Discussion:
online calculator that determines longest straight line distance from me?
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Will Peters
2023-09-18 11:32:41 UTC
Permalink
I am trying to determine the longest straight line worldwide distance
from my locale. Is there a way to find it and/or an appropriate online
calculator? Thanks.
Jeff
2023-09-19 09:02:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Peters
I am trying to determine the longest straight line worldwide distance
from my locale.  Is there a way to find it and/or an appropriate online
calculator?  Thanks.
Not quite sure what you are asking for. A straight line between 2 places
would have to go through the Earth.

The 'normal' thing to use would be the Great Circle distance (which is
not a straight line) which gives the 2 shortest paths between 2 places;
2 results 1 long path, and the other the short path, (unless the 2
places are exactly antipodes of each other).
So I am not sure what you mean by "longest straight line".

Jeff
Will Peters
2023-09-19 11:00:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jeff
Post by Will Peters
I am trying to determine the longest straight line worldwide distance
from my locale.  Is there a way to find it and/or an appropriate
online calculator?  Thanks.
Not quite sure what you are asking for. A straight line between 2 places
would  have to go through the Earth.
The 'normal' thing to use would be the Great Circle distance (which is
not a straight line) which gives the 2 shortest paths between 2 places;
2 results 1 long path, and the other the short path, (unless the 2
places are exactly antipodes of each other).
So I am not sure what you mean by "longest straight line".
Jeff
Sorry, for amateur radio purp
Jeff
2023-09-20 10:06:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jeff
Post by Will Peters
I am trying to determine the longest straight line worldwide distance
from my locale.  Is there a way to find it and/or an appropriate
online calculator?  Thanks.
Not quite sure what you are asking for. A straight line between 2
places would  have to go through the Earth.
The 'normal' thing to use would be the Great Circle distance (which is
not a straight line) which gives the 2 shortest paths between 2
places; 2 results 1 long path, and the other the short path, (unless
the 2 places are exactly antipodes of each other).
So I am not sure what you mean by "longest straight line".
Jeff
Sorry, for amateur radio purposes, I meant the longest great circle
distance.
Hi Will this might be what you are looking for:
<https://www.mapability.com/ei8ic/gcm/index.php>

73
Jeff
Jeff
2023-09-20 10:52:16 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jeff
Post by Jeff
Post by Will Peters
I am trying to determine the longest straight line worldwide
distance from my locale.  Is there a way to find it and/or an
appropriate online calculator?  Thanks.
Not quite sure what you are asking for. A straight line between 2
places would  have to go through the Earth.
The 'normal' thing to use would be the Great Circle distance (which
is not a straight line) which gives the 2 shortest paths between 2
places; 2 results 1 long path, and the other the short path, (unless
the 2 places are exactly antipodes of each other).
So I am not sure what you mean by "longest straight line".
Jeff
Sorry, for amateur radio purposes, I meant the longest great circle
distance.
<https://www.mapability.com/ei8ic/gcm/index.php>
73
Jeff
Just to add there are many on-line calculators that will give you the
short path, so if you want to know the long path distance just subtract
the short path from the circumference of the Earth, in whatever units
you are using, and the beam heading is just the reciprocal of the short
path.

73
Jeff
Kevin Alfred Strom
2023-09-21 13:30:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Peters
I am trying to determine the longest straight line worldwide distance
from my locale.  Is there a way to find it and/or an appropriate online
calculator?  Thanks.
The farthest great circle distance possible on Earth is approximately
24,900 miles to the antipode of your location. If you consider it
legitimate by your definition of "longest straight line worldwide
distance from my locale," you could continue the great circle line all
the way back to your location (or one inch short your location, say) and
then the greatest possible distance would be about 49,800 miles.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipodes for further information.

A bizarre characteristic of antipodes is that there are an infinity of
great circle paths (all the same length) that lead to your antipode, and
any compass direction you face will lead to such a path. In contrast,
for all other points on Earth there is only one shortest (and one
longest) great circle path and to face said path you must face in one
precise compass direction only.

With all good wishes,

Kevin, WB4AIO.

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