What happens when you cross a UTM zone?

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06-05-2012 01:03 PM
JohnBrown1
New Contributor
Hi,

I hope I'm posting in the right section, I'm new to the forum and to localization systems in general (apart from a general knowledge on Lat/Long).

I'm developing an app that, among other things, will track a device through a GPS with Lat/Long readings and convert it to UTM. However, it may happen that this device crosses to a different UTM zone. I was told that if this happens, a "jump" will happen in the northing/easting values. But that seemed like a real limitation to this model. Can anyone confirm this and if there's any known fix? I mean, as long as I have the right Lat/Long/UTM Zone, I expected that this model would give a smooth transition between any point on the globe.

Thanks
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HardolphWasteneys
Occasional Contributor III
Recreational GPS devices do this, but I have no idea how you would find out the code they use.  The definition of the UTM zones is simple enough being a standard 6 degrees of longitude (unless you go to MTM 3 degree zones) so your app could query the longitude and make the jump as it crossed a zone boundary or better display something that showed continuation of coordinates in the previous zone and ask the user if they wanted to jump.

what kind of device?

Hardolph
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