Ordnance Survey Grid references

[rmhodv]

Does anyone know of a Sat Nav system where you can input your destination as an Ordnance Survey grid reference.:)

[droopsnoot]

I haven't heard of anything.

First problem is that OS grid references are unique to the UK, so most of the nav people aim their products at multiple markets so don't want to get bogged down in special grid layouts for individual areas.

The second problem is that the OS grid doesn't line up with the lat/long grid, so the conversion is quite complicated. I looked at displaying position in my app as OS grid instead of lat/long, and gave up because of the complexity.

Besides, isn't the OS Grid copyright of someone, hence yet another licence to pay?

[size13]

Sure I've seen a program for Pocket PC that will convert the OS reference to lat/long.

[strawbs]

this website will help you out www.nearby.org.uk/coord.cgi?p=bs4+2qp&f=full

just type in either the post code OS grid reference and it converts it to Lat and Long for you (which is shown about half way down the page

[puggit]

Colleague uses a piece of software called Memory Map. It's £90 for the entire south or north of UK (entire set of UK is 13 CDs!).

It plots on to an OS map where you've walked/cycled and can then be printed out etc.

I assume it knows OS coordinates - but I haven't seen it!

[rmhodv]

Thanks Guys, that is off some help.
The problem I have is that I often help out and marshall on Historic Road Rallies signing time cards etc. For this I am often on some tiny 'B' road in the middle of nowhere, so finding out the postcode in the first place is almost impossible. Therefore marshall points are issued by the organisers as a 6 figure OS grid reference.

[STRAWBS]

yeh on that website you can use OS grid reference, but i suppose that is no good if you cannot get access to the internet

[ATG]

THere used to be a spreadsheet available somewhere on the Ordnance Survey website that does the conversion. That'll get you from OS Grid to Long/Lat ... BUT you must make sure that your GPS and the spreadsheet are using the same definition of Longitude and Latitude (known as a "datum" ). OS normally uses a transverse Mercator projection on the 18 somthing or other Airey spheroid w/ sea level based on the mean tidal height at Newlyn ... hang on ... have a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_national_grid_reference_system You want the GBR36 datum



Link to a converter Excel workbook on this page: www.bangor.ac.uk/is/isx025/osgbfaq.htm


>> Edited by ATG on Wednesday 5th October 13:07

[rfw1]

ive got a relativly old garmin E-trex - you can input a os grid ref as a destination.

only snag is its not realy a driving GPS - more a walkers device - no built in map and all you get is an arrow pointing at youre destination.

Still it is cheap, fits in a mobile phone holder and it still managed to get me out of a tricky spot in leicester recently

[webtrekker]

Hi folks. With regard to OS Grid References. I use TomTom 5 on a PDA for street navigation, but I also have OziExplorer CE and Fugawi CE on my PDA for off-road navigation.

Both of these programs use OS grid refs and lat/long and wil show your exact position on a 1:50,000 OS map display (Fugawi) or on a scanned and calibrated map of your choosing (OziExplorer).

They are both excellent progs with many features.

Hope this is of use,

Malc

[jimsweet]

The Garmin Quest does this. If the destination is not bang on a road
then it will direct you to the nearest road, and the remainder will
be in a straight line cross-country.

The Quest also has an outdoors mode whereby it just directs you
in straight-lines in any case.

Jim