An electronic absolute position encoder includes a scale extending along a measuring axis direction (MA) and including a signal modulating scale pattern defining a corresponding absolute range R along MA, a detector including sensing elements arranged along MA and configured to provide detector signals which respond to the signal modulating scale pattern, and a signal processing configuration that determines an absolute position of the detector along the scale based on the detector signals. The signal modulating scale pattern includes a coarse periodic pattern component as a function of position along the scale having a spatial wavelength λC, wherein n*λC=R and n is an integer, and a fine periodic pattern component as a function of position along the scale having a spatial wavelength λF, wherein (mn+1)*λF=R and m is an integer that is at least two. The wavelengths λC and λC may be widely separated.