Provided are techniques for determining a reel motor angle. An estimate of an interval to degrees translation factor that represents a measurement angle interval divided by a first pulse count is calculated, wherein the first pulse count represents format transitions counted during an angular measurement interval. A reel motor angle is determined using the estimate by: receiving an indication that a rotating reference point has crossed a stationary reference point, wherein the indication is recognized as indicating that an angle between a motor rotor and a motor stator is a reference angle; determining a second pulse count, wherein the second pulse count represents format transitions counted since the indication was received to a given point in time; and at the given point in time, multiplying the second pulse count by the estimate to generate a first value and adding the reference angle to the first value to generate the reel motor angle.