What Is a Waypoint Coordinate?
A waypoint coordinate is any of a set of numbers that define the location of a point on the surface of the Earth in terms of its latitude, longitude and, often, its altitude. Users of the Global Positioning System -- a satellite-based navigation system -- can create waypoints by entering waypoint coordinates into a GPS receiver, or by saving the receiver’s current position as a waypoint.
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Waypoints
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Once created, waypoints remain in the memory of a GPS receiver as static, independent points until they are edited or deleted. Aside from two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinates, waypoints are represented by an alphanumeric name and, often, by an icon or symbol that illustrates the type of location on the receiver screen. Typically, GPS receivers generate waypoint names automatically, but short, descriptive and unique names are often easier to read and understand. Note that a GPS receiver requires at least three visible satellites to fix a two-dimensional position and at least four visible satellites to fix a three-dimensional position.
Storage Capacity
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The information that accompanies waypoint coordinates, such as the comment or description field, varies depending on the GPS receiver, but you can typically enter a comment between 16 and 50 characters in length -- in addition to the waypoint name -- to provide further information about the location. GPS receivers typically have enough storage capacity, in usable memory, for between 500 and 1,000 waypoint coordinates.
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Route
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Most GPS receivers allow you to create a sequence of waypoints, or route, by projecting a line from one waypoint to the next. Having created one waypoint, you can enter a specific distance in a specific direction, and create a second waypoint. Initially, a GPS receiver navigates to the first waypoint, but once you pass that waypoint, it changes the destination to the second waypoint and navigates to it. This allows you to plan a journey with several intermediate stops along the way. The portion, or segment, of a route being traveled is known as the “active leg.”
Minimum Segment Length
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The distance that you can project from one waypoint to the next -- that is, the segment length -- varies from one GPS receiver to another. According to Virginia State University, most GPS receivers allow you to project distances as short as 0.01 miles, or 53 feet, but some cheaper models allow a minimum distance of 0.1 miles, or 530 feet, between waypoints.
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References
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