topic Re: Can't identify coordinate system in Data Management Questions

Can't identify coordinate system

BrendanDwyer — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 16:30:19 GMT

I have some geospatial data in a text file but I can't identify the coordinate system it is using. Coordinates were in a format like this: xyzxNx, xyzxyEx, where the x's are integers. I think it might be a naval or military format, but I'm not sure.

It would look something like this: "3506N8 13922E5"*

Any help would be appreciated.

*not a real example, may not be plottable.

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

RobertBorchert — Thu, 16 May 2019 19:03:02 GMT

Shoot a real example.

The example you used is in the Alabama?

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

RobertBorchert — Thu, 16 May 2019 19:17:05 GMT

I think it might be a County Coordinate system.

it would then be specific to a particular county.

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

RobertBorchert — Thu, 16 May 2019 19:17:36 GMT

Possibly in the Tampa Area

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

BrendanDwyer — Thu, 16 May 2019 19:49:01 GMT

I'm sure it's not a local system like state plane.

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

RobertBorchert — Thu, 16 May 2019 19:55:52 GMT

County Coordinate systems are more local then State Plane and not formatted the same as state plane.

And were genera rally created by

The numbers you show are too small to represent a system as large as UTM or State Plane.

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 16 May 2019 20:03:21 GMT

Melita Kennedy‌ flagged

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

MelitaKennedy — Thu, 16 May 2019 21:59:50 GMT

The format doesn't look familiar to me. Can you tell us approximately where the data is supposed to be?

I'm assuming E = easting and N = northing but the trailing number is odd. It wouldn't be unusual if the numbers were, for example,

1392250 or 139225 or 13922500

350680 or 3506800

I've seen 13 million eastings in state plane zones, particularly if in feet, but that's unlikely for military-based numbers. They don't match georef or GARS. I guess if you're working with military data, you could try contacting NGA, the Coordinate System Analysis group, https://www.nga.mil/ProductsServices/GeodesyandGeophysics/Pages/CoordinateSystemAnalysis.aspx

Melita

note: edited 5:15 p.m. PDT to fix a number because I'd repeated one of them.

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

BrendanDwyer — Fri, 17 May 2019 14:18:36 GMT

Melita, thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, I can't post an actual coordinate b/c the data is sensitive. But I do have more information to go by. First off, the coordinates are preceded by a two letter code, for example LL:3521N1-12429E8. That's got to be some sort of grid reference, I'd guess.

Also, a colleague figured something out: The trailing number after the northing and easting is actually a checksum. You add up the integers preceding the N or E and take the least significant digit. For example:

3521N1-12429E8

3+5+2+1 = 11 and 1+2+4+2+9 = 18

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

BrendanDwyer — Fri, 17 May 2019 14:21:50 GMT

Thanks for the reply. I found that the coordinates are preceded by what looks like a reference to a grid system, which could explain the low precision. But I know for certain this is a global system. That's about the only thing I know for sure.

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

BrendanDwyer — Fri, 17 May 2019 19:00:43 GMT

Figured it out. It's a format used by OTH-Gold, as described in Appendix C here:

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a405953.pdf

Enter the position of the report in its original format and precision if possible. Use one of the alternate field contents provided below. Enter the designated field descriptor followed by the data. Data can be expressed in:

Coordinate System Field Descriptor

LL: Latitude/Longitude

UT: UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)

GR: GEOREF (World Geographic Reference System)

The precision reported in this field should reflect the original known precision. The only boundary or restriction placed on the reported precision of data in this field is the field length range. An optional floating decimal is allowed as appropriate, e.g., LL:304055.55N7-1304055.55E8, UT:45FDK0474, GR:DIQA

Re: Can't identify coordinate system

MelitaKennedy — Fri, 17 May 2019 21:39:19 GMT

Thank you for posting that information!