MGRS Columns / Rows
 
Each of the 1200 UTM/UPS zones is broken down into 100,000 meter square sections. These sections are indexed by two letters (Column letter and Row letter) determined by their UTM/UPS northing/easting values.
 
The MGRS row/column scheme follows this general pattern (ellipsoid specific):
 
Column letter: The columns A-Z (excluding “I” and “O”), like UTM, start at 180° and increase toward the East. Every 3 columns, the pattern repeats.
 
Row letters increase to the North. The letters cycle backwards through the alphabet in the southern hemisphere (J, H, G, … going south).
 
Zone 1, A-H; Rows A-J (excluding “I”)
Zone 2, J-R (excluding “O”); Rows F-P (excluding “O”)
Zone 3, S-Z; Rows A-J (excluding “I”)
 
UTM Zone 1, UTM Latitude Band N, MGRS column D, MGRS row C, (plus easting/northing values).
 
See Example MGRS coordinate conversion