[Elecraft] re: Maidenhead site...

[Bruce Prior]

As I mentioned in my Salmoncon talk this weekend, the Maidenhead Locator System has one and only one official map datum.  That is the World Geodetic System 1984, typically abbreviated WGS84 on GPS receivers.  If you have a GPS receiver, make sure the datum is set up that way when determining your Maidenhead coordinates.  That's the best way to determine your Maidenhead coordinates accurately.

 The 1:24 000 topographical mapping series in the USA uses a different datum:  North American Datum 1927 Continental US.  If NAD27 is used with Maidenhead, inaccuracies will result.  As the name implies, that datum does not apply to the whole earth.  Since the MLS is intended to cover the whole earth, it's more appropriate to use a geodetic standard that also models the whole earth.  There is another source of inaccuracy in some computer programs:  If the input is a street address, the result is an approximation based on an interpolation of address numbers. 

73, Bruce N7RR

 J. Bruce Prior
 853 Alder Street
 Blaine, WA 98230-8030
 360-332-6046
 Amateur Radio Station N7RR
 Grid CN88px

From: dmg at bossig.com
Subject: [Elecraft] Maidenhead site...
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:28:50 -0700
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net


According to f6fvy.free.fr/qthLocator/ I'm in DN06ihAccording to other sites/locator programs (e.g. several satellite programs) I'm in DN06ig~1/2 mile difference.... !! --Dave G. KK7SS'65 MK III Sprite in Richland, WA"Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time."Terry Pratchett, 'Hogfather'


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