A measurement while drilling system for a drill string having a fluidic medium in the drill string. The measurement while drilling system includes a first module situated at a distal end of the drill string and including a downhole processor and a pulser communicatively coupled to the downhole processor and configured to provide a pressure pulse in the fluidic medium, and a second module situated at a proximal end of the drill string and including an uphole processor and a pressure sensor communicatively coupled to the uphole processor. The downhole processor is configured to direct the pulser to provide the pressure pulse and the pressure sensor is configured to sense the pressure pulse. The uphole processor is configured to receive signals from the pressure sensor to determine a distance from the first module to the second module.