diff --git a/config/runtime.exs b/config/runtime.exs
index 5da503b0..b750a94a 100644
--- a/config/runtime.exs
+++ b/config/runtime.exs
@@ -223,6 +223,10 @@ if config_env() == :prod do
          # NarrFetchWorker against NCEI. See narr_jobs_for_contact/1.
          {"*/30 * * * *", Microwaveprop.Workers.BackfillEnqueueWorker,
           args: %{"limit" => 500, "types" => ["hrrr", "weather", "terrain", "iemre", "narr"]}},
+         # Hourly safety net for pos1/pos2/distance_km. Normally every contact
+         # gets positions at insert time via Radio.resolve_grids_and_insert/1,
+         # but direct DB writes (manual fixes, bulk imports) can bypass that.
+         {"0 * * * *", Microwaveprop.Workers.ContactPositionBackfillWorker, args: %{"limit" => 500}},
          # UWYO publishes the 00Z/12Z Canadian radiosondes ~90 minutes after launch
          {"30 1 * * *", CanadianSoundingFetchWorker},
          {"30 13 * * *", CanadianSoundingFetchWorker},
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/workers/contact_position_backfill_worker.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/workers/contact_position_backfill_worker.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..81ea667c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/workers/contact_position_backfill_worker.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+defmodule Microwaveprop.Workers.ContactPositionBackfillWorker do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Hourly safety net that fills in `pos1` / `pos2` / `distance_km` for contacts
+  whose grids resolve but whose positions are null.
+
+  New contacts always have positions because `Radio.create_contact/1` refuses
+  to insert without resolvable grids. This worker exists for rows that arrive
+  via direct DB writes (bulk imports, manual fixes) which bypass that path.
+  """
+  use Oban.Worker, queue: :admin, max_attempts: 1, unique: [period: 60]
+
+  import Ecto.Query
+
+  alias Microwaveprop.Radio
+  alias Microwaveprop.Radio.Contact
+  alias Microwaveprop.Radio.Maidenhead
+  alias Microwaveprop.Repo
+
+  require Logger
+
+  @default_limit 500
+
+  @impl Oban.Worker
+  def perform(%Oban.Job{args: args}) do
+    limit = Map.get(args, "limit", @default_limit)
+
+    candidates =
+      Contact
+      |> where([c], (is_nil(c.pos1) and not is_nil(c.grid1)) or (is_nil(c.pos2) and not is_nil(c.grid2)))
+      |> limit(^limit)
+      |> Repo.all()
+
+    count =
+      Enum.count(candidates, fn contact ->
+        updates = compute_updates(contact)
+
+        if updates == [] do
+          false
+        else
+          {n, _} =
+            Contact
+            |> where(id: ^contact.id)
+            |> Repo.update_all(set: updates)
+
+          n == 1
+        end
+      end)
+
+    if count > 0 do
+      Logger.info("ContactPositionBackfill: populated positions for #{count} contacts")
+    end
+
+    {:ok, %{updated: count}}
+  end
+
+  defp compute_updates(contact) do
+    pos1 = maybe_pos(contact.pos1, contact.grid1)
+    pos2 = maybe_pos(contact.pos2, contact.grid2)
+
+    []
+    |> add_pos_change(:pos1, contact.pos1, pos1)
+    |> add_pos_change(:pos2, contact.pos2, pos2)
+    |> add_distance_change(contact, pos1, pos2)
+    |> maybe_touch_updated_at()
+  end
+
+  defp maybe_pos(existing, _grid) when not is_nil(existing), do: existing
+  defp maybe_pos(_nil, nil), do: nil
+
+  defp maybe_pos(_nil, grid) do
+    case Maidenhead.to_latlon(grid) do
+      {:ok, {lat, lon}} -> %{"lat" => lat, "lon" => lon}
+      :error -> nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp add_pos_change(updates, _field, existing, _new) when not is_nil(existing), do: updates
+  defp add_pos_change(updates, _field, _existing, nil), do: updates
+  defp add_pos_change(updates, field, _nil, new), do: [{field, new} | updates]
+
+  defp add_distance_change(updates, contact, pos1, pos2) do
+    cond do
+      pos1 == nil or pos2 == nil ->
+        updates
+
+      not is_nil(contact.distance_km) and contact.pos1 != nil and contact.pos2 != nil ->
+        updates
+
+      true ->
+        distance =
+          pos1["lat"]
+          |> Radio.haversine_km(pos1["lon"], pos2["lat"], pos2["lon"])
+          |> round()
+          |> Decimal.new()
+
+        [{:distance_km, distance} | updates]
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp maybe_touch_updated_at([]), do: []
+
+  defp maybe_touch_updated_at(updates) do
+    [{:updated_at, DateTime.truncate(DateTime.utc_now(), :second)} | updates]
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/microwaveprop/workers/contact_position_backfill_worker_test.exs b/test/microwaveprop/workers/contact_position_backfill_worker_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..febfa36c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/microwaveprop/workers/contact_position_backfill_worker_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+defmodule Microwaveprop.Workers.ContactPositionBackfillWorkerTest do
+  use Microwaveprop.DataCase, async: true
+
+  alias Microwaveprop.Radio.Contact
+  alias Microwaveprop.Repo
+  alias Microwaveprop.Workers.ContactPositionBackfillWorker
+
+  defp insert_raw_contact!(attrs) do
+    defaults = %{
+      station1: "W5XD",
+      station2: "K5TR",
+      band: Decimal.new(10_000),
+      qso_timestamp: ~U[2026-03-28 18:00:00Z],
+      submitter_email: "t@example.com",
+      user_submitted: true
+    }
+
+    %Contact{}
+    |> Map.merge(defaults)
+    |> Map.merge(attrs)
+    |> Repo.insert!()
+  end
+
+  describe "perform/1" do
+    test "backfills pos1 from grid1 when pos1 is null" do
+      contact =
+        insert_raw_contact!(%{grid1: "EM12", grid2: "EM00", pos1: nil, pos2: nil, distance_km: nil})
+
+      assert {:ok, %{updated: 1}} = ContactPositionBackfillWorker.perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{}})
+
+      reloaded = Repo.reload!(contact)
+      assert %{"lat" => _, "lon" => _} = reloaded.pos1
+      assert %{"lat" => _, "lon" => _} = reloaded.pos2
+      assert reloaded.distance_km
+    end
+
+    test "backfills only pos1 when pos2 is already set" do
+      pos2 = %{"lat" => 40.0, "lon" => -100.0}
+
+      contact =
+        insert_raw_contact!(%{grid1: "EM12", grid2: "EM00", pos1: nil, pos2: pos2, distance_km: nil})
+
+      assert {:ok, %{updated: 1}} = ContactPositionBackfillWorker.perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{}})
+
+      reloaded = Repo.reload!(contact)
+      assert %{"lat" => _, "lon" => _} = reloaded.pos1
+      assert reloaded.pos2 == pos2
+      assert reloaded.distance_km
+    end
+
+    test "is a no-op for contacts that already have both positions" do
+      pos1 = %{"lat" => 32.0, "lon" => -97.0}
+      pos2 = %{"lat" => 40.0, "lon" => -100.0}
+
+      contact =
+        insert_raw_contact!(%{
+          grid1: "EM12",
+          grid2: "EM00",
+          pos1: pos1,
+          pos2: pos2,
+          distance_km: Decimal.new(1234)
+        })
+
+      assert {:ok, %{updated: 0}} = ContactPositionBackfillWorker.perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{}})
+
+      reloaded = Repo.reload!(contact)
+      assert reloaded.pos1 == pos1
+      assert reloaded.pos2 == pos2
+      assert Decimal.equal?(reloaded.distance_km, Decimal.new(1234))
+    end
+
+    test "skips contact with null pos and null grid" do
+      contact = insert_raw_contact!(%{grid1: nil, grid2: nil, pos1: nil, pos2: nil, distance_km: nil})
+
+      assert {:ok, %{updated: 0}} = ContactPositionBackfillWorker.perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{}})
+
+      reloaded = Repo.reload!(contact)
+      assert is_nil(reloaded.pos1)
+    end
+
+    test "fills only the resolvable side when one grid is invalid" do
+      contact =
+        insert_raw_contact!(%{grid1: "ZZZZ99", grid2: "EM00", pos1: nil, pos2: nil, distance_km: nil})
+
+      assert {:ok, %{updated: 1}} = ContactPositionBackfillWorker.perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{}})
+
+      reloaded = Repo.reload!(contact)
+      assert is_nil(reloaded.pos1)
+      assert %{"lat" => _, "lon" => _} = reloaded.pos2
+      assert is_nil(reloaded.distance_km)
+    end
+
+    test "skips contact where both grids are unresolvable" do
+      contact =
+        insert_raw_contact!(%{grid1: "ZZZZ99", grid2: "!!!!!!", pos1: nil, pos2: nil, distance_km: nil})
+
+      assert {:ok, %{updated: 0}} = ContactPositionBackfillWorker.perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{}})
+
+      reloaded = Repo.reload!(contact)
+      assert is_nil(reloaded.pos1)
+      assert is_nil(reloaded.pos2)
+    end
+
+    test "respects limit arg" do
+      for i <- 1..3 do
+        insert_raw_contact!(%{
+          grid1: "EM12",
+          grid2: "EM00",
+          pos1: nil,
+          pos2: nil,
+          distance_km: nil,
+          qso_timestamp: DateTime.add(~U[2026-03-28 18:00:00Z], i * 3600, :second)
+        })
+      end
+
+      assert {:ok, %{updated: 2}} =
+               ContactPositionBackfillWorker.perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{"limit" => 2}})
+
+      remaining =
+        Contact
+        |> Ecto.Query.from(where: [grid1: "EM12"])
+        |> Ecto.Query.where([c], is_nil(c.pos1))
+        |> Repo.aggregate(:count)
+
+      assert remaining == 1
+    end
+
+    test "computes distance_km from both grids" do
+      contact =
+        insert_raw_contact!(%{grid1: "EM12", grid2: "EM00", pos1: nil, pos2: nil, distance_km: nil})
+
+      assert {:ok, _} = ContactPositionBackfillWorker.perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{}})
+
+      reloaded = Repo.reload!(contact)
+      # EM12 and EM00 span ~333 km in the Central US
+      distance = Decimal.to_integer(reloaded.distance_km)
+      assert distance > 0 and distance < 1000
+    end
+  end
+end