"GRIDLOC.BAS": MAIDENHEAD GRID LOCATOR CALCULATIONS
The Maidenhead grid locator system divides the entire world into squares
one
degree (in latitude) by two degrees (in longitude). Each square is given
a
label, two letters followed by two numbers. You can determine grid
locators in
North America using the tables given on pages 49-50 of the January 1983
issue
of QST or for South America using the tables given on pages 52-53 of the
October 1983 issue of QST. If those references are not handy, or you
need a
grid locator for some other spot around the world, just load and run
GRIDLOC.BAS. This program was written by Dr James C. Rautio, AJ3K.
GRIDLOC will take any latitude and longitude and calculate the
corresponding
grid locator. GRIDLOC will also take any grid locator and print out the
boundaries of that grid square. If you are given a grid locator, you
will be
able to tell approximately where that station is.
For more precise location information, the Maidenhead system also allows
an
optional two characters to be appended to the basic grid locator. These
two
letters will pin a station's location down to within several miles.
GRIDLOC
will handle the precise locator as well. Given the minutes of latitude
and
longitude (as well as the degrees), GRIDLOC will print out the precise
locator.
Given a precise locator, GRIDLOC will print out the boundaries of the
grid
square.
Two examples follow. In the first example, we find that 41 degrees, 16
minutes
North latitude and 78 degrees, 15 minutes West longitude has a precise
locator
of FN01UG. The boundries of FN01UG are also printed out.
In the second example, we find that the boundaries of FN12 extend from 76
to 78
degrees West longitude and from 42 to 43 degrees North latitude.
This program will work for the entire world, although if you are not in
North
America, you may want to change the defaults (North latitude and West
longitude) set in lines 230 and 330 of the BASIC program. Happy grid
hunting!
MAIDENHEAD GRID LOCATOR CALCULATOR
CONVERT LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE TO GRID LOCATOR ... <1>
CONVERT GRID LOCATOR TO LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE ... <2>
END PROGRAM ...................................... <3>
ENTER OPTION (1-3) ? 1
LATITUDE NORTH OR SOUTH (N/S) (N IS DEFAULT) ? N
ENTER DEGREES LATITUDE ? 41
ENTER MINUTES LATITUDE (IF UNKNOWN, ENTER 0) ? 16
LONGITUDE EAST OR WEST (E/W) (W IS DEFAULT) ? W
ENTER DEGREES LONGITUDE ? 78
ENTER MINUTES LONGITUDE (IF UNKNOWN, ENTER 0) ? 15
**** MAIDENHEAD GRID LOCATOR ****
FOR:
41
78
DEG,
DEG,
16
15
MINUTES NORTH
MINUTES WEST
GRID LOCATOR = FN01
PRECISE GRID LOCATOR = FN01UG
**** GRID LOCATOR BOUNDARIES ****
LOCATOR:
FN01UG
IS BOUNDED BY...
78
DEG.,
20
MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE ( AND - 5 MINUTES )
41
DEG.,
15
MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE ( AND + 2.5 MINUTES )
ANOTHER GRID LOCATOR (Y/N) ? N
MAIDENHEAD GRID LOCATOR CALCULATOR
CONVERT LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE TO GRID LOCATOR ... <1>
CONVERT GRID LOCATOR TO LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE ... <2>
END PROGRAM ...................................... <3>
ENTER OPTION (1-3) ? 2
CONVERT GRID LOCATOR TO LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE
ENTER FIRST GRID LOCATOR CHARACTER (A-R) ? F
ENTER SECOND GRID LOCATOR CHARACTER (A-R) ? N
ENTER THIRD GRID LOCATOR CHARACTER (0-9) ? 1
ENTER FOURTH GRID LOCATOR CHARACTER (0-9) ? 2
IF THERE ARE NO MORE CHARACTERS, JUST PRESS RETURN...
ENTER FIFTH GRID LOCATOR CHARACTER (A-X) ?
**** GRID LOCATOR BOUNDARIES ****
LOCATOR:
FN12
IS BOUNDED BY...
78
DEG. WEST LONGITUDE ( AND - 2 DEG. )
42
DEG. NORTH LATITUDE ( AND + 1 DEG. )
ANOTHER LOCATOR (Y/N) ? N
MAIDENHEAD GRID LOCATOR CALCULATOR
CONVERT LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE TO GRID LOCATOR ... <1>
CONVERT GRID LOCATOR TO LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE ... <2>
END PROGRAM ...................................... <3>
ENTER OPTION (1-3) ? 3