QRZ 2.0 - GridFinder

[AA7BQ]

As promised, we're rolling out one of our new QRZ 2.0
applications today. It's called GridFinder and it can be
used to determine the Grid and Lat/Lon coordinates for
just about any point on the planet (please don't be too
picky about the arctic regions :-)

Check it out at http://www.qrz.com/gridfinder

73,

-fred AA7BQ

[AE6IP]

get's the maidenhead right but is off on the lat lon. i suspect you're using the wrong datum to determine lat lon, or worse, you're relying on google's fairly screwed up database.

Quote[/b] ]If you know of a better, publicly available worldwide database, please let us know. -fred

[KA6NGR]

VERY nice!

Even though I live in a small town, other grid location estimators which work from Zip codes or town centers get our grid wrong because there is a longitude line between my house and the post office. Yours nailed it!

Is there a good way to find the reverse: find a location on Google given a Grid locator?

Thanks for the great tool!!

- Richard, KA6NGR

Quote[/b] ]If you type in a grid locator, the map will move to it. -fred

[n1ese]

Doesn't get either the coordinates or grid square right for my QTH, both are WRONG and off by quite a bit. I'm actually at FN42gx and it computed FN43ga.

- JT

Quote[/b] ]Are you talking about a address lookup? If so then sorry, it's the best we can do with Google.

[KC0YDZ]

Very good... Sorry for posting a link but
http://f6fvy.free.fr/qthLocator/fullScreen.php
is much better

Quote[/b] ]MUCH better? Why's that? Our code is based on theirs. -fred

[kc2ftn]

Works just fine for me!

Mike KC2FTN
www.hamwave.com

[W4ETB]

THANKS for all that you do.....

I checked it out, works fine.....

And it costs -0-.......

PS A little 6 & 10 meter today....

ED
de W4ETB
Fayetteville, NC

[AE6IP]

Quote[/b] (AE6IP @ Sep. 03 2007,10:13)]get's the maidenhead right but is off on the lat lon. i suspect you're using the wrong datum to determine lat lon, or worse, you're relying on google's fairly screwed up database.

Quote[/b] ]If you know of a better, publicly available worldwide database, please let us know. -fred
Hey Fred, would you do me a favor and not edit other people's posts?

I almost missed that you modified mine, and the way you did it is very different than the way anything else is done on the site, so you're going to confuse a lot of people.

Which datum are you using for your lat lon?

[KU0DM]

Works great for me!

Nice work Fred!

[KB8UCS]

Just tried out GridFinder. Zoomed in and it was indicating my driveway. Couldn't have been closer.
Great tool..

[n5pu]

Dead on here! Thanks for all you do. I use QRZ all the time, great site!

[AA7BQ]

Marty (AE6IP),

I don't set the datum. I'm just using the Google MAPS API as-is.

[n3jbh]

Hello Fred when you asked this "If you know of a better, publicly available worldwide database, please let us know. -fred"

are you asking if there is a free site that offers this?
is not that not really doing the same piggy backing that some those logger programs was doing with your site that you stated was unfair?

[AA7BQ]

Good question, re: piggy-backing. The answer is no, I'm not scraping this data behind their backs. I'm using a published interface in accordance with specific terms and conditions set forth by the supplier. Google designed this interface specifically for other web sites to use it with their blessing and support.


73,

-fred

[KI4VMP]

Worked great for my QTH thanks

[w1tdp]

Perfect for my QTH

Thanks for all you do, QRZ

[kn7s]

Map is close - On the neighbors driveway about 150 ft. away, but shows wrong grid square. Hey! Price is right......
Dave

[K2DSL]

Worked right for me in Northern NJ. Got the lat/long and grid which matches what http://f6fvy.free.fr/qthLocator/fullScreen.php shows.

For folks with issues go to plain old
Google Maps (http://f6fvy.free.fr/qthLocator/fullScreen.php) and type your address (street, city, state, zip) in and it will likely come up with the same location this map does.

[W9AFB]

It got mine right. My address is about 300 feet south of the EN52/51 line.

[WA4TM]

Right on the mark for me!!!!

Keep up the great work!!!

Thanks

[kc9jfx]

Pretty good, Grid square was right on. Lat/Lon was off. Got the middle of the road in front of the house to my south. #As for a source for the Lat/Lon info, check out the people at Geocacheing.com, they have been doing this sort of thing for a long time. #Keep up the good work.

Forrest, KC9JFX

[KG4RUL]

Shows my QTH with the same error that I get on several other programs - approx 150' South of actual.

[w4nti]

Quote[/b] (aa7bq @ Sep. 03 2007,10:50)]As promised, we're rolling out one of our new QRZ 2.0
applications today. #It's called GridFinder and it can be
used to determine the Grid and Lat/Lon coordinates for
just about any point on the planet (please don't be too
picky about the arctic regions :-)

Check it out at http://www.qrz.com/gridfinder

73,

-fred #AA7BQ
Comes out right for me. This can be quite handy.
Thanks.

Dan/W4NTI

[zl1byz]

Terrific, works for me hear in ZL, spot on.

73 John ZL1BYZ:)

[va3xq]

cool thanks

[n5wx]

I Live in the boonies and it was right on even though there is no road to place it on. Thanks.

[wb0m]

Hi Fred,
Pretty cool tool! I was able to double check my grid (EN21ag) since some sites put me too far to the west into EN11. I'm about four blocks from the border. In fact, I zoomed in on the border line and found a couple of houses divided by the line. If I could afford a house at the location, depending on what part of the house I built the shack, it gave me the correct grid just by clicking on the location. Wow. Thanks. 73, Jeff/wb0m

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Thank you Fred for adding this great tool to your already super site, it put the marker right in my driveway here in S.OR. 73' Bob

[W5HO]

Not so good in this area off both log and lan by five miles. Oh well the price is right I guess.
73 all.
Larry

[KD5HLG]

Missed mine by more than 8 miles. but i knew it would I have tried google before.
the reason it missed is because they have not corrected their maps system since 911.
The US Postal service gave names to or renamed streets, roads, so that EMS could locate, but mainly homeland security can locate, They use us Millitary satilites.

GREAT JOB
fun to play with
73's
KD5HLG
ernest

[wr1tx]

Works just fine for me. I looked up several addresses where I had previously lived...came out right every time.

Thanks for the excellent tool, Fred.

[n3vbn]

nice job, but it's only as good as the datum entered(google), google used to show the marker for my address down the street at least now it is directly across the street, but the funny thing is there is another operator a couple houses down from me, it shows his marker on the opposite side of the street and halfway inbetween us

[w4dan]

Does not work for me. Returns some off the wall coordinates and shows nothing on the map. Yes,
I entered my address correctly.

[KG4KVZ]

Sorry, both were wrong. The map is was way off from the visible sat photo. If I used the sat photo I could place the red dot on the Ant. position and it was very close to the Union County 911 systems reading. They took the reading at the mail box on the street. To bad the red dots new position couldn't be uploaded to you.Thanks for the nice try. #Arch # KG4KVZ

[AE1P]

Valiant effort,Thanks for trying,But doesn't work for me,wrong town,wrong Lat.,Lon. and wrong grid.
Don't feel bad, UPS can't get it right either!!
73
Neil

[k2dc]

Not bad - not bad at all. I have seen other mapping sites that are more accurate at placing entered addresses on a map. I put my address into this one, and the marker came up about 3 miles NW of may actual address and in the wrong grid square (FN12wv vs. FN12wu where I actually am). But it was an easy matter to move the marker to my actual location on the map and it gives a correct answer, so the LAT/LONG and grid square mapping are very good. I don't know if the address mapping can be improved, but as I said - Not bad at all.

73 All,

Don, K2DC

[W0JBC]

Sorry Fred,

It missed me by over 1/2 mile ..

Mapquest nails it though......


JB
WØJBC

[k4avl]

Works great for me, and I just do it by zooming in on the map.
My actual address is rural and won't show up on any databases. Got my grid just right.
Actually, there are two formats for Lat/Long, the decimal and the minutes/seconds format. The latter shows up at the bottom of the map in small print.

[n1wom]

Worked great for my QTH!
Thanks Fred!

[N4AUD]

It worked perfectly for me.

If it doesn't work for you, it isn't Fred's or Google's fault; it's the fault of the person/persons who entered the mapping information originally. The software can only work as good as the data it has. Don't know if it's local government or USGS who's at fault.

[kd6hdx]

Worked great here. #My grid square ends in dx, how cool is that?

Thank you Fred.

edit: I just checked again, and it is actually 2 doors north of my residence, not bad.

[KC8VWM]

Hi Fred,

Nice idea! It's fun just to move the pointer around on the map to reveal all the different grid quares in my area. :-)

It's just a constructive suggestion to consider with respect to Grid Squares and QRZ lookups.

For example, I have a P.O. box listed as my FCC address on QRZ, but that's not necessarily my actual operating location. So as a result, QRZ lookup lists my Grid incorrectly as EM26bb instead of EM16xd

KC8VWM Callsign Lookup Grid Square Info (http://www.qrz.com/detail/KC8VWM)

Why not allow the user to manually edit thier respective QRZ lookup information so it can reflect their correct grid square location in the callsign lookup infomation?

Don't know if anything can be done or not right now (not loosing any sleep over it or anything) but it's just food for thought for any upcoming changes in the future?

On another note, thanks for all these new and great exciting changes on QRZ. #Good work!

73 de Charles - KC8VWM

[KC8ZTJ]

Nice Job Fred.

[kg4kww]

this is very good Fred.

Thanks

[KC8YHW]

Not even close, I used the street address and only the zip code, it put me in Neb tried adding the city, and then state, then it was correct. Most mapping programs work well with zip and street.

[AA7BQ]

While the Geocoding process has its flaws, i.e. if you put in an address it may come up with a wrong location, this is still a huge advance from what we had before.

What's more, if you move the red pointer to a location on either the map or a satellite photo, I believe the coordinates returned are really close. Close enough for... well.. all sorts of things.

Just exactly how close do you have to be, anyway? If you're in a QSO with someone on another continent, just getting within a few miles of your lat/long coordinates is sufficient to satisfy most curiosities.

I suppose that I just find it amusing that so many of you seem to be complaining that it didn't find the tip of a particular stone in your back yard.

Given that all we at QRZ had before this was a general lat/long position based on the zip code alone, I tend to think that this is a BIG improvement. Sorry if you disagree.

73,

-fred

[KB0LPI]

Great job. Nailed my home grid fine, and got my YL's place in a different county with a unique x6 ID too. Messed up her address, but when I moved the pointer it was spot on! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[KC8YHW]

I stated that it was not even close, from the zip code the program should have at least shown the Michigan map not Nebraska, Only after I added the State name did it get it right. Zip codes are unique and should have sent the finder to Michigan.

[N8UZE]

Grid square OK. Latitude and longitude off so puts me about a mile north. However I can move the balloon to the correct location and it's fine.

[ky5u]

5 miles off for me.

[AA7BQ]

Quote[/b] (KC8YHW @ Sep. 05 2007,10:20)]I stated that it was not even close, from the zip code the program should have at least shown the Michigan map not Nebraska, Only after I added the State name did it get it right. Zip codes are unique and should have sent the finder to Michigan.
Sometimes trying a slightly different spelling will help. For example, change ST to STREET or N to NORTH, etc..

You should experiment a bit. I had the same trouble with my personal QTH until I changed W to WEST in the lookup.

Don't blame me, blame Google. It's still good stuff.

[KB5DRJ]

Very nice. Thanks! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

David KB5DRJ

[k4avl]

As a reply to one of the above posters, you CAN manually change your coordinates and grid square in your QRZ profile (just not the FCC data). For example if you are using a PO Box.
I just updated mine and it was easy.

[WB7TVS]

Thanks for the service, Fred!

Mark is about a 1/2 block off....gridsquare is correct.

Must be an old photo....no antenna farm on the roof!

Bruce

[N3ATS]

Pretty close for me Fred, about 2 miles off to the northeast.

Close enough though for what we would be using it for.

Thanks for the new toy! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[N3ATS]

FYI, Fred

When I go to Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl and enter my address it's spot on perfect.

So Google is getting it right. At least for my address anyway.

[W4CBJ]

Chances are that some folks are using GPS for their primary data in comparison with yours. The GPS repeatability is lousy but if you say it where someone may hear you...you may have a fight on your hands. 73 Joe W4CBJ

[al2i]

That is a swell tool Fred. Kudos to you OM!

[F1DWI]

It's not so easy to find ELOYES 13 RUE DU CHENA 88510 .... but it's OK now grid locator = JN38hc ... FB !
Thank you; a very good tool !
JEAN http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[W9AOL]

Hopefully in QRZ 2.0 ALso will Add no click so people cant steal other Hams profile Photos. Has happend to me and i have One of THE oldest Ham related Photos that PreDATE WWII and am not happy to see it go. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
The Photo is Family Related shows My Grandfather of 60
years and photo dated 1924 If i had known about this i would have never posted my Photo here thanks to the Two Editors of QRZ that helped me out with my account.

[KC8YHW]

aa7bq Ok Michigan has several locations named Sterling. I usually have to use the zip code so that, the software running in the back ground won't come back with address not found. Our road is just the address no North or South just Bishop Rd.

My claim is that from the zip code and road address the software should have found Michigan not Nebraska!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[K9idq]

AWESOME....I just upgraded my 'written' location
on my QRZ hamcall site, but still cannot update
the QRZ data. With the Amateur TV contest just
concluded - they use QRZ call site locations in
their SCORING. I SALUTE QRZ-dot-COM for being
one of the MOST VALUABLE ham websites in the
W O R L D!!! --73, Ben, K9IDQ

[NU6A]

Fred,
Thanks for an easy-to-use piece of software. I am wondering why there is a minus sign before the longitude value. The geographic direction (north) is provided, and so the negative value seems redundant.
I like you offering.
John/NU6A
Normandy Park, WA

[KI4SYC]

The Line between EM83HU and EM83GU goes right through my house in Watkinsville, GA!

[KI4MRU]

Quote[/b] (N3ATS @ Sep. 05 2007,22:05)]FYI, Fred

When I go to Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl and enter my address it's spot on perfect.

So Google is getting it right. At least for my address anyway.
For those who don't know (aka, those who aren't mapping geeks like me) the Google Maps main site (http://maps.google.com) uses a higher-accuracy -- and consequently more expensive -- geocoding database that is more likely to be accurate than the free geocoding database that they make available to third-party sites (like QRZ) via their API (application programming interface). I'm sure Google has to abide by licensing restrictions on their datasets, so unfortunately until their data providers are willing to allow the more accurate geocoding data to be distributed freely, we'll have to settle for the hit-and-miss accuracy of the current free database.

I attempted to put together a service like this once (and still might, as I have ideas for some features that Fred hasn't implemented http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif ) but I was always frustrated by the hit-and-miss accuracy of the free geocoding database.

By the way, the geocoding database is not the only thing that is different between the main Google Maps and the Google Maps API. Some of the actual map data itself is different. For example, I live near Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, which is indicated correctly on the main Google Maps. On the API maps, it's misspelled as "Schenly Park" and has been for quite some time. I've noticed a few other discrepancies over time, though I can't recall them off the top of my head this late at night... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[KI4MRU]

Quote[/b] (W9AOL @ Sep. 06 2007,04:00)]Hopefully in QRZ 2.0 ALso will Add no click so people cant steal other Hams profile Photos. Has happend to me and i have One of THE oldest Ham related Photos that PreDATE WWII and am not happy to see it go. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
The Photo is Family Related shows My Grandfather of 60
years and photo dated 1924 If i had known about this i would have never posted my Photo here thanks to the Two Editors of QRZ that helped me out with my account.
Unfortunately, that is the way the internet works. If you put it out there, there is virtually nothing you can do to stop others from copying it. Disabling right-clicking is entirely ineffective. If someone can view it in their browser, they can easily capture it, save it, and post it elsewhere regardless of whether they are allowed to click on it. Maybe you could put a watermark over the top of it with your callsign or something, so that if it is copied, at least the copy will indicate where it came from?

[HB9DRM]

Fred

like the rest of the site an excellent job!

Works fine for me both using the address as well as using maidenhead...

Hmm, maybe not a too good idea, but: is there a way to include that info in a qrz-profile? And if the initial hit is a few hundred yards away from the real QTH, to link to an corrected QTH?

73 de HB9DRM, Thomas

[N0FPE]

worked for me just fine. located me at the end of the street but by moving the pin to the correct location it is dead on!

Thanks guys!

[ky0te]

Quote[/b] (n1ese @ Sep. 03 2007,11:36)]Doesn't get either the coordinates or grid square right for my QTH, both are WRONG and off by quite a bit. I'm actually at FN42gx and it computed FN43ga.

- JT

Quote[/b] ]Are you talking about a address lookup? If so then sorry, it's the best we can do with Google.
Same here....it placed my QTH about 5 miles away to the NW, and the maidenhead location is two subsquares away too. I suppose if one already knows one's 6-digit locator, it works wonderfully! Otherwise...I'll pass. Address lookups are better done elsewhere if one needs to know one's locator. Finding a location is best done with coordinates anyway.

Just my viewpoint, and that means nothing here.

Harry
AB7X

[W9AOL]

Quote[/b] (KI4MRU @ Sep. 06 2007,17:40)]Quote[/b] (W9AOL @ Sep. 06 2007,04:00)]Hopefully in QRZ 2.0 ALso will Add no click so people cant steal other Hams profile Photos. #Has happend to me and i have One of THE oldest Ham related Photos that PreDATE WWII and am not happy to see it go. # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
The Photo is Family Related shows My Grandfather of 60
years and photo dated 1924 If i had known about this i would have never posted my Photo here # thanks to the Two Editors of QRZ that helped me out with my account.
Unfortunately, that is the way the internet works. #If you put it out there, there is virtually nothing you can do to stop others from copying it. #Disabling right-clicking is entirely ineffective. #If someone can view it in their browser, they can easily capture it, save it, and post it elsewhere regardless of whether they are allowed to click on it. #Maybe you could put a watermark over the top of it with your callsign or something, so that if it is copied, at least the copy will indicate where it came from?
I have that on my web page but will do that No right click
How can some one capture it. hmm oh well the Photo i have is prolly oen of the most ham related Vintage photos of my grandfather ham of 60 years from 1924 I will have a friend put a water mark on it i guess there are scripts out there. but thanks for the idea. I want to keep it here but afraid too.
W9aol was his call now i have it the Phot obviously predates WWII that is why i like it and want to keep it here but untill i get the photo mastered and watermarked
i took it offline. the Club call they had back then was 9BVK wish i could find more info on it. he lived in Emhurst IL.
W9AOL

[n9jrn]

Well I tried it and it's about 2 miles off on my location using my address, but so is about every other similar application.

[ka5pat]

Its ok like you said, my QTH is about 100 mtrs south of where it shows on the map. Close enough for me, tks:)

[KR6AP]

have to move the little red button around, but it's in the ballpark.....Can't beat the price!!! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

cheers
goose
KR6AP

[KG6YTZ]

It got my grid correct - DM04xc - but the QTH marker is wrong by several blocks.

Footnote: WOW... KI6EQA is almost directly on the line between DM04wc and DM04xc! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[K6UEY]

Good job Fred,TNX for the addition.
Don't worry about the bitching, if you offered a $5.00 rebate every time some one look up a site there would be at least a dozen who would bitch about it!!
The problem is inherit to todays caliber of hams ,if you get it for free, there must be some thing wrong with it !!

[wz0o]

Cool
Thanks Fred

73s

[KG6YTZ]

Quote[/b] (kd6hdx @ Sep. 04 2007,16:12)]Worked great here. #My grid square ends in dx, how cool is that?
DAVE!!! #"Is it himself, is it?" #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Anyway, yeah, pretty sweet little app. #I like the way it outlines the squares. #It seems to need some fine-tuning, but that's probably just due to bad info in the Google Maps database, or it may be because the latitude and longitude aren't being returned or processed with sufficient precision. #[In short, rounding errors.] #How many digits are necessary in order to get within, say, one or two dozen feet of the right address?

[w9wls]

Not too bad, only about 2 miles off !
But most mapping programs on the web get confused down here, mailing address is in one county and actual location is in another.

[wa4ja]

Cool and easy to use. Nice utility!
I entered my home QTH and it came up right on the mailbox.
I entered my weekend cabin location and it came up in the wrong county and about 20 miles east on the first try. On a second try, I added the zip and it was off about 2 miles off towards the northwest, but the cabin address is listed as "undeliverable" on the USPS website (which is correct). I dragged the pin to the actual cabin's location and it seems OK.
This will be handy for some rovers on VHF 'tests, as well as island stations who are operating portable. Thanks for the hard work!
John
WA4JA

[KG6YTZ]

Looks like it has been tweaked a bit. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif #I just tried several different addresses, and while it didn't necessarily nail any of them, at least they were rather close.

One address wouldn't work at all. #It won't even accept it. Weirdness...

[N8PU]

Off a little for me too, I think it showed my post office and not my actual address, MS streets and Trips is off some too, but for the price I'm not complaining either. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[G3OZN]

Spot on for my QTH Worksop Nottinghamshire England.
Many thanks QRZ.com for what MUST be the best all round Amateur Radio site going.
73
Ted G3OZN

[M3VBL]

Not that accurate.
Out by about 200 mts west.

[ka9ekg]

Fred:I work for the NWS in Sullivan,Wi.We descourage using QRZ for Latt&Lon..As it is NOT ground truth.It takes from the center of town.Mine is off by 6 and a half miles.This can be very critical when reporting weather.Just use a GPS finder and you will see what I mean.As far as sat. pick of my location it shows the roads and creek wrong.Thanks Tom.

[BG1SLN]

pretty good ,thanks