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Skip Hardin
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 2:40 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Is anyone aware of the existence of GPS waypoint information (lat/long) of sites of historical Ripper significance (body locations, relevent buildings, etc.)? It would be a useful tool for someone wishing to tour the old East End and find sites that may otherwise be difficult to locate due to the changing landscape.
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Saddam
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 3:19 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Exact determination of all the murder sites is no longer possible, and prone to be dangerously misleading. Only the exact position of Polly Nichols' body is exactly determinable today, because the essential architecture is still there. The remaining positions are now within buildings and other architectural features.

Saddam
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Monty
Inspector
Username: Monty

Post Number: 360
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 11:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Skip, Saddam,

To a degree Saddam is correct.

We have lost Chapmans, Strides and Kellys site. Along with Tabrams and Mylett (if you believe they are in the series).

We do have Eddowes and, as Dave states, Pollys site remaining along with the Wentworth dwellings.

This GPS Whatnow? Explain how it works. Im not much up for the newfangled technology.

Monty
:-)
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Kevin Braun
Detective Sergeant
Username: Kbraun

Post Number: 72
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 2:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Skip, David R., Monty,

The basic principle inherent in GPS is to determine with the best possible accuracy a point in space, as defined by three coordinates. Geographical latitude, longitude, and elevation above sea level. This is done by means of triangulation, that is measurement of triangles. This involves determining the distances to at least three GPS satellites from the user's GPS receiver. The positions of the satellites in space are known by means of various observational methods and orbital computational methods. When one distance is known, the user must be located on the surface of a sphere with the satellite at the center and with a radius equal to this distance. With two distances, the location must be on a circle that represents the intersection between the two spheres. With three distances known, two points are possible of which one will be far out in space and can be eliminated. Thus, the point in space has been determined.

CPS receivers must have an unobstructed view of the sky. They do not function properly in buildings or essential architecture. However one could obtain a fairly accurate fix by standing on the roof, which I think is possible in the Chapman, Stride and Kelly sites.

Take care,
Kevin



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Skip Hardin
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Posted on Saturday, November 15, 2003 - 4:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks to Kevin for the technical explanation.

FYI, Monty - modern GPS portable receivers are about the size of packet of cigarettes and can be purchased for $150-$200. The constellation of GPS satellites are maintained by the US Defense Department. Until May 2000 the accuracy of the system was intentionally degraded for all but military uses (they are used to guide cruise missiles, smart bombs and the like). In May 2000, the Defense Department stopped degrading the signal so now civilians, using an inexpensive handheld GPS receiver, can locate themselves to within 10 or 15 feet accuracy anyplace on the surface of the Earth. This has given rise to an array of commercial and recreational activities using GPS technology. For example, one popular recreational activity is called "Geocaching". This is kind of a high tech game of hide and seek in which one person hides an object and then publishes it GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) and others try to locate it using their GPS receivers. Most GPS receivers today also interface to personal computers. So, it is easy to publish a list of locations on a website and others can download these locations (called waypoints) directly into their GPS receivers. This is popular with fishermen and scuba divers who use this technique publish popular fishing holes and dive site locations.

Having personally toured the East End on a number of occassions and having discovered how difficult it can be to precisely locate some of the popular Ripper sites, it occurred to me that it would be useful if an expert in Ripperology and local geography toured the East End with a GPS receiver in hand. They could record the coordinates of popular sites and publish them on a website (such as this one). Subsequent visitors could download these coordinates into their GPS receivers, and map in hand, direct themselves to within a few feet of the site. Just a thought.

Skip
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Skip Hardin
Unregistered guest
Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2003 - 12:31 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks to Kevin for the technical explanation.

FYI, Monty - modern GPS portable receivers are about the size of packet of cigarettes and can be purchased for $150-$200. The constellation of GPS satellites are maintained by the US Defense Department. Until May 2000 the accuracy of the system was intentionally degraded for all but military uses (they are used to guide cruise missiles, smart bombs and the like). In May 2000, the Defense Department stopped degrading the signal so now civilians, using an inexpensive handheld GPS receiver, can locate themselves to within 10 or 15 feet accuracy anyplace on the surface of the Earth. This has given rise to an array of commercial and recreational activities using GPS technology. For example, one popular recreational activity is called "Geocaching". This is kind of a high tech game of hide and seek in which one person hides an object and then publishes it GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) and others try to locate it using their GPS receivers. Most GPS receivers today also interface to personal computers. So, it is easy to publish a list of locations on a website and others can download these locations (called waypoints) directly into their GPS receivers. This is popular with fishermen and scuba divers who use this technique publish popular fishing holes and dive site locations.

Having personally toured the East End on a number of occassions and having discovered how difficult it can be to precisely locate some of the popular Ripper sites, it occurred to me that it would be useful if an expert in Ripperology and local geography toured the East End with a GPS receiver in hand. They could record the coordinates of popular sites and publish them on a website (such as this one). Subsequent visitors could download these coordinates into their GPS receivers, and map in hand, direct themselves to within a few feet of the site. Just a thought.

Skip
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Monty
Inspector
Username: Monty

Post Number: 366
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Monday, November 17, 2003 - 11:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Cancelled...sorry !

Monty
:-(

(Message edited by monty on November 17, 2003)
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Monty
Inspector
Username: Monty

Post Number: 367
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Monday, November 17, 2003 - 11:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Skip,

And its a very good thought too.

Thanks for the clarification.

Monty
:-)
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Sir Robert Anderson
Inspector
Username: Sirrobert

Post Number: 457
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Friday, July 08, 2005 - 11:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I'm at a loss as to where this should be posted, as it kinda deals with locations....Anyhow, folks should check out Google Earth...interesting way to visit sites.

Amazing as well as scary. Check out what happens when you move from site to site, with roads identified.

http://desktop.google.com/download/earth/index.html

Sir Robert

'Tempus Omnia Revelat'
SirRobertAnderson@gmail.com
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Bob Hinton
Inspector
Username: Bobhinton

Post Number: 314
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 3:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I've downloaded this site and very useful it is too. However I seem to be suffering from a very blurry picture, and am unable to go really low down.

Anyone got any suggestions?
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Sir Robert Anderson
Inspector
Username: Sirrobert

Post Number: 459
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 4:30 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Bob, I think it depends on the satellite resolution for the area you're looking for. For instance, I googled my parents' old house, and not only can I see a car in front of the house, but I can even see someone in the backyard. Other sites I've searched are quite blurry.
Sir Robert

'Tempus Omnia Revelat'
SirRobertAnderson@gmail.com
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Bob Hinton
Inspector
Username: Bobhinton

Post Number: 315
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - 2:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Cheers. I thought something was wrong with my system.

Bob

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