diff --git a/src/Lib/HGT/hgt.cxx b/src/Lib/HGT/hgt.cxx
index 39a31fec..028261e7 100644
--- a/src/Lib/HGT/hgt.cxx
+++ b/src/Lib/HGT/hgt.cxx
@@ -229,6 +229,29 @@ TGHgt::write_area( const string& root, SGBucket& b ) {
 }
 
 
+// write the entire area out in a simple ascii format
+bool TGHgt::write_whole_ascii( const string& file ) {
+    cout << "writing to " << file << endl;
+    // write the file
+    gzFile fp;
+    if ( (fp = gzopen( file.c_str(), "wb9" )) == NULL ) {
+	cout << "ERROR:  cannot open " << file << " for writing!" << endl;
+	exit(-1);
+    }
+
+    gzprintf( fp, "%d\n%d\n", rows, cols );
+    for ( int i = 0; i < rows; i++ ) {
+        for ( int j = 0; j < cols; j++ ) {
+            gzprintf( fp, "%d\n", (int)data[i][j] );
+        }
+    }
+    gzclose(fp);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+
+
 TGHgt::~TGHgt() {
     // printf("class TGHgt DEstructor called.\n");
     delete [] data;
diff --git a/src/Lib/HGT/hgt.hxx b/src/Lib/HGT/hgt.hxx
index 6e316dbe..395a0afe 100644
--- a/src/Lib/HGT/hgt.hxx
+++ b/src/Lib/HGT/hgt.hxx
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ public:
     // hand corner.
     bool write_area( const string& root, SGBucket& b );
 
+    // write the entire area out in a simple ascii format
+    bool write_whole_ascii( const string& file );
+
     // Informational methods
     inline double get_originx() const { return originx; }
     inline double get_originy() const { return originy; }
diff --git a/src/Lib/HGT/testhgt.cxx b/src/Lib/HGT/testhgt.cxx
index 4d81ba04..47dde591 100644
--- a/src/Lib/HGT/testhgt.cxx
+++ b/src/Lib/HGT/testhgt.cxx
@@ -3,15 +3,16 @@
 #include "hgt.hxx"
 
 int main() {
-    SGPath path1( "/stage/fgfs03/SRTM/United_States/N33W080/1arcsec/N33W080.hgt.gz" );
-    SGPath path3( "/stage/fgfs03/SRTM/United_States/N33W080/3arcsec/N33W080.hgt.gz" );
+    // SGPath path1( "/stage/fgfs03/SRTM/United_States/N33W080/1arcsec/N33W080.hgt.gz" );
+    SGPath path3( "N37W123/3arcsec/N37W123.hgt.gz" );
 
-    TGHgt hgt1( 1, path1 );
+    // TGHgt hgt1( 1, path1 );
     TGHgt hgt3( 3, path3 );
 
-    hgt1.load();
+    // hgt1.load();
     hgt3.load();
 
-    SGBucket b(-79.5, 33.5);
-    hgt1.write_area( ".", b );
+    // SGBucket b(-79.5, 33.5);
+    // hgt1.write_area( ".", b );
+    hgt3.write_whole_ascii( "test.ahgt" );
 }