OS Grid reference - how to find?

"RJ Webb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(maddening) said:

I need to find my *exact* grid reference - is there a way to achieve this on the internet?

I've tried streetmap.co.uk and that gives a certain reference when I've clicked on the location,
but when I re-enter that ref (ie to verify it by searching for it) the location is a bit further
away than the one i originally found!

Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?

getamap.co.ukgetamap.co.ukOpen ↗ is a good one for this... The gr of the cursor appears below the tiny
map pane.

It may be good but not for what the OP asked - it gives a 3x3 figure reference, ie the corner of a
100m box (several properties wide in my road). He wanted an exact reference for his property, so the
5x5 mentioned by Phil Cook would give a 1m box and you could round up to 4x4 to give a 10m box.

--
Bob Mannix (anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

"Martin Richardson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?

Why not use a GPS?

Expensive option Martin.

Just call Mountain Rescue on your mobile. They can get a fix on your signal and tell you
where you are.

Ian.

--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - mailgate.orgmailgate.orgOpen ↗

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 20:02:24 +0100, Patrick Walker
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Wow, what a response from everyone!

Thanks for all of them - plenty for me to go on, as it were. :-)

Martin Richardson said:

In article <[email hidden]>, maddening <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

I need to find my *exact* grid reference - is there a way to achieve this on the internet?

I've tried streetmap.co.uk and that gives a certain reference when I've clicked on the location,
but when I re-enter that ref (ie to verify it by searching for it) the location is a bit further
away than the one i originally found!

Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?

Why not use a GPS?

Batteries, hard to use with gloves on, can get lost, more fun with a compass etc....

--
Marc. Please note the above address is a spam trap, use marcc to reply Printing for clubs of all
types jaceeprint.demon.co.ukjaceeprint.demon.co.ukOpen ↗ Stickers, banners & clothing, for clubs,teams, magazines
and dealers.

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 12:18:45 GMT, [email hidden] (maddening)

Quoted message said:

(marc) said:

*exact* in what way ? A grid reference will only ever give the bottom left hand corner of a square
not a point , that square will be 1, 10 ,100 1,000 10,000 metres square depending on how many
figures you work to.

Well, to the extent that it actually points to a part of the property (and land) where I live.

Thanks

Hi, You coul try your local library and check their reference section. They may have local 10 ins to
mile maps where you can easily locate your property and identify the grid reference. Try phoning
them first.

Norman

(maddening) said:

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 12:45:49 +0100, [email hidden] (marc) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

*exact* in what way ? A grid reference will only ever give the bottom left hand corner of a square
not a point , that square will be 1, 10 ,100 1,000 10,000 metres square depending on how many
figures you work to.

Quoted message said:

Well, to the extent that it actually points to a part of the property (and land) where I live.

Provided you don't live in a small tent with no garden that shouldn't be a problem. 10m accuracy
should be fine.

Go to your nearest big library and consult the large scale local OS maps they ought to have.

--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
["]http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Joe Bloggs said:

"maddening" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I need to find my *exact* grid reference - is there a way to achieve this on the internet?

I've tried streetmap.co.uk and that gives a certain reference when I've clicked on the
location, but when I re-enter that ref (ie to verify it by searching for it) the location is a
bit further away than the one i originally found!

Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?

I have a piece of sofware call Mapsource which came with my Garmin Street Pilot. It doesn't show
outlines of individual properties, but it can

give

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

references down to 5 places. e.g. According to mapsource the London Eye can be found at TQ
30756 79959

That's the nearest road. The eye itself is at TQ 30625 79970 which is just

out

Quoted message said:

into the Thames at the northwest corner of County Hall.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks" but no view of the Eye due to
tower blocks in the way :-(

The street pilot is designed to help you get to where you are going by car so thats good.
Otherwise, I guess that British Airways will get pretty miffed when hoardes of Street Pilot owners
begin to park in the gondolas!! I was beginning to wonder what part of the London Eye the
reference was talking about, a five figure reference will take it down to 1 sq metre, maybe the
ice-cream van outside?

Dave

"Bob Mannix" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

It may be good but not for what the OP asked - it gives a 3x3

figure

Quoted message said:

reference, ie the corner of a 100m box (several properties wide in

my road).

Quoted message said:

He wanted an exact reference for his property, so the 5x5 mentioned

by Phil

Quoted message said:

Cook would give a 1m box and you could round up to 4x4 to give a 10m

box.

Quoted message said:

You don't get much for nowt from OS, but wait!... Go to OS site and see *Landline*. For those
serious about buying this info a tile selector has been hidden away on the *pricing, ordering and
copyright* section, so if you know your km ref eg, TF3460, you can enter that and hey presto, a gif
of the km appears with your back garden and your shed etc. Its resolution is such that it is
virtually useless apart from seeing that a particular area has been updated so you can buy the real
thing. It is of course, NOT intended that you should save the gif and print it out at 10cm x 10cm
thereby etc etc etc etc......

Graham

Phil Cook said:

Joe Bloggs said:

"maddening" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I need to find my *exact* grid reference - is there a way to achieve this on the internet?

I've tried streetmap.co.uk and that gives a certain reference when I've clicked on the location,
but when I re-enter that ref (ie to verify it by searching for it) the location is a bit further
away than the one i originally found!

Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?

I have a piece of sofware call Mapsource which came with my Garmin Street Pilot. It doesn't show
outlines of individual properties, but it can give references down to 5 places. e.g. According to
mapsource the London Eye can be found at TQ 30756 79959

That's the nearest road. The eye itself is at TQ 30625 79970 which is just out into the Thames at
the northwest corner of County Hall.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks" but no view of the Eye due to
tower blocks in the way :-(

You could also borrow a GPS and get a reading from your property. You might have to sit on the roof
or project a waypoint from outside your house for accuracy.

Norman

"Bob Mannix" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"RJ Webb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3f8ac464.29414203@news-
text.blueyonder.co.uk...

Quoted message said:

(maddening) said:

I need to find my *exact* grid reference - is there a way to achieve this on the internet?

I've tried streetmap.co.uk and that gives a certain reference when I've clicked on the
location, but when I re-enter that ref (ie to verify it by searching for it) the location is a
bit further away than the one i originally found!

Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?

getamap.co.ukgetamap.co.ukOpen ↗ is a good one for this... The gr of the cursor appears below the tiny
map pane.

It may be good but not for what the OP asked - it gives a 3x3 figure reference, ie the corner of a
100m box (several properties wide in my

road).

Quoted message said:

He wanted an exact reference for his property, so the 5x5 mentioned by

Phil

Quoted message said:

Cook would give a 1m box and you could round up to 4x4 to give a 10m box.

--
Bob Mannix (anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Yes, but if he grabs the largest scale screen image from getamap, he can use a ruler to measure off
to the accuracy he wants, since the grid lines are shown.

Seems like a good fast cheap answer to me.

Jim Hutton

(maddening) said:

(marc) said:

*exact* in what way ? A grid reference will only ever give the bottom left hand corner of a square
not a point , that square will be 1, 10 ,100 1,000 10,000 metres square depending on how many
figures you work to.

Well, to the extent that it actually points to a part of the property (and land) where I live.

You may also be able to get this data from the Land Registry details if you actually hold the title
deeds - otherwise as the others say it's off to the local authority who usually but not invariably
keep the maps at the library.

The local planning dept in the council may also be able to help on an informal basis as well if you
need more info.

Quoted message said:

Thanks

--
79.84% of all statistics are made up on the spot. The other 42% are made up later on. In Warwick -
looking at flat fields and that includes the castle.

Someone said:

Quoted message said:

Why not use a GPS?

At risk of stating the obvious, why not just buy a 1:25,000 map and measure the grid ref carefully.
With a good ruler (or something better) you can estimate (or measure) the grid ref accurate to 10m.

Paul
--
The October Project 2003
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukoctober.htmlOpen ↗
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

"maddening" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(marc) said:

*exact* in what way ? A grid reference will only ever give the bottom left hand corner of a
square not a point , that square will be 1, 10 ,100 1,000 10,000 metres square depending on how
many figures you work to.

Well, to the extent that it actually points to a part of the property (and land) where I live.

As has already stated, you have to decide what level of accuracy you require.

A 4 figure grid reference will give you a square 1 km x 1 km that contains your house and its
ground, unless it straddles a boundary or if your house and its grounds covers an area greater than
1 km across in which case it will straddle at least two boundaries 1 km apart.

A 6 figure grid reference will give you a square 0.1 km x 0.1 km that contains your house and its
ground, unless it straddles a boundary or if your house and its grounds covers an area greater than
0.1 km across in which case it will straddle at least two boundaries 0.1 km apart.

An 8 figure grid reference will give you a square 0.01 km x 0.01 km that contains your house and its
ground, unless it straddles a boundary or if your house and its grounds covers an area greater than
0.01 km across in which case it will straddle at least two boundaries 0.01 km apart.

The above paragraphs can be continued indefinitely assuming the technology exists to measure at an
ever increasing level of accuracy.

Regards

Bernard

Ian Dainty said:

"Martin Richardson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?

Why not use a GPS?

Quoted message said:

Expensive option Martin.

Quoted message said:

Just call Mountain Rescue on your mobile. They can get a fix on your signal and tell you
where you are.

If their "fix on your mobile" is anything like the "where is your mobile?" services now being
offered by many companies, and used in such things as "where is my nearest cash point/railway
station" etc., then you'll be lucky if they get within a mile. That might help you locate a bothy on
a hillside, but not much use in a town.
--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
["]http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

"Graham Seed" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

You don't get much for nowt from OS, but wait!... Go to OS site and see *Landline*. For those
serious about buying this info a tile selector has been hidden away on the *pricing, ordering and
copyright* section, so if you know your km ref eg, TF3460, you can enter that and hey presto, a
gif of the km appears with your back garden and your shed etc. Its resolution is such that it is
virtually useless apart from seeing that a particular area has been updated so you can buy the
real thing. It is of course, NOT intended that you should save the gif and print it out at 10cm x
10cm thereby etc etc etc etc......

Graham

I hate it when you pretend you know what you are talking about?

Where's this blooming gift anyway?

Annoyed regards,

Ian.

--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - mailgate.orgmailgate.orgOpen ↗

Bernard said:

A 4 figure grid reference will give you a square 1 km x 1 km that contains your house and its
ground, unless it straddles a boundary or if your house and its grounds covers an area greater than
1 km across in which case it will straddle at least two boundaries 1 km apart.

<snipped> Do you mean:-

a 6 figure grid reference will give you a position accurate to the nearest 100 metres...

an 8 figure grid reference will give you a position accurate to the nearest 10 metres...

etc.

Quoted message said:

Or paint a large white cross on your roof and get someone in a space shuttle to give you a co-
ordinate.

Point of order. Grid references haven't been co-ordinates since the OS was persuaded to dump the
original notion and adopt the American system of asymmetric nesting squares. (Co-ordinates define
the position of a point, not an area).

Since the OS have never bothered to change the wording of the instruction on how to take a grid
reference nor publicize their betrayal of the original concept only those privy to the inner
workings of the OS mindset know that they have to truncate each element rather than round it in
order to get to their americanised reference. It would have been simplicity itself (and accurate) to
call such abortions Grid Squares rather than Grid References but I presume their american masters
wouldn't let them.

--
Roger Looking North over the Aire Valley (and Marley Gasworks) to Rombolds Moor Top Posters
killfiled on sight

Martin Richardson said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Ian Dainty
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

"Martin Richardson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

>Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?
>
Why not use a GPS?

Expensive option Martin.

Just call Mountain Rescue on your mobile. They can get a fix on your signal and tell you where
you are.

Or paint a large white cross on your roof and get someone in a space shuttle to give you a co-
ordinate.

But preferably not an American.

--
Paul My Lake District walking site (updated 29th September 2003): paulrooney.netfirms.compaulrooney.netfirms.comOpen ↗ 114
Wainwrights

Please sponsor me for the London Marathon at: justgiving.comlondon2004Open ↗

(Norman) said:

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 16:01:18 +0100, Phil Cook <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 14:59:39 +0100, Joe Bloggs wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"maddening" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
> I need to find my *exact* grid reference - is there a way to achieve this on the internet?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> I've tried streetmap.co.uk and that gives a certain reference when I've clicked on the
> location, but when I re-enter that ref (ie to verify it by searching for it) the location is a
> bit further away than the one i originally found!
>
> Or am I better off just going out and buying a suitable map?

Quoted message said:

You could also borrow a GPS and get a reading from your property. You might have to sit on the roof
or project a waypoint from outside your house for accuracy.

Easier than sitting on the roof, and more accurate than projection, is to take refs from points
which will average to house centre, such as the corners of the house, or even better, points the
same distance away from the corners (better sky view). These points will *not* form a rectangle,
because of the biassed errors introduced by the bias in the skyview by the house.
--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
["]http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

Paul Saunders said:

Someone wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why not use a GPS?

Quoted message said:

At risk of stating the obvious, why not just buy a 1:25,000 map and measure the grid ref carefully.
With a good ruler (or something better) you can estimate (or measure) the grid ref accurate to 10m.

<cough>

And how, er, accurate, is the map?

</cough>

--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
["]http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]