[Elecraft] OT: About Grid Squares

[Jim Brown]

On 8/2/2017 10:21 AM, Fred Jensen wrote:
> I think you have to get the grid from the station during the QSO, if 
> grid matters.

Or from the QSL or LOTW. Grids mostly matter on VHF, and nearly 
universal practice is for the grid to be part of the first "over" in 
every QSO, regardless of mode. All software to run K1JT's WSJT modes 
default to sending the grid when calling CQ and answering a CQ.

qrz.com has a great mapping feature that shows where the software thinks 
his/her QTH is. It's easy to zoom in to see if the map location agrees 
with a street address, and you can click on "explore on a grid map" 
below the map to see the outline of the 6-character grid.

Another great grid mapper is on aprs.fi which is designed to track APRS 
stations. If you enter a grid, the software will outline it on what 
looks like a google map. Again, it's easy to zoom and pan this map to 
see streets and other details. I discovered this when chasing a mobile 
who was lighting up nearly a dozen grids on a trip from ND to AZ, mostly 
working MSK144 (meteor scatter).

When you set up your qrz.com page, it's easy to enter your QTH either as 
a grid square or lat/lon. But when you don't do that, qrz.com uses your 
license address.

I also chase CQ Fields, which are the rectangles defined by the two 
letters in the grid square. The field is rarely part of a QSO, so you 
have to figure it out from available data. When the ham hasn't entered 
his QTH, in some countries qrz.com will pick the geographic center of 
the country. This can yield very wrong results in large countries like 
Russia or Australia. :)

73, Jim K9YC