print scaling for use with a grid reader

[jocoyn]

Ok, I absolutely "get" that because your UTM marks have tickmarks you can throw away that peice of plastic.

But some people won't part with their UTM grid readers.  To my 53 year old eyes, I like having the big print edition of the map 

So if I want to print a map to "fit" - is there a magic setting so that the print output will be 1:24000 scaled properly?

[ScottMorris]

I'm not sure what piece of plastic you're talking about, or what 'scaled properly' means.  Do you mean scaled to the 1:24k paper maps you buy from USGS?

I'm not sure, but I'm thinking this might be possible.  You'd want to use the tileset dropdown (upper right corner) to select Topo 4M (or 2M) so that the scale indicator next to it is 1:4 or 1:2.  You're now exactly how they were scanned in, at 4 meters / pixel or 2 m / pixel.  If you export using "current" you'll get the same scale.  You could then go from there and figure out what scale the USGS maps are.  Then add the DPI you print at into the equation and you should have it.  A bit of work, but possible...

Does that make any sense?

[jocoyn]

LOL, the SAR folks were using UTM grids while GPS was still a novelty and impaired by "selective availability" of the signal.  Just a lot easier to deal with than degree minute type systems.

The grid reader is the plastic I was referring to. You know the one that is exactly the size of a 1:24 000 UTM grid and is broken down like your hashmarks. Transparent peice of plastic with what looks like a graph

Sounds like some playing but once I figure it out can post.

It really is not necessary now based on the way the UTM has the hashmarks on it.