Ionospheric Hall and Pedersen conductances are derived from auroral spectroscopic measurements obtained with meridian scanning photometers. Conductances are also derived from height profile of electron density obtained with the incoherent scatter radar at Chatanika in a coordinated experiment aimed at comparing the two techniques. While general agreement is obtained by using these basically different methods, the disagreements illustrate the advantages and limitations of each experimental technique. The radar yields accurate values of conductance with limited temporal and spatial resolution while the optical measurements provide less accurate values at high time resolution and over large regions of space.