satnav or gps

[#1]

I am intending to go on the canals for some time  ( in a boat, pierre !  ) and wondered about the problems the ambulance service might have, trying to find the boat, if needed....
I do not know anything about satnav or gps, (except a very vague idea of what they are) so advice needed for a small portable device, that could give useful co-ordinates to pass on to the emergency services call centre staff, to enable the ambulance to accurately find the location of the boat...
(generally a location on the canal is between bridge number xxx and bridge number xxx, or at a marina. which are not necessarily on the general maps used)
Does anyone know the type of co-ordinates used by the ambulance/fire/police service e.g. lat and long, or other?

[#2]

Could be wrong but, if you're using a mobile phone they can locate you. The AA and RAC breakdown services can, so I would guess the Ambulance services can as well if required.

[#3]

Ah yes, but if the mobile phone doesn`t have a signal ,.... and have to leg it ( use the folding bike) to get to a phone box.... (although the phone box may have it`s location inside)
I would prefer to give the co-ordinates that the emergency service can recognise and use, even if the mobile signal can be traced.... it would be more "re-asssuring to me" to know that I have given the location to the operator, in the same way as you would give your address, or location on a road/street  ...

[#4]

Point taken...

[#5]

not many sat navs give you any location.
the alternative GPS  - Etrex will give the location but are in the dear sort of range
My Nokia Mobile has a GPS map on it that give Lat and Long without the phone signal
This netbook came with AutoRoute which will show you Lat and long
this program will give you map ref from lat long  http://www.nearby.org.uk/conversions-more.cgi

[#6]

Thanks for the linky, Pierre,..... unfortunately, the information required, is not generally applicable to canal towpaths !.....
quote
Start by entering a Postcode, Grid Reference or Coordinate here :
quote
and if I had any one of those available, I could pass that info to the emerg services.... 

[#7]

er hum, look at the yellow input it converts lat long to OS reference

[#8]

FWIW  Ambulance and police services use post codes and or roads/junctions, land marks, (I was informed by both they did not have the facilities to easily deal with Grid References), BUT Air Ambulance and mountain rescue use OSGB Grid Reference.
The “4 counties ring” does not have full mobile phone coverage.
Might be worth contacting British Waterways:- Customer Services
Telephone: 01923 201120
Email: enquiries.hq@britishwaterways.co.uk

[#9]

Have you thought about asking the narrow boat hire company as they will probably have already dealt with this problem in the past?

[#10]

Just had a look I also have full OS maps on my phone from http://my.viewranger.com/, this also doesnt need the phone signal and gives the full OS map ref
the Nokia Novi maps only give lat long

[#11]

Quote from: journeys

FWIW  Ambulance and police services use post codes and or roads/junctions, land marks, (I was informed by both they did not have the facilities to easily deal with Grid References), BUT Air Ambulance and mountain rescue use OSGB Grid Reference.

Was lead to believe it was more dependent on area. More rural the emergency service then more likely they would use OS grid reference. Also when you phone the emergency services you can't specify an air ambulance so somewhere along the line someone is converting to grid reference.
For Shropshire Fire services

Quote

Actions to assist the Fire and Rescue Service include:     During any 999 emergency call that you may be required to make to the Fire Service you will be asked for the postcode for the property involved. If you know them tell the Fire Control Operator you speak to these details.     Knowing a 6 figure map reference for your property and informing the Fire Service at the time of call. (Consider writing it on a label stuck to or near the telephone)     Placing a clear sign with the name of the farm or property name/number at the end of the track or lane would be a physical indication to attending Fire Service personnel in locating your property.     You may be asked by the Fire Control Operator to go to the end of the drive to direct the oncoming Fire appliances via the best possible access points (Information that is not always readily available from a map)

[#12]

As far as I know if a Satnav will give long/lat information they do not convert these to OS references unlike most GPS systems that will give both

[#13]

My Android GPS Status app gives my co-ordinates in quite a few formats including:
Degrees minutes and seconds
UTM
MGRS
CH1903
OS Grid
and something called Maidenhead

[#14]

The GPS satnav program on my android phone shows me my location, nearest streets, co-ordinates etc.
It's an offline (no network connection required) program with the maps stored on the phone so it will still work whether I can get a mobile signal or not.

[#15]

Quote from: pierre_pierre

er hum, look at the yellow input it converts lat long to OS reference

But...... If I don`t know the lat and long, of where I am............. 
Hence my query about satnav or gps device...... to actually TELL me WHERE I AM. so that I can pass on the relevant info to the relevant emerg service I am talking to