Grid Square Locator
Your Maidenhead grid for logging, contests, and POTA/SOTA — plus distance and beam heading to anywhere.
Your grid
Distance & beam heading
Maidenhead grid = 2 letters · 2 digits · 2 letters (e.g. FN31pr). Distance is great-circle; beam heading is the initial bearing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Maidenhead grid square?
A grid square (Maidenhead locator) is a short code like FN31pr that encodes your location on Earth. Hams use it instead of latitude/longitude — it’s the standard “where are you” reference on FT8, in contests, and for POTA/SOTA.
How do I find my grid square?
Tap “Use my location” above, or type your latitude and longitude, and your 6-character grid appears instantly. It’s the locator you’ll give on digital modes, in contest exchanges, and on activation logs.
What is my grid square used for?
Grid squares are the exchange in VHF contests, the basis of the VUCC award, the FT8 location field, and the way you aim a directional antenna at another station. Many logging programs auto-calculate distance from them.
How accurate is a 6-character grid square?
A 6-character grid (e.g. FN31pr) pins you to roughly a 3 × 5 km box. Four characters (FN31) is a larger ~1° × 2° field; adding more characters narrows it further. Six is the usual standard.
How do I calculate beam heading between two grid squares?
Enter both grids in the distance tool above and HamDaily returns the great-circle distance (km and miles) plus the initial bearing — the heading to point your beam antenna.