10.5 Tiny Bytes: What's the Deal with UTM?

Using the correct UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) zone is crucial when working with GIS data mapped to a UTM zone. We explain how projections work to translate locations from Earth's spherical surface to flat maps, and why UTM zones are critical for accurate agricultural mapping.

• UTM divides Earth into 60 zones, each six degrees of longitude wide
• UTM choice errors cause maps to appear in completely wrong locations, like oceans
• Creating maps in the wrong UTM zone leads to unusable prescriptions for field operations
• Maps created in one UTM zone but opened in another will show incorrect positions
• Farms located on UTM zone boundaries may encounter projection issues more frequently
• Always verify your UTM zone settings when working in mapping software
• Turn on background maps to confirm your fields are projecting in the correct location
• Reprojection tools in ADMS can help fix UTM errors

Avoid the sharks and floaties, check your UTM!

https://gktechinc.com/

https://gktechinc.com/

Transcript

Field Maps in the Ocean Problem

Jodi 0:00

And now it's time for a Tiny Byte of knowledge . Hey , Sarah , I opened up one of my zone maps the other day and I turned on my background maps and opened up in the ocean . Why ?

Sarah 0:24

What happened ? You don't farm in the middle of the

Sarah 0:27

Atlantic ocean . What are you talking about ?

Jodi 0:31

no , we're a little bit drier than that in western North Dakota , unfortunately , or fortunately I bet you are well , Jodi .

Sarah 0:39

The recommendation I'm going to have for you is check your UTM zone . Chances are that raster map was made using the incorrect UTM , which is why it is projecting in the incorrect place .

Jodi 0:57

Oh my gosh , what is a UTM and what is a projection ?

Understanding Projections and UTM Zones

Sarah 1:02

Well , let's start by talking about what a projection is . A projection is the idea of taking location data from . You know the earth , which is round . It's a sphere . So you know that whole idea of taking a round ball and the location that you might be on and putting it onto a flat map . Okay , think about taking an orange and peeling peeling an orange and then making it flat on a piece of paper . It's not going to be completely perfect and we need to figure out how to project our locations and our maps from this round earth onto something flat . So that's the whole idea of what projection is . There's a lot of different ways of doing projection . Many different models exist , but one way that we can project correctly is by using this concept of UTM , utm .

Jodi 1:56

That sounds dangerous . What is a UTM ?

Sarah 2:00

Well Jodi , UTM stands for Universal Transverse Mercator . Isn't Mercator a fun word ? I love that word .

Jodi 2:08

Sounds very Spanish . Explorer 1600s , 1500s , 1400s .

Sarah 2:15

Isn't that interesting that that's also when we discovered that the world was round .

Jodi 2:20

I don't know , Sarah .

Sarah 2:21

I still have my doubts , but anyways you know , creating maps would be a lot easier if the world was flat , wouldn't it ? But it is not , and thus continues the conversation about UTM , universal Transverse Mercator . This is a mathematical model where positions , satellite-derived positions , can be corresponded with positions on a standard map . Okay , and so one of the things that we can help to kind of frame up our mind about this is how , like , the sizes of things on the earth when we project it onto something flat versus when it's in that globe , can look different .

Common UTM Errors and Solutions

Sarah 3:05

You know , think about something about , like , what the size of the United States of America looks like on a globe and then think about what the size of Greenland looks like on a globe , and then think about what that looks like on a flat map . Greenland looks way bigger , doesn't it ? It's because we're trying to put it onto something flat .

Sarah 3:26

So we use UTM , universal Transverse Mercator projection models to help us translate that concept of round onto flat , and we certainly use that in our mapping software , adms mapping software , adms here at GK Technology . So UTM it divides the earth into 60 zones . Do you know how wide these zones are ? Are they six degrees wide ? They are six degrees of longitude . Wide is how wide they are Now . There are a couple of exceptions to the rule , but for the most part they're all six , six degrees , six longitudinal degrees wide .

Jodi 4:08

So what it sounds like is like what we run into when we're just using a regular like map projection , like what you might be familiar with in school , right , where Greenland looks really big and Antarctica looks really big at the north and south end of the map . What we're trying to do with the UTM , it sounds like , is like reduce the amount of distortion at the north and the south ends of of the map that we're trying to make right , because , like when we think about it , we're trying to take a round earth and trying to take that round earth and project it onto a flat computer screen and then also , you know , work with it on our flat monitors that we're trying to use to vary our components . Okay , so that's what those six degrees helps us do is these long strips reduce the amount of distortion that we're seeing and allows us to actually make accurate measurements across , you know , a UTM zone and make it flat without distortion or minimize Absolutely .

Sarah 5:04

And project it correctly , right ? So I don't know if there's any of our software users out there listening to this podcast , but if you are and you have mapped incorrectly in a UTM zone , you will notice that the map that was made in the incorrect UTM shows up someplace completely bogus on the globe once it's projected back into the normal . If you don't correct the UTM zone projection and you just open it up in the wrong UTM , it will project it in a very bogus location , someplace that doesn't make any sense at all .

Jodi 5:42

Like me finding my field in an ocean .

Sarah 5:45

Exactly , and there are more customer calls that we deal with on this particular issue than what a guy realizes . And so if you actually create maps in the wrong UTM and then you go back to the correct UTM , those maps will be incorrect , all right . If you open a map that was created in the correct UTM , but you open it in the wrong UTM , it will also not be correct . At the very minimum , you're going to see the angle change on your screen , and so it's just really important that you create and open in the correct UTM . So software users always check your UTM zone . If you turn on a map and it is not projecting in the correct place , you need to reproject it .

Jodi 6:36

There are tools within ADMS software to help you reproject into the correct UTM zone , and so if you need help figuring that out , let us know , and if you work in those areas , that where you're on two UTM zone breaks which is very common that's a very common thing to have happen . You may deal with this problem a little bit more than others , but just be careful . You know , when you're working in a field , make sure that you're working in the right UTM zone . Double check it , triple check it . Turn on your background maps . Make sure that you're working in the right UTM zone . That'll ensure that there's not any problems when you're trying to combine and create layers and create maps .

Key Takeaways for ADMS Users

Sarah 7:20

And then also we'll make sure that there's no errors when you're writing out prescriptions to controllers as well . And again , if you create a prescription in the wrong UTM and it goes out to your tractor for a variable rate prescription , it will not be correct . And yeah , chances are that controller won't even be able to find the GPS locations for that field in there . So that happens . That's what's going on , so take home message .

Jodi 7:41

So , sarah , what you're telling me is that I don't need to buy floaties and like a boat to farm my fields . I just have to make sure that I'm in the right UTM zone when I'm working in ADMS and dealing with my GIS data .

Sarah 7:55

That's right , Jodi . Skip the sharks , skip the floaties .

Jodi 8:00

check your UTM zone , Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology , where we have a map and an app for that .