Locator when clicking on spot station

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KF5WXP
Novice Class
Posts: 12
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 18:33

Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by KF5WXP »

Hi guys, I have been noticing lately that when I click on a station located in US North America, the locator dot always seems to end up in Kansas... no matter what state they are in. It works for Canada, Alaska, and everywhere else in the world. But anything in the central US, and I get Kansas. Have I set something up wrong?

Thanks,
Brett KF5WXP
K7PT
Old Man
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Joined: 21 Jan 2013, 13:54

Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by K7PT »

This is the center of the US and one cannot tell from the call sign where the station is as the number can move around at will. If the station does not enter the locator Log4OM reverts to the center of the country.
K7PT-Chuck "#1 Top of the Honor Roll"
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G4POP
Log4OM Alpha Team
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Location: Burnham on Crouch, Essex UK

Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by G4POP »

To add to Chucks explanation, this is the logic followed to plot the map line

1. If the user inputs a grid reference then use that to plot the map line.

2.If a grid reference is available from one of the online lookup systems use that to plot the map line.

Note for online lookups:
a. If using QRZ with a free (Unpaid) subscription then the locator is not provided by QRZ - Zero Data
b. If the owner of the call sign puts an incorrect grid reference into any of the on-line lookup systems (QRZ, HamQTH etc..) the line will be plotted according to that grid reference supplied and may be inaccurate.

3. If there is not a grid reference available either by input from the user or because of missing data from the on-line lookups and databases then we plot using a grid reference derived from as close to the centre of the country as possible.

Clearly with large countries like the USA and Australia this can result in the required beam headings being inaccurate but at least it provides an approximation of the heading.
73 Terry G4POP
KF5WXP
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Posts: 12
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 18:33

Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by KF5WXP »

Thanks for the quick response, guys! Terry, I believe you hit the nail on the head... I let my subscription lapse at QRZ, and that's who I use for lookups. Hadn't put two and two together, just thought maybe I had missed something with the new version and not set it up right. As always, thanks for supporting this awesome program. I have recommended it to all my friends!

73,
Brett KF5WXP
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Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by G4POP »

KF5WXP wrote:Thanks for the quick response, guys! Terry, I believe you hit the nail on the head... I let my subscription lapse at QRZ, and that's who I use for lookups. Hadn't put two and two together, just thought maybe I had missed something with the new version and not set it up right. As always, thanks for supporting this awesome program. I have recommended it to all my friends!

73,
Brett KF5WXP

Try HamQTH that's free
73 Terry G4POP
KF5YUB
Novice Class
Posts: 7
Joined: 03 Feb 2015, 03:04

Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by KF5YUB »

Here is a web site that has a Grid Locater for a Call Sign, Address http://www.levinecentral.com/ham/grid_square.php
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IW3HMH
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Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by IW3HMH »

it reports me 30 km east of my current qth...
anyway, interfacing this website is not possible at this time (and they are using QRZ data, so could be not appreciated by QRZ team that owns and sell the data)
Daniele Pistollato - IW3HMH
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VK7XX
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Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by VK7XX »

KF5YUB wrote:Here is a web site that has a Grid Locater for a Call Sign, Address http://www.levinecentral.com/ham/grid_square.php

hahaha.... I went to that link... entered my callsign, and it put me in Adelaide, South Australia, the capitol of VK5.. It even showed, on the page, "Grid: PF95he (QRZ: QE38nq)" so how it is doing qth calculations is a long way from being accurate.

regards
John
VK7XX
KF5YUB
Novice Class
Posts: 7
Joined: 03 Feb 2015, 03:04

Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by KF5YUB »

Not the most accurate I agree. It might help some but, there's always some 'lost in the sauce'. Some I have to see what is on the QSL card.
Thanks for checking your callsign and too bad with the locator. I've used other call signs and there's two or none. Pretty strange. Funny how so many are Grid JJ00 also.
73,
KF5YUB
KF5YUB
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Re: Locator when clicking on spot station

Post by KF5YUB »

IW3HMH wrote: 22 Mar 2016, 19:32 it reports me 30 km east of my current qth...
anyway, interfacing this website is not possible at this time (and they are using QRZ data, so could be not appreciated by QRZ team that owns and sell the data)
"You hit the nail on the head". QRZ There are many not updated, and incorrect information. I've also noticed many, many stopped QRZ log 2014 and prior. Log4OM's Auto Log send is handy.
Thanks Log4OM, I'm learning more. And thanks Terry for your You Tube demonstrations, very helpful!
73,
KF5YUB
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