Hey Blackie! I am an Eagle Scout, I am a pilot, I took Army ROTC , I studied cartography and surveying in college, I was a member of the MS State Guard. All this to say that I have been exposed to the military grid coordinate system a time or two in my lifetime and I can honestly say that I have never heard it explained in a more understandable, teachable manner than you have presented here. You are to be commended for bring what to some is considered a black art unto the light of day!
The military uses an abbreviated form of UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) Coordinates. The military calls their coordinate system MGRS or Military Grid Reference System. Both UTM and MGRS are essentially the same metric system, with the square grids on the map being 1,000 meters by 1000 meters. The difference is in how the coordinates are annotated and shared. With the UTM system, the coordinates are listed by their Easting and Northing, with the easting being first. An example would be: E 4985 N 7785 Both systems read right and up. Starting on the left side of the map, you would read right until you find the 49, which is the first two digits of your easting. Then you would read up until you find 77 which is the first two digits of your Northing. Now, you have identified which 1,000 meter grid square your target location is in. Then you would use the grid tool as shown in the video to read right and up on just that grid square, to more narrowly pinpoint the location. Keep in mind, EVERY square is 1,000 meters by 1000 meters, so when you measure right 85 within the square, that is 850 meters. Your map tool will allow you to get even closer by using the finer markings on it. Notice that I said the 85 is 850 meters. If your tool indicates another 2 points beyond 85, it would be 852 meters. So, his magic cabin would be 852 meters east of the 49 easting we started with. Remember, 49 identifies the corner of a 1,000 meter square. 4985 gets your accuracy within 10 meters of your target, but adding the 2 after the 85 gets you within 1 meter of your target destination. Essentially, your Easting could be two digits, three digits, four digits, or five digits, with each extension giving you more accuracy Examples: E 49 = 1000 meter accuracy E 498 = 100 meter accuracy E 4985 = 10 meter accuracy E 49852 = 1 meter accuracy If we apply the same rules to the northing, our UTM Cordinate could look like any of the following, depending on the accuracy level desired. E 49 N 77 = 1,000 meter accuracy Or E 498 N 778 = 100 meter accuracy OR E 4985 N 7785 = 10 meter accuracy Or E 49852 N 77853 = 1 meter accuracy What the military does is drop the E for East and the N for North and they combine the two sets of numbers in one string, with the understanding that the Easting is always first. The above coordinates would be written in the Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) as such, depending on the level of accuracy desired. I'll use a slash to divide the easting and northing, but this slash would not be in a military coordinate. I'm doing it to help you understand the numbers. 49/77 or 4977 would be a 1000 meter accuracy, with 49 being your easting (read right) and 77 being your northing (read up). So, a military coordinate of four digits gives you both the easting and northing, accurate to 1,000 meters. For 100 meter accuracy, you would have a total of six digits, with your easting followed by your Northing, like this: 498/778 or 498778. For ten meter accuracy, it would be a total of eight digits, like this: 4985/7785 or 49857785. For one meter accuracy, your coordinate would have ten total digits, like this: 49852/77853 or 4985277853. If you are not in the military, it is best to use the UTM system where you write Your easting first with an E in front of it, and then your Northing with the N in front of it. Another alternative, is to learn the latitutde/longitude system that uses degrees, minutes, and seconds. It more useful for longer range travel like flying or nautical. Distances traveled have to be measured separately in miles, yards, feet, inches. With the UTM system being metric, you can gauge distances in meters and kilometers as you figure out your coordinates, and is more useful for land navigation by foot, off road, etc. Getting back to the MGRS, Remember the 16R he started with? What does this mean to the navigator? In both the UTM system and the MGRS system, the earth is divided into 60 longitudinal zones, each being 60 degrees in width. Lattitudinal bands are designated by a single letter. Zones are numbered 1 through 60, starting at the international date line, and the vertical, or longitudinal zones are read from left to right until zone 60 meets back up with zone 1 at the international date line on the other side. The lettered bands start near Antarctica with the letter C and each band going up is the next letter. A and B are omitted from the beginning. The letters I and O are omitted to avoid confusion with the numbers one and zero. So, the band above H will be J because I is omitted. The band above N will be P, because O is omitted. The northern most latitudinal band, near the artic circle, is X. Y and Z are also omitted. To recap the omitted bands, they are the first two letters, A and B, the last two letters, Y and Z, and the letters I and O to avoid confusion with the numbers one and zero. So his example tells us his map is in longitudinal zone 16 and Latitudinal band R. The military breaks this section down further into smaller grids, designated by two letters. In his example, half of his map is in EK, and the other half is in FK. Trying to explain this part of the system is best left to self study or military instruction. The UTM system does not break down each (zone/band) area into the smaller and double lettered grids like the MGRS. For this reason, I recommend civilians use UTM. It's the same as the military system with fewer complications. The military has a way of complicating things to simplify them. If you are going to be working with government or military agencies that use MGRS, you'll want to learn that system, which is a snap if you have already learned UTM. Remember, It's the same system with different annotation of the coordinates and maybe a couple of other minor additions, like breaking the (zones/bands) down further into smaller grids designated by two letters. Wow! This was challenging to write and be concise. I hope it really helps someone.
Are grid coordinates the same as using UTM coordinates ???? which are miltary metric coordinates of 1000 meter grid squares and always using a easting coordinate first then a northern coordinates second
Grid 9865/7745 - North of coopers creek, Northside of the SADDLE & south of the DRAW. Is perfect O.P on Hidden Magic Love Shack.Elevated ridge, sight to target 500m. EXFIL south on coopers creek 3.5 Klicks to RICHBURG, than RTB. OP COMPLETE.
sadly i cannot speak to that system...i was trained in the old ways before GPS..and to be honest i need to get off my old butt and find out more about that system and the types of nav . used today
your great, many of us are useless at using the surrounding area to find our position, you brought back memories,anyway it takes good skill finding your position in the wild with just hills as a ref.no complaints
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I could tell from the way you look, you knew what you were talking about. I was not disappointed. That was perfect
thanks
if you knew how long I've been in the military...... and this is the 1st time that this has made sense to me!!! 100% helpful
lol
POG'S rarely read grids maps.
@@belayasmert9943 probably been reading maps longer than your military career
@@anotherhuman3935 BCO 3/75 SUA SPONTE
Hey Blackie! I am an Eagle Scout, I am a pilot, I took Army ROTC , I studied cartography and surveying in college, I was a member of the MS State Guard. All this to say that I have been exposed to the military grid coordinate system a time or two in my lifetime and I can honestly say that I have never heard it explained in a more understandable, teachable manner than you have presented here. You are to be commended for bring what to some is considered a black art unto the light of day!
Thanks for the class! I haven't done land nav since basic a few years ago. I just killed the course at BLC today. Great work!
congrats...glad you found it of use..safe journeys
I'm doing landnav tomorrow at BLC lol
Doing MY land nav course for BLC tomorrow. Lol thanks man. Glad this is helping others too.
Great explanation. You have a way of making things click. Thank you sir.
Thanks for posting Blackie. Love your teaching style.
You are my hero.
EDIT: this is the best explanation I've found on TH-cam.
Good job Sir. Plain and simple. Excellent video.
In ocs right now. Glad I saw this. I was reading them in the I'd I was you I would have pull 77 in the line you put 98. Good stuff.
Fascinating !! I actually checked out your video library because I just knew you would have something on navigation.
glad you found it of use
Never was in the military to learn important things like this. You have provided a great class. Just wanted to know where grid maps are available?
Interesting and fine tuned. I have not done mapping like that, tho i never had to. Great information.
Excellent presentation and demo. Very understandable. Thanks. atb
Really fascinating! Cheers from sweden
The military uses an abbreviated form of UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) Coordinates. The military calls their coordinate system MGRS or Military Grid Reference System.
Both UTM and MGRS are essentially the same metric system, with the square grids on the map being 1,000 meters by 1000 meters.
The difference is in how the coordinates are annotated and shared.
With the UTM system, the coordinates are listed by their Easting and Northing, with the easting being first. An example would be:
E 4985
N 7785
Both systems read right and up. Starting on the left side of the map, you would read right until you find the 49, which is the first two digits of your easting.
Then you would read up until you find 77 which is the first two digits of your Northing.
Now, you have identified which 1,000 meter grid square your target location is in.
Then you would use the grid tool as shown in the video to read right and up on just that grid square, to more narrowly pinpoint the location.
Keep in mind, EVERY square is 1,000 meters by 1000 meters, so when you measure right 85 within the square, that is 850 meters. Your map tool will allow you to get even closer by using the finer markings on it.
Notice that I said the 85 is 850 meters. If your tool indicates another 2 points beyond 85, it would be 852 meters. So, his magic cabin would be 852 meters east of the 49 easting we started with. Remember, 49 identifies the corner of a 1,000 meter square. 4985 gets your accuracy within 10 meters of your target, but adding the 2 after the 85 gets you within 1 meter of your target destination.
Essentially, your Easting could be two digits, three digits, four digits, or five digits, with each extension giving you more accuracy
Examples:
E 49 = 1000 meter accuracy
E 498 = 100 meter accuracy
E 4985 = 10 meter accuracy
E 49852 = 1 meter accuracy
If we apply the same rules to the northing, our UTM Cordinate could look like any of the following, depending on the accuracy level desired.
E 49
N 77 = 1,000 meter accuracy
Or
E 498
N 778 = 100 meter accuracy
OR
E 4985
N 7785 = 10 meter accuracy
Or
E 49852
N 77853 = 1 meter accuracy
What the military does is drop the E for East and the N for North and they combine the two sets of numbers in one string, with the understanding that the Easting is always first.
The above coordinates would be written in the Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) as such, depending on the level of accuracy desired. I'll use a slash to divide the easting and northing, but this slash would not be in a military coordinate. I'm doing it to help you understand the numbers.
49/77 or 4977 would be a 1000 meter accuracy, with 49 being your easting (read right) and 77 being your northing (read up). So, a military coordinate of four digits gives you both the easting and northing, accurate to 1,000 meters.
For 100 meter accuracy, you would have a total of six digits, with your easting followed by your Northing, like this:
498/778 or 498778.
For ten meter accuracy, it would be a total of eight digits, like this:
4985/7785 or 49857785.
For one meter accuracy, your coordinate would have ten total digits, like this:
49852/77853 or 4985277853.
If you are not in the military, it is best to use the UTM system where you write Your easting first with an E in front of it, and then your Northing with the N in front of it.
Another alternative, is to learn the latitutde/longitude system that uses degrees, minutes, and seconds. It more useful for longer range travel like flying or nautical. Distances traveled have to be measured separately in miles, yards, feet, inches.
With the UTM system being metric, you can gauge distances in meters and kilometers as you figure out your coordinates, and is more useful for land navigation by foot, off road, etc.
Getting back to the MGRS, Remember the 16R he started with? What does this mean to the navigator?
In both the UTM system and the MGRS system, the earth is divided into 60 longitudinal zones, each being 60 degrees in width. Lattitudinal bands are designated by a single letter.
Zones are numbered 1 through 60, starting at the international date line, and the vertical, or longitudinal zones are read from left to right until zone 60 meets back up with zone 1 at the international date line on the other side.
The lettered bands start near Antarctica with the letter C and each band going up is the next letter. A and B are omitted from the beginning. The letters I and O are omitted to avoid confusion with the numbers one and zero. So, the band above H will be J because I is omitted. The band above N will be P, because O is omitted. The northern most latitudinal band, near the artic circle, is X. Y and Z are also omitted.
To recap the omitted bands, they are the first two letters, A and B, the last two letters, Y and Z, and the letters I and O to avoid confusion with the numbers one and zero.
So his example tells us his map is in longitudinal zone 16 and Latitudinal band R.
The military breaks this section down further into smaller grids, designated by two letters. In his example, half of his map is in EK, and the other half is in FK.
Trying to explain this part of the system is best left to self study or military instruction. The UTM system does not break down each (zone/band) area into the smaller and double lettered grids like the MGRS. For this reason, I recommend civilians use UTM. It's the same as the military system with fewer complications. The military has a way of complicating things to simplify them.
If you are going to be working with government or military agencies that use MGRS, you'll want to learn that system, which is a snap if you have already learned UTM. Remember, It's the same system with different annotation of the coordinates and maybe a couple of other minor additions, like breaking the (zones/bands) down further into smaller grids designated by two letters.
Wow! This was challenging to write and be concise. I hope it really helps someone.
thanks when i was taught to read a map by the military it was 1980..they have changed a bit since they got gps and other nav aids
Wow this is a great video
thank you
Very good presentation!
Are these the maps currently used by the military? Where can I purchase these?
really liking this series
So if your map doesn’t have a 00 then how would you find your two letter identifier?
Are grid coordinates the same as using UTM coordinates ???? which are miltary metric coordinates of 1000 meter grid squares and always using a easting coordinate first then a northern coordinates second
utm is not the same..
Very helpful...
How do I get these maps for my area. Is there a website?
i got mine from local sources...but if ya do a search for the maps with the grid size ya want i am sure they can be downloaded or purchced on line
🎶🎧🌻
nice pen
yep had to be something ya could see on camera ..lol..thanks for the comment safe journeys
😘
a 1 to 50000 scale using a 1000m doesnt make sense to me,,,, if you multiply it comes out to a million? what is the 50000 represent is my question?
Grid 9865/7745 - North of coopers creek, Northside of the SADDLE & south of the DRAW. Is perfect O.P on Hidden Magic Love Shack.Elevated ridge, sight to target 500m. EXFIL south on coopers creek 3.5 Klicks to RICHBURG, than RTB. OP COMPLETE.
Thanks!
Thank you!
glad you found it of use..safe journeys
how about gps cord.
sadly i cannot speak to that system...i was trained in the old ways before GPS..and to be honest i need to get off my old butt and find out more about that system and the types of nav . used today
thanks a lot
Where is your compass sir we operate at night and we dont use basic training grid relay anymore,I take it your a daylight hiker,
you are correct i was giving instruction to the woodcraft /bushcraft community ..not aimed at modern military..and thus daylight is the way to go..
your great, many of us are useless at using the surrounding area to find our position, you brought back memories,anyway it takes good skill finding your position in the wild with just hills as a ref.no complaints
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😂