Coordinate Plotting and Maps
Edit on GitHubTurn N4553 E01230 into a position on a map, phone app or GPS device
Coordinate Plotting and Maps
Overview
The beacon transmits position in compact DDM form: N4553 E01230. This page covers converting that to a usable location and entering it into common tools.
Decoding the Format
| Token | Meaning | Value |
|---|---|---|
N4553 | Latitude | 45 degrees, 53 minutes North |
E01230 | Longitude | 12 degrees, 30 minutes East |
PSN | Position follows | - |
DDM precision is about 0.1 arcminute, roughly 185 m at this latitude.
Conversion Math
N4553 -> 45 deg 53.0 min N = 45.8833 N
E01230 -> 12 deg 30.0 min E = 12.5000 EMinutes are decimal minutes, not seconds: 53 minutes = 53/60 of a degree.
Plotting Tools
| Tool | How |
|---|---|
| Google Maps | Search 45.8833, 12.5000 |
| OpenStreetMap | Search the same decimal pair |
| Phone map app | Paste decimal degrees into the search box |
| Garmin / handheld | Enter as decimal degrees or DDM |
| Paper map | Convert to DDM and use the graticule |
Double-Check Rules
- N or S first, then the number - do not drop the hemisphere.
- Longitude has three digits before the minutes in the beacon format (
E012), latitude has two (N45). - A transposed pair puts you on the wrong side of the map - verify the number of digits.
- If the beacon reports
PSN UNKN, no fix was available; use the last strong SEARCH hit direction instead.