2. This presentation is intended as a
quick summary, and not a
comprehensive resource. If you
want to learn Land Navigation in
detail, either buy a book; or get
someone, who has the knowledge
and skills, to teach you in person.
WARNING
Module 2 Map Margin
PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
3. NOTE
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
To get the ideas across presented on
these slides, many figures, pictures,
and calculations may not be to scale
and may be exaggerated for clarity.
4. Note:
Note:
Prior to being issued any training *equipment, you will
be required to sign a “statement of liability” agreeing
to pay for anything you damage or lose.
All items will be inspected and inventoried prior to
your signature and at the end of the training day too.
If you do not intend to sign this statement, then you
may be denied training.
* You may use your own equipment.
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
8. LAND NAVIGATION WITH MAP
AND LENSATIC COMPASS
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
9. LAND NAVIGATION
LAND NAVIGATION
Why Learn Land Navigation?
- Tracking present location
- Determining Distance
- Sense of direction
- How to read a topographic map
-Terrain and map association
- Spatial skills
- Planning safe, practical routes
- And more Navigational skills
The best way to learn LAND NAVIGATION is to get "dirt time", that is, get out there with a map and
compass!
Navigation is not about finding yourself after you are lost (although that’s what happens sometimes); it’s
about keeping track of your position as you move away from a known point. As you move you have to
remain cognizant of the terrain you are leaving, of the terrain you are passing, and of the terrain that is
ahead.
Navigation in the wilderness means knowing your starting point, your destination, and your route to get there.
(Where am I ?)
(How far is it and am I there yet ?)
(Where do I want to go and where am I actually going ?)
(Do I understand the map ?)
(What hill or river am I looking at ?)
(Can I mentally visualize the landscape in 3D ?)
(Take a long safe route or a short risky route ?)
Training and practicing land navigation on foot
provides the following everyday navigation (how not to get lost) benefits;
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
10. THIS PRESENTATION IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS
THIS PRESENTATION IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
Basic Land Navigation
The Lensatic Compass module 1
The Topographic Map modules 2, 3, 4,
The Land and Map Association modules 5, 6
PART 2 Intermediate Land Navigation
Intermediate Land Navigation
Making Sense of Direction module 7
Tracking Present Location modules 8, 9, 10, 11
Determining Travel Distance modules 12, 13, 14
PART 3 Advance Land Navigation
Advance Land Navigation
Navigation Methods to Stay On Course module 15
Additional Skills of Land Navigation module 16
Planning to Navigate module 17
PART 4 Expert Land Navigation
Navigation in different types of Terrain module 18
Night Navigation module 19
Sustainment module 20
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
11. THESE ARE THE TRAINING MODULES
THESE ARE THE TRAINING MODULES
Module 1 Lensatic Compass – parts and features, and how to sight the compass by two different methods.
Module 2 Topo Map Margin – what map margin data represents, map care, and how to properly fold a map.
Module 3 Topo Map Scale – map sizes and how it affects amount of detail that will be shown.
Module 4 Topo Map Symbols – you must understand them; to read and speak map language to others.
Module 5 Terrain Relief – shows elevation, indicates terrain features and heights of natural features.
Module 6 Map Information – what a protractor is for and how a map provides four kinds of information.
Module 7 Sense of Direction – lateral drift, current bearing, obstacles, back azimuth, deliberate offset.
Module 8 Resection – locate position with map only. Modified resection is with a map or compass.
Module 9 Intersection & Triangulation – two methods to locate position by compass.
Module 10 Map Speaks Compass Language - there is no need to orient the map to find your position.
Module 11 Plotting Position Coordinates – exact positioning, used to communicate to others with a map.
Module 12 Route Measure – mapping straight-line distance, curvature distance, and slope distance.
Module 13 Pace Count – using ranger pacing beads and estimating hiking speed.
Module 14 Travel Distance Estimation – estimating by 100 meter rule, rule-of-thumb, and by time.
Module 15 Plan to Navigate – in a group or alone, equipment, safety, responsibilities, route selection.
Module 16 Stay on Course – advance reference points and advance baselines.
Module 17 Additional Land Navigation Skills – estimate daylight, conserve energy, blisters, weather insight.
Module 18 Navigating Different Terrain – special environments, featureless terrain, visibility, dense foilage.
Module 19 Night Navigation – night adaptation, protecting night vision, navigate with lensatic compass.
Module 20 Sustainment – maintaining skills, training others, setting up a land navigation course.
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
13. PART 1
BASIC LAND NAVIGATION
BASIC LAND NAVIGATION
MODULE 2
• The Topographic Map
– Map Margin
– Map Care
– Folding Map
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
14. THE TOPOGRPHIC MAP
THE TOPOGRPHIC MAP
Without ever having been
to a particular place, and with out
talking to someone who has been
there, you can already know quite
a lot about it with a map. A map is
a graphic representation of the
earth’s surface drawn to scale, as
seen from above. It uses colors,
lines, symbols, and labels to
represent features found on the
ground.
However, the finest maps
available are worthless unless the
map user knows how to read them.
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
15. TOPOGRAPHIC MAP
DESCRIPTION
• Reading a map is a language composed of lines, colors, and symbols.
• Five basic colors are used for Topographic Maps.
– Brown (Contour Lines)
– Black (Man Made Features, Roads, Trails)
– Blue (Water Features)
– Green (Vegetation)
– Red (Highway and Land Grids)
– Two minor colors
• Pink (Built up area, civilization)
• Purple (Updated Map Information)
• Symbols are used to represent the natural and man-made features of the earth.
• Lines show relief and elevation; it indicates variations in terrain features and heights of natural features.
• Every map has Margin Information about the map.
• Maps come in three scale sizes; SMALL, MEDIUM, and LARGE. Which affects the amount of area
covered and detail that will be shown.
• A map is read for four basic kinds of information.
– Direction
– Distance
– Position
– Identification
• Maps must be taken care of and properly folded for field use.
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16. • A map could be compared to any piece of equipment, in that before it is placed into operation the user
must read the instructions.
• It is important that you know how to read these instructions.
• The most logical place to begin is the marginal information and symbols, where useful information telling
about the map is located and explained.
• All maps are not the same, so it becomes necessary every time a different map is used to examine the
marginal information carefully.
Map Margin Information
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17. The top left corner of all USGS topographic maps carries the imprint of the authority
responsible for the mapping of the United States
Map Margin Information
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18. In the upper right corner is the complete quadrangle name. The state is also given,
as may be the county. Also included is the area covered and the type of map.
Map Margin Information
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19. In the bottom right corner of the map is a
• key to roads on the map.
• Map name and state.
• date of the map - one of the most significant pieces of information available.
• quadrangle location shown as a black square superimposed on a state map.
Map Margin Information
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
20. Map Margin Information
At bottom center is the
• map scale ratio – size of area covered and terrain detail.
• Distance bar scales show several alternative units for the measurement of
distance.
• the contour interval. The contours are the brown lines.
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
21. Map Margin Information
In the lower left corner is the credit legend, a complex of information. And the following
• the magnetic declination.
– The star indicates true north: the direction of the North (rotational) Pole
– "MN" indicates the direction of the North Magnetic Pole
– "GN" (Grid North), the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid.
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
22. Additional information is distributed around the entire map margin. (only “need to know” items are circled)
• (1) names for adjoining quadrangle maps (in black). Adjacent to corners and centers of the map
sides.
• (2) In red are the distances by road to the nearest towns.
• (3) The spherical grid, latitude and longitude, complete coordinates are given at each corner of the
map.
• (4) the UTM (in black lettering with blue tics) and the UTM grid is in kilometers.
(2)
(1)
(4)
(3)
(4)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1) (1)
(1) (1)
(1)
Map Margin Information
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24. Map Folding and Map Care
• Maps should be correctly folded.
– Maps should be folded to make them small enough to be carried and still be available for use
without having to unfold them entirely.
– After a map has been folded it should be placed in a folder for protection. This will prevent the
corners and edges of the map from wearing out and tearing easily when opened.
• It is hard to navigate accurately with a dirty, grimy, wet or damaged map. Take care of your map and it
will take care of you.
– Most maps are printed on paper and require protection from water, mud, weather, and tearing.
– Whenever possible, a map should be carried in a waterproof packet to prolong its life.
– Waterproofing maps.
• Marking a map.
– If it is necessary to mark a map, use light lines so that they may be erased without smearing or
smudging. If the margins of the map must be trimmed note any marginal information which may be
needed, such as grid data or magnetic declination data, on the back of the map.
• Special care should be taken of a map that is being used in any situation, especially in a small group;
the mission may depend on that map.
All members of the
group should know the
map’s location at all
times.
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
27. Note:
Note:
Prior to being issued any training *equipment, you will
be required to sign a “statement of liability” agreeing
to pay for anything you damage or lose.
All items will be inspected and inventoried prior to
your signature and at the end of the training day too.
If you do not intend to sign this statement, then you
may be denied training.
* You may use your own equipment.
Module 2 Map Margin
PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
28. Now it is time for the following . . .
• Written exam
• Hands-on / Outdoors exam
TESTING
TESTING
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PART 1 Basic Land Navigation
29. THE END OF
LAND NAVIGATION
LAND NAVIGATION
PRESENTATION
PART 1
Module 2
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