July 2, 2025 • 8 mins
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!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jodi (00:00):
And now it's time for a Tiny Byte of knowledge.
Hey, Sarah, I opened up one ofmy zone maps the other day and I
turned on my background mapsand opened up in the ocean.
(00:22):
Why?
Sarah (00:24):
What happened?
You don't farm in the middle ofthe
Atlantic ocean.
What are you talking about?
Jodi (00:31):
no, we're a little bit drier than that in western North
Dakota, unfortunately, orfortunately I bet you are well,
Jodi.
Sarah (00:39):
The recommendation I'm going to have for you is check
your UTM zone.
Chances are that raster map wasmade using the incorrect UTM,
which is why it is projecting inthe incorrect place.
Jodi (00:57):
Oh my gosh, what is a UTM and what is a projection?
Sarah (01:02):
Well, let's start by talking about what a projection
is.
A projection is the idea oftaking location data from.
You know the earth, which isround.
It's a sphere.
So you know that whole idea oftaking a round ball and the
location that you might be onand putting it onto a flat map.
Okay, think about taking anorange and peeling peeling an
(01:26):
orange and then making it flaton a piece of paper.
It's not going to be completelyperfect and we need to figure
out how to project our locationsand our maps from this round
earth onto something flat.
So that's the whole idea ofwhat projection is.
There's a lot of different waysof doing projection.
Many different models exist,but one way that we can project
(01:51):
correctly is by using thisconcept of UTM, utm.
Jodi (01:56):
That sounds dangerous.
What is a UTM?
Sarah (02:00):
Well Jodi, UTM stands for Universal Transverse Mercator.
Isn't Mercator a fun word?
I love that word.
Jodi (02:08):
Sounds very Spanish.
Explorer 1600s, 1500s, 1400s.
Sarah (02:15):
Isn't that interesting that that's also when we
discovered that the world wasround.
Jodi (02:20):
I don't know, Sarah.
Sarah (02:21):
I still have my doubts, but anyways you know, creating
maps would be a lot easier ifthe world was flat, wouldn't it?
But it is not, and thuscontinues the conversation about
UTM, universal TransverseMercator.
This is a mathematical modelwhere positions,
(02:44):
satellite-derived positions, canbe corresponded with positions
on a standard map.
Okay, and so one of the thingsthat we can help to kind of
frame up our mind about this ishow, like, the sizes of things
on the earth when we project itonto something flat versus when
it's in that globe, can lookdifferent.
You know, think about somethingabout, like, what the size of
(03:08):
the United States of Americalooks like on a globe and then
think about what the size ofGreenland looks like on a globe,
and then think about what thatlooks like on a flat map.
Greenland looks way bigger,doesn't it?
It's because we're trying toput it onto something flat.
So we use UTM, universalTransverse Mercator projection
(03:31):
models to help us translate thatconcept of round onto flat, and
we certainly use that in ourmapping software, adms mapping
software, adms here at GKTechnology.
So UTM it divides the earthinto 60 zones.
Do you know how wide thesezones are?
Are they six degrees wide?
(03:53):
They are six degrees oflongitude.
Wide is how wide they are Now.
There are a couple ofexceptions to the rule, but for
the most part they're all six,six degrees, six longitudinal
degrees wide.
Jodi (04:08):
So what it sounds like is like what we run into when we're
just using a regular like mapprojection, like what you might
be familiar with in school,right, where Greenland looks
really big and Antarctica looksreally big at the north and
south end of the map.
What we're trying to do withthe UTM, it sounds like, is like
reduce the amount of distortionat the north and the south ends
of of the map that we're tryingto make right, because, like
(04:30):
when we think about it, we'retrying to take a round earth and
trying to take that round earthand project it onto a flat
computer screen and then also,you know, work with it on our
flat monitors that we're tryingto use to vary our components.
Okay, so that's what those sixdegrees helps us do is these
(04:51):
long strips reduce the amount ofdistortion that we're seeing
and allows us to actually makeaccurate measurements across,
you know, a UTM zone and make itflat without distortion or
minimize Absolutely.
Sarah (05:04):
And project it correctly, right?
So I don't know if there's anyof our software users out there
listening to this podcast, butif you are and you have mapped
incorrectly in a UTM zone, youwill notice that the map that
was made in the incorrect UTMshows up someplace completely
bogus on the globe once it'sprojected back into the normal.
(05:30):
If you don't correct the UTMzone projection and you just
open it up in the wrong UTM, itwill project it in a very bogus
location, someplace that doesn'tmake any sense at all.
Jodi (05:42):
Like me finding my field in an ocean.
Sarah (05:45):
Exactly, and there are more customer calls that we deal
with on this particular issuethan what a guy realizes.
And so if you actually createmaps 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 wascreated in the correct UTM, but
(06:08):
you open it in the wrong UTM, itwill also not be correct.
At the very minimum, you'regoing to see the angle change on
your screen, and so it's justreally important that you create
and open in the correct UTM.
So software users always checkyour UTM zone.
(06:29):
If you turn on a map and it isnot projecting in the correct
place, you need to reproject it.
Jodi (06:36):
There are tools within ADMS software to help you
reproject into the correct UTMzone, 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 UTMzone breaks which is very common
that's a very common thing tohave happen.
You may deal with this problema little bit more than others,
but just be careful.
(06:56):
You know, when you're workingin a field, make sure that
you're working in the right UTMzone.
Double check it, triple checkit.
Turn on your background maps.
Make sure that you're workingin the right UTM zone.
That'll ensure that there's notany problems when you're trying
to combine and create layersand create maps.
Sarah (07:20):
And then also we'll make sure that there's no errors when
you're writing outprescriptions to controllers as
well.
And again, if you create aprescription in the wrong UTM
and it goes out to your tractorfor a variable rate prescription
, it will not be correct.
And yeah, chances are thatcontroller won't even be able to
find the GPS locations for thatfield in there.
So that happens.
That's what's going on, so takehome message.
Jodi (07:41):
So, sarah, what you're telling me is that I don't need
to buy floaties and like a boatto farm my fields.
I just have to make sure thatI'm in the right UTM zone when
I'm working in ADMS and dealingwith my GIS data.
Sarah (07:55):
That's right, Jodi.
Skip the sharks, skip thefloaties.
Jodi (08:00):
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.
And now it's time for a Tiny Byte of knowledge.
Hey, Sarah, I opened up one ofmy zone maps the other day and I
turned on my background mapsand opened up in the ocean.
(00:22):
Why?
Sarah (00:24):
What happened?
You don't farm in the middle ofthe
Atlantic ocean.
What are you talking about?
Jodi (00:31):
no, we're a little bit drier than that in western North
Dakota, unfortunately, orfortunately I bet you are well,
Jodi.
Sarah (00:39):
The recommendation I'm going to have for you is check
your UTM zone.
Chances are that raster map wasmade using the incorrect UTM,
which is why it is projecting inthe incorrect place.
Jodi (00:57):
Oh my gosh, what is a UTM and what is a projection?
Sarah (01:02):
Well, let's start by talking about what a projection
is.
A projection is the idea oftaking location data from.
You know the earth, which isround.
It's a sphere.
So you know that whole idea oftaking a round ball and the
location that you might be onand putting it onto a flat map.
Okay, think about taking anorange and peeling peeling an
(01:26):
orange and then making it flaton a piece of paper.
It's not going to be completelyperfect and we need to figure
out how to project our locationsand our maps from this round
earth onto something flat.
So that's the whole idea ofwhat projection is.
There's a lot of different waysof doing projection.
Many different models exist,but one way that we can project
(01:51):
correctly is by using thisconcept of UTM, utm.
Jodi (01:56):
That sounds dangerous.
What is a UTM?
Sarah (02:00):
Well Jodi, UTM stands for Universal Transverse Mercator.
Isn't Mercator a fun word?
I love that word.
Jodi (02:08):
Sounds very Spanish.
Explorer 1600s, 1500s, 1400s.
Sarah (02:15):
Isn't that interesting that that's also when we
discovered that the world wasround.
Jodi (02:20):
I don't know, Sarah.
Sarah (02:21):
I still have my doubts, but anyways you know, creating
maps would be a lot easier ifthe world was flat, wouldn't it?
But it is not, and thuscontinues the conversation about
UTM, universal TransverseMercator.
This is a mathematical modelwhere positions,
(02:44):
satellite-derived positions, canbe corresponded with positions
on a standard map.
Okay, and so one of the thingsthat we can help to kind of
frame up our mind about this ishow, like, the sizes of things
on the earth when we project itonto something flat versus when
it's in that globe, can lookdifferent.
You know, think about somethingabout, like, what the size of
(03:08):
the United States of Americalooks like on a globe and then
think about what the size ofGreenland looks like on a globe,
and then think about what thatlooks like on a flat map.
Greenland looks way bigger,doesn't it?
It's because we're trying toput it onto something flat.
So we use UTM, universalTransverse Mercator projection
(03:31):
models to help us translate thatconcept of round onto flat, and
we certainly use that in ourmapping software, adms mapping
software, adms here at GKTechnology.
So UTM it divides the earthinto 60 zones.
Do you know how wide thesezones are?
Are they six degrees wide?
(03:53):
They are six degrees oflongitude.
Wide is how wide they are Now.
There are a couple ofexceptions to the rule, but for
the most part they're all six,six degrees, six longitudinal
degrees wide.
Jodi (04:08):
So what it sounds like is like what we run into when we're
just using a regular like mapprojection, like what you might
be familiar with in school,right, where Greenland looks
really big and Antarctica looksreally big at the north and
south end of the map.
What we're trying to do withthe UTM, it sounds like, is like
reduce the amount of distortionat the north and the south ends
of of the map that we're tryingto make right, because, like
(04:30):
when we think about it, we'retrying to take a round earth and
trying to take that round earthand project it onto a flat
computer screen and then also,you know, work with it on our
flat monitors that we're tryingto use to vary our components.
Okay, so that's what those sixdegrees helps us do is these
(04:51):
long strips reduce the amount ofdistortion that we're seeing
and allows us to actually makeaccurate measurements across,
you know, a UTM zone and make itflat without distortion or
minimize Absolutely.
Sarah (05:04):
And project it correctly, right?
So I don't know if there's anyof our software users out there
listening to this podcast, butif you are and you have mapped
incorrectly in a UTM zone, youwill notice that the map that
was made in the incorrect UTMshows up someplace completely
bogus on the globe once it'sprojected back into the normal.
(05:30):
If you don't correct the UTMzone projection and you just
open it up in the wrong UTM, itwill project it in a very bogus
location, someplace that doesn'tmake any sense at all.
Jodi (05:42):
Like me finding my field in an ocean.
Sarah (05:45):
Exactly, and there are more customer calls that we deal
with on this particular issuethan what a guy realizes.
And so if you actually createmaps 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 wascreated in the correct UTM, but
(06:08):
you open it in the wrong UTM, itwill also not be correct.
At the very minimum, you'regoing to see the angle change on
your screen, and so it's justreally important that you create
and open in the correct UTM.
So software users always checkyour UTM zone.
(06:29):
If you turn on a map and it isnot projecting in the correct
place, you need to reproject it.
Jodi (06:36):
There are tools within ADMS software to help you
reproject into the correct UTMzone, 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 UTMzone breaks which is very common
that's a very common thing tohave happen.
You may deal with this problema little bit more than others,
but just be careful.
(06:56):
You know, when you're workingin a field, make sure that
you're working in the right UTMzone.
Double check it, triple checkit.
Turn on your background maps.
Make sure that you're workingin the right UTM zone.
That'll ensure that there's notany problems when you're trying
to combine and create layersand create maps.
Sarah (07:20):
And then also we'll make sure that there's no errors when
you're writing outprescriptions to controllers as
well.
And again, if you create aprescription in the wrong UTM
and it goes out to your tractorfor a variable rate prescription
, it will not be correct.
And yeah, chances are thatcontroller won't even be able to
find the GPS locations for thatfield in there.
So that happens.
That's what's going on, so takehome message.
Jodi (07:41):
So, sarah, what you're telling me is that I don't need
to buy floaties and like a boatto farm my fields.
I just have to make sure thatI'm in the right UTM zone when
I'm working in ADMS and dealingwith my GIS data.
Sarah (07:55):
That's right, Jodi.
Skip the sharks, skip thefloaties.
Jodi (08:00):
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.
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