Not sure how yet but I imagine it could be useful on this forum, if you looked up the three words for a particular feature then you convey, within three metres it's location to other members, what do you think?
 
Richard Dye said:
Thanks, that link was live! Still trying to understand the 3 word thing. Will try tomorrow…
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Richard, in a nutshell some had this idea that you could divide the whole world up into 9-meter squares (correction 3-meter squares) and give each square a unique identifier by using three random words. Saves remembering complex coordinates. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology has developed to amazing levels with digital mapping. I just touch the edges of it when drone mapping historic sites, but I am not in the same game as some to be honest.
 
Morturn said:
Richard, in a nutshell some had this idea that you could divide the whole world up into 9-meter squares (correction 3-meter squares) and give each square a unique identifier by using three random words. Saves remembering complex coordinates. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology has developed to amazing levels with digital mapping. I just touch the edges of it when drone mapping historic sites, but I am not in the same game as some to be honest.
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Firstly, Mort you and Janice are way past your bedtime, it’s almost past mine and I am 6 hours behind you :)! & thank you, I am curious to look into it, after a good nights sleep!
 
I have been using it for a long long time, absolutely indispensable when out and about. Imagine you are out at night and breakdown! You telephone for help and the operator asks “ where are you? With what3words you can pinpoint the location with 3 meter accuracy!
DOWNLOAD IT now to your smartphone. Its free. CHUNKY AC
 
A word of warning about What3Words if you’re walking or driving in remote areas: The app uses your phone’s GPS, so it can generate your three-word location even without mobile signal or Wi-Fi.

However, if you need to contact emergency services but have no voice signal, you can still send a text to 999 — but only if you’ve registered in advance.

To do this, simply text REGISTER to 999 (you’ll receive a confirmation message).
Once registered, you’ll be able to text your emergency message — including your What3Words location or OS grid reference — when voice calls don’t connect.

[I have done this, but best to check with your provider] ALWAYS carry a battery charger !
 
Another thing when contacting emergency services is to speak as clearly as possible. There could be confusion.
Example with the words…scent…sent…cent.

To be up to date the App should be on automatic update.
 
Pedrocut said:
Example with the words…scent…sent…cent.
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I had a look at the app. It gave me 3 words for my location, English words. When I switched to French, it gave me 3 more French words. Interestingly, but obvious on thinking about it, the English and French words were not translations of each other. The emphasis is on clarity of course. The English words gave me the correct location in France. Someone has sat down with an English dictionary and allocated the whole globe in 3 m squares. Then someone has done the whole thing again using a language X dictionary. Then again using language Y etc. Impressive for a free basic version.
Andrew.
 
The What3Words app is available worldwide, including the United States. In fact, the U.S. was one of the early adopters outside the UK, and the system now covers every 3 m × 3 m square across all 50 states (and, indeed, the entire planet).
 
Just for information. If you located a position in the App and 3 words are given you can press share and the location is also given in Lat/Long.
 
Just for giggles, and to satisfy my reaction of "Just 3 words ! For the whole of the world ".

There are about 57,000,000,000,000 3m squares on the surface of the earth. (I might be out by 1 or 2). According to the O.E.D there are about 171,000 English words in common use. This gives about 5,000,211,000,000,000 combinations of 3 words.
Pedrocut said:
Example with the words…scent…sent…cent.
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So dump half these combinations to cover orally confusing combinations. A bit draconian, but doesn't matter. There are still about 44 times more combinations than are needed.

(Much more impressive with real number notation than using scientific notation).

Andrew.
 
Brummie a long time ago said:
Just for giggles, and to satisfy my reaction of "Just 3 words ! For the whole of the world ".

There are about 57,000,000,000,000 3m squares on the surface of the earth. (I might be out by 1 or 2). According to the O.E.D there are about 171,000 English words in common use. This gives about 5,000,211,000,000,000 combinations of 3 words.

So dump half these combinations to cover orally confusing combinations. A bit draconian, but doesn't matter. There are still about 44 times more combinations than are needed.

(Much more impressive with real number notation than using scientific notation).

Andrew.
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Now that is cutting to the chase! Great analysis Andrew, all of that other stuff is just chatter and of little value other than trivia.
 
Morturn said:
In the countryside yes, but I would not rely on this when at sea. Once you establish your location you can share you position with others.
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Had a chat with voluteer life boat man, they are not set up to use what3words, if there is a call from a user the lifeguard can tranlate the code to lat/long for use on the lifeboat computers. There is some concern about misspelling words but it is very unlikely that "a misprunt" would be in the same locallity
 
I confress that w3w is new to me and I have been trying to pick it up and appreciate everyone's help/guidance. I have Just Googled AI which I should have done earlier, now I understand the methodology and with give it a try shortly!
 
devonjim said:
Had a chat with voluteer life boat man, they are not set up to use what3words, if there is a call from a user the lifeguard can tranlate the code to lat/long for use on the lifeboat computers. There is some concern about misspelling words but it is very unlikely that "a misprunt" would be in the same locallity
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There is another free app you can get called "OS Locate" - Released by the ordnance Survey. It will give you your location as a grid reference and also estimate your altitude. - Ideal if you ever have to call on the coastguard, lifeboat or mountain rescue, or just confirm where you are on an OS map if you get lost and have an OS map handy. It has the ability to share your location by text or email direct from the App, that stops you having to muck around noting down the grid reference and then starting up your email or text. Of course, like all these apps it depends on the accuracy of the GPS and compass sensors on your phone.

play.google.com

OS Locate – Apps on Google Play

Make the most of your adventures in the great outdoors with OS Locate.
play.google.com play.google.com
 
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