[FLWSS] About Locations

[George Presley]

Greetings again,

We noted the recent emails, and Joe and I discussed the issue and now have a
few other things to throw out. This is relative to dishes with apx +/- 2
degree beam widths.

1) Maidenhead is used for logging, ok. Four places this time, and six places
for some microwave contest.
2) Around here, six place maidenhead grids are about 1 degree latitude by 2
degrees longitude. 
3) From what I understand, grid calculators use the center of these grids.
4) Dish pointing errors are terrible the closer grids are to each other,
even using eight places. Useless in cases of low power contacts.

** We've concluded with some simple math, and comparing results using
longitude/latitude (hddd.mm.ss.s) verses maidenhead grids between our two
locations, using six places. We don't have anything that will do 8 places.
We bought them used for $20 and $40 each. That is at a hams budget price. 

a) Using very similar hand-held GPS units, capable of 12 satellites, WAAS
enabled, accuracy >3 meters with >5 satellites visiable, the comparison
results were:

   1) A distance error of .4 miles, if 1/2 mile out of 15 is ok.
   2) Bearing differences were 13 degrees for a 15 mile path. In the field,
this would still be without knowing your true bearing for North by some
degrees.

b) At a distances of 60 miles or greater, six place maidenhead grids would
probably be satisfactory relative to all the other pointing problems we
encounter.

NOTE: I must stress, above everything else, being on frequency is priority
#1. That will kill you before anything else.

K4rsv/KI4NPV