Usage Hints for site locator maps

These Hints do not apply to regional locator maps, which have their own Help option available directly from the map.

Quick Tips

Site locator maps are produced from links on site data pages, and are designed to show you where that site is located (as best we can determine). As of January 2018, there are two online mapping services which we use worldwide, each having its own advantages (and disadvantages):

Google Maps: Can pinpoint a site exactly, often with excellent overhead photography; but does not work on some browsers. (It will tell you if you have one of those.)
For specific help with Google Maps, click here.
MapQuest: Very popular, though its new version makes it problematic on older browsers, and it doesn't warn about that.
Oct.2010: Recent changes in this service invalidate some of our hints, so proceed with caution! (We'll revise them as we learn more.)
For specific help with MapQuest maps, click here.
(Bing Maps was formerly used for its "bird's eye view" aerial photography, at sites where that was available; it had good to excellent photos, but no ability to pinpoint locations.
The specific help for Bing Maps is here.)

For specific help with other other mapping services (used locally or regionally), or for more general information about our usage of maps, keep reading...

Navigation: Jump past Temporary Notes to More Quick Tips

Temporary Notes

2006/02/26-2008/06/16 - In spite of my best efforts, it has not been possible to maintain uniformly styled locator maps for all site data pages on this Website. The disappearance of the online mapping service which was used in the earliest years forced a change to an alternate service with significantly different capabilities; but before the hundreds of then-existing pages could all be retrofitted with new map links, that service disappeared as well. It has taken months to find a practical and satisfactory alternative. (For the sordid details, see the Map Service History.) As a result, the site data pages (of which there are now more than 1600) present a confusing mix of functional and broken map links in a variety of styles. Furthermore, this page which you are now reading has had to be split into several pages (one for each of the various services used over time), and now suffers from the consequent schizophrenia. Please accept my apologies for the disorder you will find here (not that you have any choice!), and keep an eye on the What's New page for further developments. /s/ CSZ

Current status (as of Oct.2006, updated to Oct.2010) of pages older than March 2006:

No pages for North America remain in this category.
Many pages for Central and South America (typically those which were last updated a long time ago) contain a broken MapBlast link; the Hints here for MapBlast are obsolete.
Some pages for the British Isles contain working links for StreetMapUK and/or useless links for MultiMap, but Hints for those services are not yet available here. (The remaining pages will get StreetMapUK links eventually.)
Some pages in Africa contain only a city locator link from a Global Gazetteer.
Some pages contain various combinations of these links.
A few pages contain no map link, generally because the location is vague.

For all of the above situations, the map links are found in the "*Links:" section of the page, between the external links (if any) and the internal links (to index pages on this Website).

Current status (as of June 2008) of some pages newer than March 2006:

Some pages for the British Isles contain useless links for MultiMap, along with working links for other mapping services, in the "*Location:" section of the page. (The links are "useless" because, although they work, they will redirect you to a Webpage which won't help you find the location of the site you want.) These useless links will be removed eventually.

Current status (as of October 2010) of all pages:

All site data pages in North America have had their broken or useless links (of whatever type) replaced with links for Google Maps and MapQuest (old style, hence now useless). The new map links are placed immediately after the "*Location:" section instead of in the "*Links:" section.
For all pages with MapQuest links using the the large MapQuest logo: those links are useless. (The links are "useless" because, although they work, they will redirect you to a Webpage which won't help you find the location of the site you want.) These useless links will be removed eventually.
For all pages with MapQuest links using the the small MQ logo:
those links work correctly.

Planned changes (all now in progress - in parallel, not in sequence):

All site data pages in North America will have their useless old-style MapQuest links replaced with new-style MapQuest links.
All site data pages outside of North America will have their broken or useless links (of whatever type) replaced with links for Google Maps and a Global Gazetteer page. The new map links will be placed immediately after the "*Location:" section instead of in the "*Links:" section. New site data pages in this region will have map links added in this manner. In some countries, sometimes only for certain types of institutions, a link to a local mapping service may also be added.
Apr.2008: This work has been completed for carillons (both traditional and non-traditional).
The original version of our mapping service comparison was written after we first had to switch services (see the Map Service History.) It explained the capabilities and limitations of the first two services we used, and told more about how we used them. It also explained why we didn't use other online mapping services for the USA. It is now being expanded to explain the capabilities and limitations of the more recently used services.
Suitable Hints for Google Maps and the Global Gazetteer have been added here (see below). Hints for StreetMapsUK and MultiMap(UK) will be added.
May 2008: Since MultiMap(UK) became useless to us before we got around to writing Hints for that service, this work cannot be completed.
Further improvements will be made to these pages of Map Use Hints. Until these Temporary Notes go away, the changes haven't been completed.

NOTE: If you want broken map links for the page about your own carillon or chime to be replaced quickly, you should use the email link at the bottom of that page to submit a significant addition to or correction of the information on that page. In the short term, pages will rarely be revised solely to correct broken map links.

Many of these Quick Tips are obsolete (see "Temporary" Notes above).
Some BROKEN map links can be quickly identified by a "missing graphic" symbol or the text "[lost icon]" visible in the page.
But MapsOnUs links are also broken in the sense that following them will yield a "Page Not Found" error message from Switchboard.com.
A "working" map link has an appropriate icon visible in the page, or looks like "Google™".

More Quick Tips

If you came here from a site data page where the map links are immediately after the "*Location" section, here is the quick comparison of what they do:
Google Maps produces the most easily usable maps, and offers an option to produce driving directions to or from the located point, but it works on only a limited number of Web browsers. If you can use it, you should. Both specific help for Google Maps and general help is available below.
MapQuest (for North American and some European pages) is usable on some Web browsers that don't support Google Maps, but it's less flexible, shows a much smaller map that's surrounded by advertising material, and cannot effectively be used to show us an improved location for the mapped site. The driving directions that MapQuest offers in other contexts are not available for locations which are specified by latitude/longitude, as we do. Both specific help for MapQuest and general help is available below.
Gazetteer (identified as a "city maps and gazetteer page") works for all browsers. However, it only shows the location of the city or town in which the site is located, not the precise location of the site itself. So it's only useful for general information purposes. (But at that it's better than nothing!) We use it only outside North America; so far, no one has asked for it to be used within North America.
Something else - in certain parts of the world outside North America (see above), other mapping services are also used. You'll have to decide for yourself what advantages or disadvantages they have for you. Specific help is (or will be) available, and general help is now available, both below.

If you came here from a USA site data page with two or three BROKEN map links, here is the quick comparison of what they used to do:
Map 1 (from MapsOnUs) downloads quickly and is dynamically adjustable, but it has minimal labelling and doesn't offer driving directions. Both specific help for MapsOnUs and general help are available below.
Map 2 (from MapsOnUs) downloads quickest and has the best labelling, but it can't be adjusted and so it may not show all nearby sites. It offers the option of getting driving directions from your point of origin to any of the sites shown on the map, and possibly also to other nearby places which don't appear on the map but are listed below it. (That's on the map page, not on our page.) Both specific help for MapsOnUs and general help are available below.
Map 3 (from MapBlast!) used to show you our confidence level with respect to icon placement and was dynamically adjustable, but was the slowest to load. If that link to MapBlast! is still present, it doesn't work any more. (See note in Map Service History dated 2002/03/07.)

If you came here from a USA or Canada site data page with only one map link, and it doesn't work, that's probably because I haven't yet supplied an alternative for the MapBlast problem (see Map Service History). Please use the Back button on your Web browser to return to that page, then check the date "built from the database" at the bottom of it. If that date is more recent than 7-Mar-02, then use the "comments or questions" link on the bottom line of that page to report this problem so that it can be fixed. (Using the link on that page rather than on some other one will automatically put an appropriate subject line on your email message if your Web browser and email program cooperate properly.)

If you came here from a Canada site data page with only one map link, and it doesn't work, that's probably because of the MapBlast problem (see Map Service History). It should receive a MapQuest locator map link soon. (Specific help for MapQuest locators is available below.)

If the map link does work, then general help is available below, along with specific help if it is a MapQuest link. (Yahoo! Maps were experimental, and no specific help is available for them here.)

If you came here from a site data page for Mexico or a country in Central or South America with just one map link in the "*Links" section, that doesn't work because of the MapBlast problem (see Map Service History). It hasn't yet been fixed because the location is known only to city-level accuracy. It will be eventually be replaced with links for Google Maps and Global Gazetteer as described above.

If you came here from a site data page for a country outside the Americas, the MapBlast problem is irrelevant, because MapBlast was already defunct by the time that page was created. Whatever map link is in place should be functional; general help is available below, along with specific help for Google Maps and Global Gazetteer links.

Map usage hints

Mapping services are (or have been) provided free to the World Wide Web by several firms. For each one which we use, we present a separate Usage Hints page to supplement whatever help might be supplied by the map provider, especially with respect to the way we utilize that service. Usage hints which are common to all services remain on this page (below).

Usage Hints for Google Maps (worldwide)

For maps obtained from a link like this: "Google™", first see the panel which is to the right of the map. If that doesn't answer your question, then see our Map Use Hints for Google Maps.

Google Maps don't work on all browsers on all platforms. To check whether they work on yours, go to Google Maps. If you see the statement "Your web browser is not fully supported by Google Local" in the middle of the page, then Google Maps probably won't work for you; follow the "More information" link to find out which browsers are supported on your platform.

If Google Maps do not work on your Web browser, we strongly recommend that you acquire Firefox. It is a free, standards-based, cross-platform browser that is fast, secure and reliable. Click the Firefox icon at right to see a download page for the version that is appropriate to your computer and operating system. Try it out!

Because Google Maps download a large amount of data, they are not very suitable for use with dial-up connections to the Internet unless you have a great deal of patience or are willing to work with a fairly small window. (That reduces the amount of download needed at each zoom level.) Experiment with resizing your browser window to find your own preferred balance between size of map and speed of download.

Usage Hints for MapQuest (worldwide)

For maps obtained from this icon: or this one:
see our Map Use Hints for MapQuest.

Usage Hints for Bing Maps (worldwide)

While there are no longer any map pages obtainable from a plain text link with the words "Bing Maps", you can still see our Map Use Hints for Bing Maps.

Usage Hints for Global Gazetteer (worldwide)

For map pages obtained from a plain text link which includes the word "gazetteer", see our Map Use Hints for Global Gazetteer.

Usage Hints for StreetMapUK (England, Scotland, Wales)

Map links based on this mapping service should always open in a new window or tab. This has been done because StreetMap does a series of internal redirections which effectively makes the Back button of your Web browser useless. It's easier for you to close a new window (or tab) than to work around that difficulty.
(The rest of these hints have not yet been written.)

Usage Hints for Kraks Kort (for churches in Denmark)

(These hints have not yet been written.)

Usage Hints for MultiMap (England, Scotland, Wales)

(These hints were never written, and now they never will be.)

Usage Hints for MapsOnUs (USA only)

For maps obtained from this icon: [icon is lost] or this icon: [icon is lost]
see our Map Use Hints for MapsOnUs.
NOTE: While those hints are obsolete (because of the demise of MapsOnUs - see Map Service History), they have been left here so that you can see what facilities that service once offered.

Usage Hints for MapBlast (the Americas only)

For maps obtained from this icon: [icon is lost]
see our Map Use Hints for MapBlast.
NOTE: While those hints are obsolete (because of the demise of MapBlast - see Map Service History), they have been left here so that you can see what facilities that service once offered.

Usage Hints for all site locator map services

(but does not apply to the Global Gazetteer service)

Need help? Want advice? Pick a question . . .

Why are these usage hints important?
The locator marker (icon) on the map is in the wrong place; how can I help fix it for future visitors?
I tinkered with the map controls too much, and now I'm lost. How do I get back to the original version?
Why aren't the multiple maps on area locator pages combined into one?

Just curious? Read all the answers in order . . .

Why are these usage hints important?

The online help which is provided directly by the various online mapping services is aimed at the general user and explains all (or most) aspects of each service. This page which you are now reading explains common aspects of how we use those services. The corresponding pages for the specific services (see links above) also emphasize what dynamic map controls are especially useful in each context, and warn about what you should not do while viewing a locator map which we have customized. In a few instances, those pages expand on the service's own online help.

The location marker (icon) on the map is in the wrong place; how can I help fix it for future visitors?

If you really do know more than we do about where the marker should be, please help:

Long answer (Google Maps only): Follow the instructions on the Google Maps page where you see the site marker.
Short answer: Use the map controls to adjust the location of the marker to your satisfaction; then "Email" the result to us. (See the vendor-specific Map Use Hints for more detail.)
Long answer (MapBlast only): Follow a step-by-step adjustment guide (obsolete).

I tinkered with the map controls too much, and now I'm lost. How do I get back to the original version?

If you are on a Google Map, use the "Reload" feature of your Web browser. (This may be a menu selection or a toolbar button.)

Otherwise, use the "Back" feature of your Web browser to back up one or more screens at a time. (This may be a menu selection or a toolbar button.) Or use its "History" feature to jump directly back to the site data page or the initial map. The second alternative is quicker, but then you might be unable to use "Back" to work your way further up your history tree, depending on how your browser handles its history function.

Why aren't the multiple maps on area locator pages combined into one?

This question and answer became partially obsolete after the demise of MapBlast (see Map Service History) made the area locator pages then in existence useless. It became totally obsolete after the demise of MapsOnUs; what remained here was applicable to how we used MapsOnUs as an area locator. But read on...

If you use any map vendor's online mapping services through some other Website, you might find that they do indeed have the capability to place many icons on one map. However, that placement is done by them for a fee, dynamically, using a database supplied or maintained by the customer.

For understandable commercial reasons, the vendors do not support such complex functions in their free services. MapsOnUs did allow placement of a limited number of icons on one map, and we utilized that capability to make each site locator map in the USA serve as an area locator when there were other towers close to the one being located.

The Guild, being a small non-profit organization, could not afford to purchase a full-scale commercial service. Obsolete (MapBlast!): Therefore, in the relatively few areas where a concentration of sites makes an area locator page advisable, we have adopted the multi-map expedient. When there are more than four or five sites in an area, such as a metropolis, they are subdivided by type (carillons, chimes, rings) into compatible groups of sites. Each group is then displayed on one of a set of identical maps, to make it possible to relate them to each other easily. (By the time all of the North American chime pages are installed, even this expedient will not suffice in a few areas.)

If this does not satisfy your needs, we would be happy to accept a large enough donation to the Guild to enable us to use one of the commercial services. We could certainly put it to good use.

POSTSCRIPT: With the publishing of the Google Maps API (Application Programming Interface), it became possible to consider a different type of area locator map. This is in development; watch for a future announcement.

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This page was created 1997/02/07 and last revised 2018/07/24.

Please send comments or questions to csz_stl@swbell.net