What kind of geographic coordinate uses 12 characters?
July 17, 2020 6:01 PM   Subscribe

While reading an article today, they referenced a geographic coordinate using 12 characters - 11TLF 2198 2473 - which is in the desert near where the Burning Man festival takes place every year (So, Nevada and Black Rock Desert). I've never seen this type of coordinate before, I'm used to the latitude and longitude numbers. Does anyone recognize this? Can you tell me the name of this type of coordinate system so I can read up on it? Thanks!
posted by TimHare to Technology (6 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 


Most likely U.S. National Grid. 11T covers a slice of Nevada where BM happens, and the remaining characters add further precision. Eight digits should locate a point within a 10m square.
posted by migurski at 6:13 PM on July 17, 2020 [2 favorites]


Check out the military grid reference system.
See also geographic coordinate system and world geographic reference system.

I think it’s the first. I did not check if your example resolves where you say, but you should be able to check using that WP article.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:17 PM on July 17, 2020


Here’s the actual location, btw.
posted by migurski at 6:21 PM on July 17, 2020


MGRS and USNG are almost, but not quite, the same thing.
posted by zamboni at 6:54 PM on July 17, 2020 [3 favorites]


Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system is another pertinent article.
posted by zamboni at 9:09 PM on July 17, 2020


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