Maidenhead Locator Decoder

Decode Maidenhead locator to latitude and longitude coordinates

Key Facts

Category: Converter
Input Types: text
Output Type: json
Sample Coverage: 1
API Ready: Yes

Overview

The Maidenhead Locator Decoder is a precise utility designed to convert Maidenhead grid locators into exact latitude and longitude coordinates, facilitating accurate location tracking for amateur radio operators and geocaching enthusiasts.

When to Use

•When you need to convert a 4, 6, or 8-character Maidenhead grid square into decimal degrees.
•When planning radio signal propagation paths based on grid square locations.
•When verifying the geographic center point of a specific Maidenhead locator for mapping purposes.

How It Works

•Enter your Maidenhead locator string into the input field.
•The tool parses the alphanumeric grid pairs to calculate the corresponding latitude and longitude.
•The output provides the precise decimal coordinates for the specified grid square.

Use Cases

Amateur radio operators logging contacts by grid square.

Field researchers mapping locations based on grid-based data.

Geocaching enthusiasts calculating distances between grid squares.

Examples

1. Radio Contact Logging

Amateur Radio Operator

Background: An operator needs to log a contact made with a station located in grid square FN31pr.
Problem: The operator needs the exact latitude and longitude to calculate the distance and beam heading for their logbook.
How to Use: Enter 'FN31pr' into the Maidenhead Locator input field and click decode.
Outcome: The tool returns the latitude and longitude coordinates for the center of the FN31pr grid square.

2. Grid Square Mapping

Background: A researcher is analyzing signal coverage across multiple grid squares.
Problem: The raw data is provided in Maidenhead format, which is not compatible with standard GIS mapping software.
How to Use: Input the grid locator string to retrieve the decimal coordinates required for plotting on a map.
Outcome: The tool provides the necessary latitude and longitude data points to visualize the coverage area on a map.

Try with Samples

converter

Hex/Unicode Encoding Format Samples

Examples of hex (\xXX) and unicode (\uXXXX) escape sequence encoding formats

task convert,decode

sample

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FAQ

What is a Maidenhead locator?

It is a geographic coordinate system used by amateur radio operators to concisely describe locations on Earth using a grid of squares.

Does this tool support 6-character locators?

Yes, the decoder supports standard Maidenhead formats, including 4, 6, and 8-character strings.

What output format does the tool provide?

The tool returns the result in JSON format containing the latitude and longitude in decimal degrees.

Is this tool free to use?

Yes, this utility is free and does not require any account registration or software installation.

Are the coordinates exact?

The coordinates represent the center point of the grid square defined by the provided locator string.

API Documentation

Request Endpoint

POST /en/api/tools/maidenhead-decoder

Request Parameters

Parameter Name	Type	Required	Description
locator	text	Yes	-

Response Format

{
  "key": {...},
  "metadata": {
    "key": "value"
  },
  "error": "Error message (optional)",
  "message": "Notification message (optional)"
}

JSON Data: JSON Data

AI MCP Documentation

Add this tool to your MCP server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elysiatools-maidenhead-decoder": {
      "name": "maidenhead-decoder",
      "description": "Decode Maidenhead locator to latitude and longitude coordinates",
      "baseUrl": "https://elysiatools.com/mcp/sse?toolId=maidenhead-decoder",
      "command": "",
      "args": [],
      "env": {},
      "isActive": true,
      "type": "sse"
    }
  }
}

You can chain multiple tools, e.g.: `https://elysiatools.com/mcp/sse?toolId=png-to-webp,jpg-to-webp,gif-to-webp`, max 20 tools.

If you encounter any issues, please contact us at [email protected]

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