How Many Have Used the CAP Grid System in Their Missions?

[Luis R. Ramos]

I would like to know who have used the sectionals with the CAP Grid System in your missions?

I live in New York, but in my experience I have never used the CAP Grid System. My experience has been with several groups: Catskills Mountain Group, Southeastern Group, Long Island Group, and New York City Group. I have been training on missions that occasionally took me into maybe another group.

Anyone? What is your opinion of it?

[NIN]

I would like to know who have used the sectionals with the CAP Grid System in your missions?

I live in New York, but in my experience I have never used the CAP Grid System. My experience has been with several groups: Catskills Mountain Group, Southeastern Group, Long Island Group, and New York City Group. I have been training on missions that occasionally took me into maybe another group.

Anyone? What is your opinion of it?

I've used the grid system for, hmm, lets see.. 30+ years?

And not always with sectionals.

It doesn't take much work at all (a hi-liter and a metal straight-edge) to grid one of these babies up so you can coordinate with the aircrew (from the ground) or coordinate with the ground team (from the air): https://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?forge_prod=vhc_dxl19reyJ4QAktFQiTyQ%3AS&beginIndex=0&item=246&section=10096&forge_prod_pses=forge_prod%3Dvhc_dxl19reyJ4QAktFQiTyQ%253AS~

Admittedly, the last time I did this was circa 2002 when I was still a ground team leader, but the reference for the lat/long of the grid is simple, and the Gazetters have grids & tick marks in the margins that allow you to easily put the grid on each page.  Use the hi-liter to create the grid lines, and then print the grid number/letter combo in each grid square on each page (grids tend to not coform to page boundaries).

As a GTL, I kept a sectional in my map case so I could more easily coordinate with the aircrews.
As an observer, I kept a gridded Gazetter in my flight bag so I could help "talk-on" a GT to a point of interest.  It was always helpful to tell the GT "Take North-South Road south till you hit East-West Road, and turn left..."

Plus, from the ground, you can go crazy with GPS coordinates on the map book.

[Eclipse]

As mentioned in another thread, I hadn't see a grid reference in 10 some years, and then I had to do a
requal and used it a few weeks ago.

Most instances I see it used are training when someone has to do one of the tasks with a reference.

A/C's use it more then most because it defines the search box, etc.  Pilots take a lot of pride in having their
recorded flight track snug up against the grid boxes.

Most EFBs have the grids done, so the days of manually gridding maps and charts should be over for most - not something
I'd have experienced people wasting time on in an ICP, but a rite of passage for the FNGs, I guess.  I hear people like shining boots now.

In a legit wilderness SAR, you might see it as area assignments, but these days it's mostly hard coordinates off of a GPS.

Regardless of how much it's used in your AOR, you need to at least understand it if you intend to deploy elsewhere.  When you
work in other wings, all bets are off as to what people will try to though at you - UTM's been mentioned on this board recently (ech),
not to mention you coasties (left and right) have to care about magnetic declination.

[Live2Learn]

I would like to know who have used the sectionals with the CAP Grid System in your missions?

I live in New York, but in my experience I have never used the CAP Grid System. My experience has been with several groups: Catskills Mountain Group, Southeastern Group, Long Island Group, and New York City Group. I have been training on missions that occasionally took me into maybe another group.

Anyone? What is your opinion of it?

Several times each year for aviation missions.  Foreflight even has the CAP grids as an optional SAR overlay (which is GREAT!).  When overlayed on a moving sectional base it is a powerful tool.

[Check Pilot/Tow Pilot]

Every training and real world mission for aircrew sorties in CAWG. Just last weekend for the CAWG Mission Aircrew School. I use Foreflight and back it up with  Duracharts.

[Luis R. Ramos]

It was my understanding that Durachart closed in 2015 because they lost business.

Which company seems to be the best for online sectionals?

[Eclipse]

It was my understanding that Durachart closed in 2015 because they lost business.

They are still selling out their inventory availability varies on area.  The charts are not legal for navigation but
generally fine for other CAP uses.

Which company seems to be the best for online sectionals?

Here's one source for $$$:  http://www.capcharts.com/tour

And one for free:  http://www.cap-es.net/capgrids/gridded%20sectionals.htm

[Luis R. Ramos]

What is the contact for Durachart? About a week ago I tried accessing the website and calling the phone number for a person, with no luck. The phone number sounded as if it had been disconnected.

What are the contacts you have for Durachart?

[Luis R. Ramos]

Also tried http://www.cap-es.net/capgrids/gridded%20sectionals.htm but was never able to print a map. Just the info page and a black grid with numbers. No instructions on how to get the map itself with the grid, nor how to download or print one or two grids.

[vento]

What is the contact for Durachart? About a week ago I tried accessing the website and calling the phone number for a person, with no luck. The phone number sounded as if it had been disconnected.

What are the contacts you have for Durachart?

They stopped producing it and they are clearing what is leftover on eBay. I grab a new copy even though I fly with ForeFlight and can use the GX-55.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gridded-Sectional-charts-for-use-in-S-R-Maps-/201550980472?

[Eclipse]

Looks like they might be done - a member locally had seen old stock in quantity on ebay and was
facilitating a mass purchase.

That was a couple weeks ago, looks like they are consigned to history.

You might try here: john@duracharts.com or call John Parlett at (706) 993-9741.

[Luis R. Ramos]

706-993-9741 results in a "number is not on service, this is a recording" message.

[Eclipse]

706-993-9741 results in a "number is not on service, this is a recording" message.

[SMWOG]

Not since 1995!

[Briank]

Several times this year.

[w7sar]

In Utah we use them regularly on both actual and training.  Lat Long works well ... but I find sending the map grid via radio is easier than lat/long .... except for specific target info or clues, etc.  The link earlier provided for an eBay seller is actually a good deal.  Duracharts were pretty slick when you wanted a nice looking printed map for the field and to draw on ... vs. using the iPad or phone or printing a pdf, etc. 

I still have my first set of gridded charts from the 1970s ... and I treasure them.  Have a lot of finds and clues logged on them ... but I've upgraded a few times in the past 45 years.  I carry a set in all my go-kits and in my IC and Comm response bags.    While the move is to a different gridding system, this grid system works well.  The Duracharts are nicely done and using them with other agencies has been well-received ... and these charts look nice.  Pity (from my "old" perspective) that folks are moving away from paper maps.  My advice is to grab them while they're available.

But, YMMV.

Jerryw

[Luis R. Ramos]

Thank you for sharing.

I liked them because they are so easy to use. I had one or two I threw away when the sectionals expired, and replaced them with new ones from Duracharts. Then I lost them. Two, that I had in my map kit. The kit just... vanished.

Now I was very surprised when I saw that Duracharts closed...

[etodd]

Foreflight even has the CAP grids as an optional SAR overlay (which is GREAT!).  When overlayed on a moving sectional base it is a powerful tool.

Bingo. The best of both worlds.

[Nick]

TXWG uses the cell grid system exclusively for mission planning and air operations.  I think the only time the conventional grid comes up is when a GPS unit (like the GX50s) supports it.

On an aside, does anyone around here use USNG/MGRS for ground operations?

[grunt82abn]

TXWG uses the cell grid system exclusively for mission planning and air operations.  I think the only time the conventional grid comes up is when a GPS unit (like the GX50s) supports it.

On an aside, does anyone around here use USNG/MGRS for ground operations?

I used it a lot in the Army, plus as a TA for my Geography professor, I taught MGRS and touched on the universal grid reference system. If I can help with something PM me.