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Author Topic: O/T What 3 Words  (Read 3768 times)

oilstain

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O/T What 3 Words
« on: May 13, 2022, 08:54:30 AM »

I keep getting emails regarding "What 3 Words :stars
Seems a great idea to pinpoint a spot on a map far better than postcode but can you input 3 words into a sat nav, or do you need a special device or handle you phone when driving and risk a ban/fine or am I missing a trick?

Perhaps I'm just to old for new ideas :thud
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Grandadrob

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2022, 09:08:09 AM »

Why is three words better than a post code, may we will soon be putting three words on letters instead of the post code….  Just imagine that for a second.    Your address followed by…. Up. Yours. Postman.  :-* :-* :-*
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Wittsend

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2022, 09:13:11 AM »

.... because What3Words pinpoints your position to 3x3 metre square using GPS.
(postcodes, and house numbers just don't cut it.)

What3Words has already proved to be a life saver  :first

Not convinced or unsure what it is - read What3Words


 :RHD
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LN11AAB498A

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2022, 09:28:55 AM »

Why is three words better than a post code, may we will soon be putting three words on letters instead of the post code….  Just imagine that for a second.    Your address followed by…. Up. Yours. Postman. 

Most if not all emergency services use it. e.g. if you're injured while fell-walking the Mountain Recue will know exactly where you are.
I have noted my own What 3 Words just in case I need to call the Ambulance service.
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Wittsend

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2022, 09:52:37 AM »

I have it on my watch ... just have to press a button.

But like all these things, if you can't get a mobile signal you're stuffed.
Ironically if you are up a mountain you have abetter chance of a signal than on the North Norfolk coast.

Same with my car that has Emergency Assist. It calls the ambulance and Ford if I'm in trouble AND there's a signal - fortunately in most places there is.
But knowing my luck there won't be when I'm in trouble  :thud

Most people can't do map references, it's not taught anymore - only people over a certain age can do it  :stars
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KAS2A

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2022, 12:05:29 PM »


 can you input 3 words into a sat nav, or do you need a special device or handle you phone when driving and risk a ban/fine or am I missing a trick?


Typically, the three words to geolocate a person or place are generated from an app that is downloaded to a smartphone.  An app is shorthand for a software application, or program, available to install from the app store aligned to the type of smartphone a person has.
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ChrisJC

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2022, 04:37:23 PM »

W3W must be treated with the utmost caution.
The tiniest spelling mistake can cause the result to be many miles away.
here.pear.were is going to sound the same as hear.pair.weir over the emergency telephone, and take longer to spell phonetically than a National Grid Ref.

It has it's place.

Chris.
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TimV

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2022, 04:51:40 PM »

Of course, National grid and Postcode only apply in Britain.

I found W3W useful when someone was doing a club relay. I had the W3W for my tent at 6D Handley, they popped the items inside my tent while I was out laning.
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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2022, 05:14:53 PM »

The tiniest spelling mistake can cause the result to be many miles away.
here.pear.were is going to sound the same as hear.pair.weir over the emergency telephone, and take longer to spell phonetically than a National Grid Ref.

Wise words Chris.
However its very simple to find a sequence of words easier and safer to say over the telephone. All you do is move the curser on the screen to another nearby square until you find three suitable words. 

Fred 
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Gareth

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2022, 05:23:00 PM »

New Defender has W3W on its sat nav. Awesome for locating a 3 m square piece of planet earth!
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Clifford Pope

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2022, 05:28:27 PM »

Are the three words always in English?
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Gareth

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2022, 05:49:43 PM »

They seem to be. Currently at Pencil-Rush-Hungry having a beer outside the Vic 👍
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Wittsend

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2022, 06:09:41 PM »

If you read the What3Words bunff when setting it up you can choose what language you want the app to work with.

 :cheers
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paulv

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2022, 08:06:06 PM »


What3words is brilliant, recently had to pick up a machine that was in a agricultural building in the middle of nowhere on a 1000 acre farm, postcode was useless nearly a mile out, asked for the W3W code to find exactly where I had to go. Makes it a lot easier when you are towing a trailer on narrow roads with nowhere to turn round to know precisely where you are going.
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diffwhine

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Re: O/T What 3 Words
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2022, 10:05:39 PM »

One really useful feature of W3W is the ability to export the location to a 3rd part navigation app like Waze.
I'm a big fan and use both all over the world. I even used both in Kathmandu just before the first lockdown - worked a treat.
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