How to find your position in KM Grid and in Latitude and Longitude

[Thomen]

The Basics:

We use two different methods for our u-boat locations here at the flotilla.

1. The Kriegsmarine Grid Map or Marine Quadrat Karte, which in a 'slightly' altered form, you will also find in the game. We use this format within the Enigma encoded message. Example message in clear text:

UUU TWO SEVEN SIX to BBBDDDUUU X POS AAA FFF SEVEN NINE THREE ONE X JCONTACT ENEMY TF X TWO DESTROYER X SPD TWELVE X COURSE ZERO ONE XJ ENGAGINGX XX FIES XX2. Our position in Latitude and Longitude is used by Laufen zum Ziel (BDU/HQ) to track the u-boats that are out at sea and submit positions.
Example: 62°21'00"N 02°07'21"E

He or an appointee will mark the converted and reported positions on a map and make the latter accessible to everyone.


Finding your grid position:

Now, looking at the map that is in SH3, it grid coordinates has only 2 digits (the map in SH4 goes to at least 4 digits).

http://uboat-990.info/gfx/map_pos.jpg


How do we get the four digits needed for an accurate position fix?
Best answer: Guesstimate.
Usually, each grid is is further divided into 9 squares and those are again divided into 9 more squares, each square numbered from 1 to 9.

In the picture above, U-276 is currently in grid AF 76. If we now overlay it with an imaginary subdivision of the grid, we will see that the u-boat is in grid AF 766. Another level of the imaginary grid reveals further that it is in AF 7661.

In the picture below, I put the grid subdivisions in grid no.3 so it does not cover the u-boat.

http://uboat-990.info/gfx/pos_finding.jpg


Converting and checking your position:



Now that we have our position in grid format (AF7661), we need to convert it into latitude and longitude so that our positions can be entered on the tracking map.
We can do it by utilizing a Kriegsmarine Quadrant Converter, which can be found at ubootwaffe.net (http://ubootwaffe.net/quadrant.cgi) (click for converter web page) for the following quadrants: AA, AB, AC, AE, AF, AL, AM, AN, AO, AT, BA, BD, BE, BF, CE, CG, CH, DC, DG, DH, DJ.

http://uboat-990.info/gfx/gridconv.jpg


Just plug in the grid coordinates in the appropriate field (Grid / Square) and press calculate. The outcome is noted under: "Your coordinates" in latitude and longitude.

This is, of course, only of use if you prefer latitude and longitude over KM grid.

Now back to having fun and drinking grog!

[Thomen]

EDIT: The grid converter page is back online. :woot:

[The Enigma]

I knew I had it laying somewhere.
I found it and here it is:


Click here for a very large map. (http://www.xs4all.nl/~anjns/subsim/kmgridlarge.jpg)

http://www.xs4all.nl/~anjns/subsim/kmgridmedium.jpg

[JMV]

To Thomen : :salute:
------------
In the same thread, Post 1, you say :
"In the picture above, U-276 is currently in grid AF 76. If we now overlay it with an imaginary subdivision of the grid, we will see that the u-boat is in grid AF 766. Another level of the imaginary grid reveals further that it is in AF 7661. "

In order for us all to have a quicker reading of our positionning, I was wondering if a file could be made that could be a transparent replica of the grid in picture 2 of that thread. Once it would be made we could mod it into the game as a slide out in the F5 map and so slide it over our position and have our location ( 2 letters 4 digits ) instantly with good acuracy. :03:

Tell me what you think.

[Thomen]

To Thomen : :salute:
------------
In the same thread, Post 1, you say :
"In the picture above, U-276 is currently in grid AF 76. If we now overlay it with an imaginary subdivision of the grid, we will see that the u-boat is in grid AF 766. Another level of the imaginary grid reveals further that it is in AF 7661. "

In order for us all to have a quicker reading of our positionning, I was wondering if a file could be made that could be a transparent replica of the grid in picture 2 of that thread. Once it would be made we could mod it into the game as a slide out in the F5 map and so slide it over our position and have our location ( 2 letters 4 digits ) instantly with good acuracy. :03:

Tell me what you think.

Hi there!

Sorry for the late reply. =(

I would certainly be very happy with something like that, but I am not sure about the feasibility since the squares begin to distort the further north/south (relative to the equator) you come.

If you think that it would be doable, hell yea.. do it, but unfortunately I am very challenged ( :D ) when it comes to modding and stuff..

:up:

[JMV]

Was discussing with Canovaro in :

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=155855

Posts # 52-54-55

But he doesn't seem to know either.
How did you do yourself in your thread :

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=162195 Post 1 Pict 2 ?

[raymond6751]

I have a question about reporting enemy sighted and whether such a position would be the same (date & time matched) in another player's campaign. What I mean is, are enemy units & convoys randomly placed and dynamic in each run of the game.

Could I, playing single campaign, report a detected enemy force position to others also playing the same campaign, with any likelyhood of the force being on their map grid too?

If so, wolfpacks are very possible. We would not detect each other, but we could swarm an enemy convoy and score accumulated results.

Same date and time, same enemy force, each sub operating on its own. Yet a wolfpack.

Just a thought.

[KL-alfman]

not a bad thought at all!
chances are good that all the scripted convoys will spawn in every SP-game.

but:
- we would have to start new careers at appr. the same date
- we would have to agree on attacking at a specific date
- someone would have to direct the pack

BDU - Comments - All Msg this thread rec.

[Thomen]

How did you do yourself in your thread :

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=162195 Post 1 Pict 2 ?



Best answer: Guesstimate.
:D

Long answer:
Looking at the map grid, I overlay it with an imaginary (as in: my imagination) 9 square grid to get three digits, and another 9 square grid to get 4 digits. Some practice needed, but it works very well for me. :up:

[JMV]

Ok Thomen, spent a few hours doing a calc overlay with transparent printing paper for the scale 50 km, ( 3.25 Inch or 8.2 cm ) nearly a 17 Ich screen in diagonal. It's very nearly ready, just a few millimeters difference, but I'll fix that tomorrow. It was rather difficult to do ( ratios etc... ) because the mesurements I get on paper on the Excell sheet, are not the same as when printed out [ SWEAT ]. When its finished I could e-mail the file to whoever.
For Scale 50 km
<-------------------------------29.7 cm------------------------------>
( Total length af a grid ) / 3 = 9.9 cm and / 3 = 3.3 cm

<-------------------------------19.00 cm--------------->
( Total width of a grid ) / 3 = 6.33 cm and / 3 = 2.10 cm

Or you can do it yourself. Measurements above.
Cheers.

BDU Comment - Well done. Looking forward to this.....

[Thomen]

Ok Thomen, spent a few hours doing a calc overlay with transparent printing paper for the scale 50 km, ( 3.25 Inch or 8.2 cm ) nearly a 17 Ich screen in diagonal. It's very nearly ready, just a few millimeters difference, but I'll fix that tomorrow. It was rather difficult to do ( ratios etc... ) because the mesurements I get on paper on the Excell sheet, are not the same as when printed out [ SWEAT ]. When its finished I could e-mail the file to whoever.
For Scale 50 km
<-------------------------------29.7 cm------------------------------>
( Total length af a grid ) / 3 = 9.9 cm and / 3 = 3.3 cm

<-------------------------------19.00 cm--------------->
( Total width of a grid ) / 3 = 6.33 cm and / 3 = 2.10 cm

Or you can do it yourself. Measurements above.
Cheers.

BDU Comment - Well done. Looking forward to this.....

Sounds great! :up:

I'll be more then happy to take a look and give it a try when it's done. :)

[JMV]

THIS IS THE FILE README :

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
06.05.2010 RELEASING THE….

QUICK KM QUADRAT READER.

OR

POSITION LOCATOR GRID MASK FOR 17 INCH SCREEN ONLY AND IN GAME 50 KM SCALE.

The enclosed xls. file is to be printed " as is " preferably on transparent paper in order be able to quickly locate your submarine in the Nav Map ( F5 ) and give a 4 digits grid number ( instead of the normal 2 ) following the Planquadratkarten der KM.
You have to adjust your Nav Map scale to 50 Km. The scale shows in the down left corner of your F5 Nav Map.

Now, you just have to superimpose the printed result directly on your 17 '' computer screen. Ajust the top left c o r n e r of the printed sheet, to the top left corner of the grid square. It works on normal paper, but it's a lot less easy to locate your sub. The light from your screen might be enough though.

I unfortunately can't adapt this file for other screen dimensions as I myself only have a 17 '' screen... Plus on bigger screen dimensions, it would not fit an A4 paper sheet as it does here, u n l e s s you choose a bigger scale...

You can adapt the xls. file to match your personal needs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO GET THE XLS. FILE SEND ME A PERSO MESSAGE WITH YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS AND I WILL SEND IT TO YOU
( ZIP. FILE 7 KB )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JMV

[JMV]

Please see my thread :

[REL] Quick KM Quadrat Reader

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=169036

BDU Comment- Well done.

[raymond6751]

not a bad thought at all!
chances are good that all the scripted convoys will spawn in every SP-game.

but:
- we would have to start new careers at appr. the same date
- we would have to agree on attacking at a specific date
- someone would have to direct the pack

BDU - Comments - All Msg this thread rec.

That sounds just like what Bdu does. It sounds just like what a flottilla does. It sounds just like what we should do. Suppose that several boats depart on patrol in a given month...not too far fetched. Suppose, using mods we can adjust the patrol zone rather than accept the one given. If four or five boats all have the same zone, same month, keep in touch with Bdu...wolf pack!

BDU Comments- This is the first time that BDU has received a message from you. Do you want to become a member of our Flotilla?
Let me know and we will start the process of getting you on the HQ Captains Roster.

[JMV]

I wouln't mind beeing on the rooster too, BTW....
Thanks BDU. :wah:

[JMV]

Is it usefull to anyone ??
It is to me anyway, and no no no, not because I made it, as you think. :woot:

That was also to boost it up on top of the list ( an old Subsim trick ) Hehehe !:03:

[Laufen zum Ziel]

Is it usefull to anyone ??
It is to me anyway, and no no no, not because I made it, as you think. :woot:

That was also to boost it up on top of the list ( an old Subsim trick ) Hehehe !:03:

We need to promote this. Eventially I think we should make it a requirement.

Recruit Traing Sessions.
1. Tour of HQ and it's tools
2. Grid System
3. Status/Contact Reports

If this post is not a sticky I will make it one.

Your comments.

Ken

[JMV]

Well, very kind of you. It can be a help, because it makes things easier for locating your position, but it can in no way be a sticky. Optionnal at best IMHO.
Also I don't think sticky " Post all enigma messages here" should remain a sticky...
It's a busy and essential thread, but to my opinion it should not be a sticky...
Up to you though, just my 2 Cents, as they say...

[JMV]

I think this thread should be made a closed Sticky.
However before closing, a note should be made by you mentionning that the form used here ( as described by Canovaro at end of # 1 ) :
http://www.silent-hunter-addict.com/Bdu_Flotilla_Enigma_U_Boot_Locations.html

is not in use anymore.

Also may be there could be a way to merge this thread with the one about my Quadrat Reader,
But don't know how to do that.

[Laufen zum Ziel]

As noted above that site is no longer in use and this thread will be locked as it is instructional and not for posting.