How do I get Grid Reference Numbers on the Internet?

[tigger]

Hi

I'm not sure where to put this thread. I was hoping there was a "computer/internet" related area... but can't find one.

I do a lot of biological recording for my local Environmental Records Office. As part of the record they like to have at least a 8 or 10 figure grid reference (ie SY98739430).

Does anyone know where I can get a grid reference easily from the internet by pinpointing an area (and then hopefully just reading off the grid ref)?

I know I can get it from a map but I don't have all the maps of Dorset (and they are pretty expensive).

Thanks

Jane

[The Woodman]

Hi tigger
I use two free sources
1. Get a Map from the OS website. This will allow you to get what you want up to a scale of 1:25 000 and also download maps to that scale.

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/

2. MAGIC website. A bit more convoluted, but maps available to whatever scale you want and an icon on the top left of the screen shows a grid and question mark. Click on the point you want and a box displays NGR's and Lat and Long.

http://www.magic.gov.uk/

Hope this helps.

[tigger]

Thanks for your help Woodman.

I've looked at the OS site before, but the Magic site was a new one on me and very good. Unfortunately it was so good that I ended up looking at maps for the next hour (when I should have been working!). Still, I found a Heritage Site in our village that I didn't know existed... and the Grid Reference tool is really useful and easy to use.

Thanks!

Jane

[Adam Cheeseman]

If you go on BTOs Birdtrack webpage and try to register a bird count site you get the option to locate it on an interactive map. Using this can get you a 10-figure OS grid ref.

Cheers,

Adam

[Tormentil]

Here's another Earth Tools

It gives Lat & Lon as well as OS grid references, along with other info.

[poschiavanus]

Another way is to use Google Earth (or Maps). Stick a placemark in and use this website to convert the co-ordinates. Nearby.org.uk also has a neat interactive overlay for Google Earth which draws 1 km grid squares.

The OS provide a downloadable tool for converting Lat/Long, UTM etc. to and from the National Grid. Useful for large quantities of data.

In the past I've created files for Google Earth which overlay my detailed recording grid on to the aerial photography. Now life is simpler since I've been given a GPS: it dramatically shortens the time needed to record if you want precise gridrefs.

Both Magic and EarthTools are useful recommendations which I wasn't aware of. Notice though that the contours of Snowdon shown on Earth Tools have a big hole at the col between Crib Goch and Crig-y-Ddysgl: this is because the contour data are sourced from the ill-fated NASA Challenger Mission.

posch

[tigger]

Thanks for all this information. I'm sure I'm going to refer back to it over and over again. Some really useful sites. Many thanks.

Jane

[Hobjob]

Another way for Lat Long

Find the place you want on google maps (which seems to use the same maps as Tormetntil's Earth Maps above)

Centre on the place you want

Paste into the address line of IE or Opera
javascript:void(prompt('',gApplication.getMap().ge tCenter()));

and a message box will come up with lat and long - but not OS.
This is quicker if wanting to copy and paste.

[SteveMcBill]

Try here for information on obtaining Grid Rfes easily and simply:

rECOrd - Obtaining Grid-Refs. The Easy Way For All The UK

and here to actually obtain Grid Refs by clicking on the map provided:

rECOrd Google Maps for Grid Refs

Steve

[remlakb]

Another really easy webpage to use is at:

Bedfordshire Natural History Society

Just drag the marker and simultaneously get the 10m, 100m, 1km, tetrad and 10km gridrefs (and WSG84 lat/lng too), and drawn as squares on the maps or aerial photos.

You can also verify a grid reference by entering it, and its box is drawn on the map.

Regards, Keith Balmer