[TowerTalk] Co-ordinates

Mon, 18 Aug 1997 12:28:55 -0400

Hi Bill,

Del, KL7HF, Chuck, KE5FI and Dale Jones K5MM are all correct and have
provided you with most useful information.  If I were you, I'd call
Decibel Products at (214) 631-0310 or Fax (214) 631-4706 and ask them
for their DB "Measuring Stick." Their mailing address is:

Decibel Products
a division of Allen Telecom Group
8635 Stemmons Freeway
P.O. Box 569610
Dallas, TX 75356-9610

The Decibel "Measuring Stick" is a clear plastic (metric?) ruler
designed to help you read latitude and longitude on Topographic Survey
maps.  The "Measuring Stick" comes with instructions and WAS (gulp)
free for the asking.  Whatever,  it can't be expensive now anyway. 

If all you're after is fairly accurate Lat. /Lon. coordinates you can
get them from the Delorme Street Atlas CD-Rom Software... or you can
get it (gulp) for free on the Internet at several locations.....

http://tiger.census.gov/    is an interesting site for exploring mapping.

However, should try the Buckmaster website at:

http://www.buck.com/cgi-bin/do_hamcall

At either site you'll eventually be able to zoom in and locate any ham
by virtue of the fact that Buckkmaster is linking you to the previously
mentioned tiger.census mapping.... which by the way, was developed with
our tax dollars and is available again (gulp) for free. This route
(Buckmaster) is perhaps easier to navigate.

Fooling with all this software is great fun and will allow you to
calculate your QTH's coordinates to the second which GPS generally will
NOT DO due to "dithering" (but that's a whole 'nother subject.)  And,
if I may add parenthetically (you can use these maps to find TRUE NORTH
FOR YOUR HOME).... but you didn't hear about this from me if anyone
should ask!  It's a taboo subject on this corner of the Internet.

And, with a wonderful program such as Geoclock, there are so many great
things you can do.... like instantly see the sunrise and sunset times
for your QTH (once you've entered your precise coordinates) and of
course I may add parenthetically (calculate TRUE NORTH that way
too).....but again, you never heard me mention it.

All of this stuff is vitally important (to me at least) because it
allows me to accurately aim my BEAM on my roof mounted TOWER.... which
allows me to use the aforementioned words to satisfy the requirements
of a "legal" post on the TowerTalk reflector. [said tongue in cheek]

Good luck with your quest for co-ordinates.

73,

Roger, K2JAS.....who's always lost.

內躬偕爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻內躬偕爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻齯滌`偕爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻內躬偕爻

At 02:19 AM 8/18/97 +0000, you wrote:
>Hi:
>Does anyone have a good way to locate exact co-ordinates (deg,min,sec)
>on a USGS topo map ?
>
>Bill W8CXO
>
>
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