[Elecraft] OT: QRZ.com "locations" caution

[Jim Brown]

On 7/3/2013 5:36 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
> Not only that - the centroid of a zip code can be in a completely
> different grid than a large portion of the population.  You'll
> get close with the zip code but it will not be 100% reliable. 

Differences can be FAR greater than that.  I'm chasing the CQ Field 
award -- a Field is the first two letters of the grid.  For MANY DX 
listings, the default grid will be the geographic center of the COUNTRY, 
which for large countries (for example, Australia, Russia, Brazil) can 
be 1,000 miles from the actual QTH.

The good news is that qrz.com listings will tell you the source of the 
grid info -- DXCC, geocoded, or user supplied.  It's also possible to 
take an address, or the name of a city/town, and get close.  There are 
also several websites that convert lat/lon coordinates to grids.

73, Jim K9YC