Post by Davis, E. on Sept 14, 2014 9:35:22 GMT -5
Or more importantly, how to make this (10S MN4059347652) translate to where you actually are.
So, you're in the Corps, on some god-forsaken chunk of rock with nothing but you, a map, and a radio. If you know how to make your way around a military grid, all is not lost. Here is the easiest way to put you from where you are to where you want to be.
First, lets address the first character set in our string. 10S is called a Grid Zone Identifier. Each planet will have as many as they need, dividing the planet into more manageable chunks. Here is a map from the center of URNA that shows exactly what I'm talking about. The orange lines show the Grid Zones and the big orange numbers show the Grid Zone ID. All Zone IDs are a two number, one letter set. This will make sure you are at least in the right chunk of the world, and they aren't looking for you by the pole when you're near the equator.
Now, if you look inside the Grid Zones, you will see small breakdowns. These are 100 click by 100 click sections. They are the given a double letter identifier that stays in a pattern within the Grid Zone. If you move East/West, the first letter changes, North/South, the second letter changes. So, in our example, MN is the Section ID. This will at least put them in 100 clicks of you. Not great, but still better than nothing.
Finally, we need to move to a much smaller scale. Here is the map we will work from, so be ready to reference back to it. Yes, it is obviously made up, but the boys down at S-2 can't release any real maps and yours truly was taught to draw by gorillas, so we'll have to improvise a bit.
Now, the sting of numbers will actually be easier to read like this; 40593 47652. This is a ten digit grid and should be accurate to the Meter. You do not get any more accurate. This is easy to do if your neural lace is reading GPS info quickly, but if you're lacking that, there is always the old fashioned way.
There are different levels of accuracy in your grids, four digit, six digit, eight digit, and ten digit. We will go over each one working from least to most accurate. After this, there is no way you should ever be lost on a map.
Four digit grids put you in a grid square, which is one kilometer by one kilometer, also known as a click. This isn't overly accurate, but in a pinch it will put someone close enough to see them. On our map, take a look at Bob's Boathouse. It is in grid 2138. Always read left to right, bottom to top. Again, not very accurate, but I bet you could see Bob's Boathouse from inside that grid.
Now we move onto a six digit grid. This is accurate to one hundred meters. You all better be able to shoot someone at this distance, so you have no excuses for not seeing them. If you need a rescue, this should get them close enough. The same left to right, bottom to top convention applies. However, rather then just being happy with the grid zone we start to break it down into smaller chunks. Each larger section can be broken down into ten small sections. They grow in number from left to right and bottom to top. So, back to Bob's Boathouse. Six digit grid would be 215387. Same format, just more specific. First half is always the let to right, second half is always the bottom to top.
Eight digit is extremely difficult to do by eye. You really want a protractor, which helps you break things down even smaller. It holds onto the same convention. So, Bob's Boathouse is at grid 21513878. This is accurate to ten meters.
A ten digit we've already covered and is really only usable via GPS. There are several points on the map to practice on so feel free to work it out yourself.
So, remember, you break this (10S MN4059347652) down like so. Grid Zone ID (10S), Section ID (MN), Location (4059347652).
No questions? Good.
So, you're in the Corps, on some god-forsaken chunk of rock with nothing but you, a map, and a radio. If you know how to make your way around a military grid, all is not lost. Here is the easiest way to put you from where you are to where you want to be.
First, lets address the first character set in our string. 10S is called a Grid Zone Identifier. Each planet will have as many as they need, dividing the planet into more manageable chunks. Here is a map from the center of URNA that shows exactly what I'm talking about. The orange lines show the Grid Zones and the big orange numbers show the Grid Zone ID. All Zone IDs are a two number, one letter set. This will make sure you are at least in the right chunk of the world, and they aren't looking for you by the pole when you're near the equator.
Now, if you look inside the Grid Zones, you will see small breakdowns. These are 100 click by 100 click sections. They are the given a double letter identifier that stays in a pattern within the Grid Zone. If you move East/West, the first letter changes, North/South, the second letter changes. So, in our example, MN is the Section ID. This will at least put them in 100 clicks of you. Not great, but still better than nothing.
Finally, we need to move to a much smaller scale. Here is the map we will work from, so be ready to reference back to it. Yes, it is obviously made up, but the boys down at S-2 can't release any real maps and yours truly was taught to draw by gorillas, so we'll have to improvise a bit.
Now, the sting of numbers will actually be easier to read like this; 40593 47652. This is a ten digit grid and should be accurate to the Meter. You do not get any more accurate. This is easy to do if your neural lace is reading GPS info quickly, but if you're lacking that, there is always the old fashioned way.
There are different levels of accuracy in your grids, four digit, six digit, eight digit, and ten digit. We will go over each one working from least to most accurate. After this, there is no way you should ever be lost on a map.
Four digit grids put you in a grid square, which is one kilometer by one kilometer, also known as a click. This isn't overly accurate, but in a pinch it will put someone close enough to see them. On our map, take a look at Bob's Boathouse. It is in grid 2138. Always read left to right, bottom to top. Again, not very accurate, but I bet you could see Bob's Boathouse from inside that grid.
Now we move onto a six digit grid. This is accurate to one hundred meters. You all better be able to shoot someone at this distance, so you have no excuses for not seeing them. If you need a rescue, this should get them close enough. The same left to right, bottom to top convention applies. However, rather then just being happy with the grid zone we start to break it down into smaller chunks. Each larger section can be broken down into ten small sections. They grow in number from left to right and bottom to top. So, back to Bob's Boathouse. Six digit grid would be 215387. Same format, just more specific. First half is always the let to right, second half is always the bottom to top.
Eight digit is extremely difficult to do by eye. You really want a protractor, which helps you break things down even smaller. It holds onto the same convention. So, Bob's Boathouse is at grid 21513878. This is accurate to ten meters.
A ten digit we've already covered and is really only usable via GPS. There are several points on the map to practice on so feel free to work it out yourself.
So, remember, you break this (10S MN4059347652) down like so. Grid Zone ID (10S), Section ID (MN), Location (4059347652).
No questions? Good.