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

[tcvarlh]

Originally Posted by tigger

... Unfortunately it was so good that I ended up looking at maps for the next hour ...
Jane

Oh yep ! Addictive things maps!

h

[Geoff F]

Well I have tried the suggestions and here is my opinion.

I have never got on with internet maps which require clicking a directional arrow to move the map around. With me, and maybe it is all my own fault, the maps just jump around by hundreds of miles in one click and I watch helplessly as it moves past the required spot and half way to America; one click the other way takes me to Russia, etc.

Increasing the scale still doesn't slow things down and allow me to position the map correctly.

So, for me, the Magic Maps worked well provided you have a postcode to zoom in with.

The Record Maps may be fine if you live in Birmingham but I couldn't successfully get it to move to the far SW area, and this map edged so slowly that I gave up. Possibly there is a way of getting it to centre where I live, but I didn't find it.

The Bedfordshire map and Earth Tools both jumped around and got me dizzy.

The Magic map is the one which I have bookmarked for future use.

Recently, when attempting to find a reference point for a sighting I was staggered by my inability to understand some maps. My local area 'driving maps' had numbers around the edge but I couldn't relate them to anything.

Eventually, because the point in question was near the coast where I live, I turned to my old navigation charts (I was a commercial fisherman for over 30 years) and although they used the unique Decca navigation system they also had lat and long numbers so it was relatively easy for me to work out the position.

Perhaps that is my problem; I'm really still a pre digital person and prefer the older systems. It's true that while I'm fine with advanced digital photography editing, everything concerning the internet gets me hopelessly confused.

[SteveMcBill]

Geoff

A couple of tricks for navigation (at least on the rECOrd map):

1. Pull down the drop-down menus (Grid Reference Tools) at the top and type a Location in (post code, town name or whatever you know is close to where you wish to be).

2. Don't use the panning tools to move around the map - left-click on the Map and 'hold down the mouse button'. Now, move the mouse around whilst still holding the button. This will allow you to position the map more finely. For navigation purposes, turn on 'Satellite View' and you will see road names etc and can move along the roads as though you were driving on them - makes navigation around an area easier for me.

The rECOrd map site is over at: http://googlemaps.record-lrc.co.uk/

Hope that helps Geoff.

Take care.

Steve
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk

[Geoff F]

OK. I think I am getting the hang of things now.

To do a substantial move of the map; zoom out then click and drag. Keep zooming in and dragging to get fine details. I think there is more 'map type' information on these maps while the Magic Maps contain more about camp sites, shopping areas etc.

Previously I was trying to move too far, too quickly and at too high a zoom so I was getting a maps not available warning.

It reminds me of the comment about paper maps which tell you everything you could possibly need to know - except how to refold them!

[foxy mars]

If you can afford it, then the Memory-Map would be the answer. You just hover the the mouse over the map where you want it to be and it will show you the grid ref as you do. Well worth the money.

[tcvarlh]

You can use Geohack too : fun to play with http://stable.toolserver.org/geohack/
find a co-ord you know and type it in Have a play
h

[iainL]

Hi

I've been looking at OS OpenSpace and have put together a page which allows you to hover over the map and return a grid reference in various degrees of accuracy. You can also use Google aerial photos with this. Should all be fairly self-explanatory. The link is e-dat GridRat

The measuring tool currently only works with the OS map but when I get a minute...

cheers

Iain

[tigger]

Wow! this is just what I needed! Thanks Iain. Great website as well. Haven't had a chance to look at everything, but looks very interesting.

Cheers. Jane