Youngsters are becoming over reliant on mobiles and technology so when they fail some do not have the experience to follow a simple street map so when calling 999 cant give a good location cadets generally are good as we teach them map reading so w3w is nit necessary. Plus w3w only works if you got an app that needs an electrical device, which needs a battery so what could possibly go wrong
Do you have a reference for your statement of
cadets can’t navigate without a mobile phone
The Coastguard are advising taking a mobile phone - and gave away waterproof pouches so they could be taken out on the water: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54216803
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Did you mistype the first time? Because that’s what I was questioning.
As for the pros and cons of W3W (and OS Locate, others) in our little ecosystem, there’s plenty of discussion in the thread with views on both sides, with lot of detail and justification.
Here’s a thing though - W3W is so prevalent that cadets will potentially have already heard of it, may already have it. It’s then incumbent on us to to include some education on it. Pros, cons, alternatives, use cases, and why it is still relevant and necessary to learn traditional map reading.
Which is all a bit more nuanced than “it’s not necessary because we’re teaching you to read a map.”.
Also a hell of a lot easier to carry a phone which has ALL the maps, rather than a map for everywhere they go.
You know, because they don’t just need to navigate in the places we take them to and provide them with the right maps.
I know FT and AT guys that take their ipads with them with offline maps, easps etc. obviously with heavy duty cases and stuff
in 2021, how many people carry a streetmap around with them? 
if there’s an incident in the street, and someone didn’t know where they were, the absolute majority of people would get out their phone and look at google maps, so I don’t think the streetmap argument is particularly valid
Sirry not a mistype, but then I saw your view and recognised i was generalising too much. I just cautious that we are becoming over reliant on tech, it is useful but needs to be used on conjuction with some good old fashioned map reading which I hope as cfav we are doing our best to teach them
Well, yes. But you won’t see much discussion about it in this topic, because it’s entirely focussed on the pros and cons of electronic alternatives to map and compass.
Got one in the glove box, and if going off piste carry a map so not 100% reliant on mobile
so if you go to a city for the first time, you still always buy the A-Z for that city?
I have a book of maps for all major UK cities, but that is old fashioned by all accounts
I think we’re far enough down this rabbit hole.
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Not wrong and in line with a lot of discussion above with the key debate being over which tech.
I’m amazed they still make A-Z in the modern age
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I’m going to be REALLY controversial here…
Personally I use a map and compass when out walking.
BUT in my.bag I have a ruggerdised IPAD with offline maps. I also have my smart phone in pocket for emergencies etc.
When i teach cadets. I teach, map first. But not to feel ashamed if they need to use newer technology to ASSIST.
We aim to teach them to a standard where they can map read confidently and use a compass correctly.
I personally use OS locate, but have used WOW with varying degrees of success.
I prefer OS locate as it feels easier and works with my known reference system.
Solution.
WOW should just add a ‘sanity check’ 4th word.
So each country has a 4th word at start. That way it would massively reduce the risk of incorrect locations.
I.e. if in England use ‘England’, in india, use ‘India’. This basic sanity check would be simple and fool proof. As I would bet that everyone at least knows what Country they are in!
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I don’t think you have been.
Except for this bit!
May I tell you about Cornwall?
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It was a joke. Sarcasm…
Seeing as people are getting VERY worked up over an app.
Nvm
Yeah I glitched and didn’t finish…
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in Devon next week, do they have a similar mentality?
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