Lat Long Coordinate formats

[DD_Fenrir]

As if DCS wasn't complicated enough...

Ran into an issue with Colin t'other night when he was beetling around in his tank calling out target positions and lasing for me to deliver 1,000lb high-explosive gift baskets. Some connected but some did not despite confirmation and reconfirmation of the given coordinates.

So...

Turns out there are at least 4 different ways of representing Lat Long coordinates.

1. Degrees, Minutes and Seconds (DMS)

HDDD° MM' SS" : N 43° 40' 56" x W 116° 17' 14"

a more precise version of this is Degrees, Minutes and Decimal Seconds (DMDS)

HDDD° MM' SS.ss" : N 43° 40' 55.87" x W 116° 17' 14.12"

 

2. Degrees & Decimal Minutes (DDM)

HDDD° MM.mmm' : N 43° 40.931' x W 116° 17.235'

 

3. Decimal Degrees (DD)

HDDD.ddddd° : N 43.68216° x W 116.28725° 

 

4. UTM/UPS

11T 0557442m E 4836621 N

 

The format of the coordinates can be cycled in the F-10 map by pressing, by default, [LALT]+[Y]. The default format can be selected in the Options menu (more information in the DCS manual, page 46).

The following are the available coordinate formats in DCS:

Precise Lat/Long: very precise representation of the coordinates, up to 1/100 of second by reporting decimal seconds as well;

LatLong DMS: discussed above;

Metric: absolute X/Y coordinates;

LatLong DDM: discussed above;

NATO MRGS: acronym for Military Grid Reference System.

 

Depending on what airframe/vehicle you are in/talking to will define which need to be used.

F-14 crews want DMS (DD°MM'SS")

F/A-18C crews want DMDS (DD°MM'SS.ss")

F-16 crews want DDM (DD°MM.mm')

Mirage 2000 crews want DD (DD.ddddd°)

A-10Cs have the ability to choose IIRC and are therefore the most flexible.

 

There are conversions but I have to go now so will talk about them later.

For now just be aware the target coordinates you give/take may not be the ideal format for your/their system to handle.

 

[Friar]

The co-ordinates I gave to Fenrir were those presented to me via the binoculars and using the Lazer option.

This was the same target that I worked with Fruitbat the other day (and I am pretty sure the same numbers)

I will check to see if the display from the tank can be changed to the pilots required format.

Nice post Fen (as always)

I am wondering if the format I got was based on my F10 settings? hmm....

[fruitbat]

Fortunately the type of coordinates you had in your binoculars were correct for the type the f-16 uses.

 

In the f10 map you can cycle through the 4 types with 'left alt y' from memory.

Wonder if that cycles them in the binoculars to.

 

Edit, the F-18 can take the same as the 14, as long as you don't enable precise coordinates in the HSI.

[Friar]

Just now, fruitbat said:

Wonder if that cycles them in the binoculars to.

That's what I was thinking. 

Perhaps that's what you get flying a modern jet as opposed to an "older" model (place tin hat on head - take cover from in bound F14 missile)

[fruitbat]

You can set what type your f10 map defaults to in settings by the way.

 

Edit, after reading Tom's post fully instead of glancing at it, see that is already covered 🙈