Navigation Tips for Beginners

Put all your navigation skills together to create a route for a group activity/adventure. Using variables such as the group’s goals, needs and abilities, you can research and explore options for your activity. Acquire relevant maps (recreational/topographic), read about the route in a guidebook, and find some recent route descriptions from an online source. Select the best path to achieve your objective. Mind map: think about the route to take, the conditions that may affect your day (temperature, winds, second day of a trip) and how far you want to travel. Look at options; are there other routes or campsites available to use as a contingency plan? If you plan for the unexpected, and find yourself having to adapt during your day, you will have another

route to follow and succeed.

Your home contact person (HCP) is your lifeline and back-up plan. The HCP should have a good understanding of what you are planning to do and how you plan to do it, including alternative plans. If you are using a locator beacon to check in, the HCP should have an understanding of what the SPOT can tell them – your position, and a SPOT’s limitations – it is only a one-way communication device. If you have UTM co-ordinates listed as part of you route plan, your home contact must know what the coordinates are. Ensure your HCP has the information and training she needs to assist you.

Landmarks

Landmarks are distinctive features that you can find in your area as well as on the map. Examples include peaks, lakes while on land, the end of a small island or the mouth of a stream. Matching your map with landmarks is one of the foundations to all map reading.

Handrails

Handrails are linear features leading you in the direction you wish to go. Identify a handrail on the map and in the field and then follow it towards your objective. Trails and roads are the most obvious handrails but you can follow fences, streams, edges of fields and other long narrow features just as easily as long as they are both on the map and in the field.

A good example would be a stream: a good way to get to your destination is to first get to the stream then follow the stream to your to help you find your destination. Following a handrail takes much less concentration then following a compass bearing. Also since a handrail is illustrated on a map and a compass bearing isn’t following a handrail makes it much easier to keep track of where you are. Using the water’s edge as a handrail while navigating on water can be more difficult as every bay can look similar, and some portages can be hard to locate.

Aiming Off

Aiming off is a technique to ensure you find your final destination, once you have hit your handrail. If you walk out onto a road, which way do you turn to find the parking lot on this road? When you cross a lake, is your campsite to the left or right along the shoreline? When trying to hit a handrail, plan to intentionally veer a few degrees to one side of your objective, so that when you hit the handrail (the road or opposite shoreline), you will be confident in which direction you need to turn. If you aim off to the right slightly, when you hit your handrail, you would turn left to reach your destination.

Estimating Distance

Estimating the distance between two points can be done using the following methods:

● Measure the straight-line distance with the ruler on your compass, and compare with the scale chart on the bottom of the map.

● Use the string on your compass to measure the direct line, or curve it along a known trail: Start fingers at one spot, lay the string on the map/trail, mark the end point by pinching with your fingers. Pull the string straight and measure against the scale chart.

● A quick way to estimate distance is to count the UTM 1 km gridlines, although this will only be approximate. Always count both the gridline across and the gridline up as one each; never count a gridline diagonally as one. This can work very well for cross-country travel without trails (alpine or grassland), and when on the water. Meandering trails with numerous switchbacks will be more difficult to estimate distance for using this method. Although it may be easy to estimate distance over water, factors such as tides, currents, waves and wind will greatly affect your travel time.

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Latitude and Longitude for Beginner Navigators

Today I received a message from my ex-student asked about latitude & longitude for his additional knowledge. He don't have any idea about that term. So I love to share what ever I can provide, so I spent my time to did some reading & writing what ever I can put in this post.

Basically, latitude and longitude are angles that uniquely define points on a sphere. Together, the angles comprise a coordinate scheme that can locate or identify geographic positions on the surfaces of planets such as the earth.

Latitude is defined with respect to an equatorial reference plane. This plane passes through the center C of the sphere, and also contains the great circle representing the equator. The latitude of a point P on the surface is defined as the angle that a straight line, passing through both P and C , subtends with respect to the equatorial plane. If P is above the reference plane, the latitude is positive (or northerly); if P is below the reference plane, the latitude is negative (or southerly). Latitude angles can range up to +90 degrees (or 90 degrees north), and down to -90 degrees (or 90 degrees south). Latitudes of +90 and -90 degrees correspond to the north and south geographic poles on the earth, respectively.

Longitude is defined in terms of meridians, which are half-circles running from pole to pole. A reference meridian, called the prime meridian , is selected, and this forms the reference by which longitudes are defined. On the earth, the prime meridian passes through Greenwich, England; for this reason it is also called the Greenwich meridian . The longitude of a point P on the surface is defined as the angle that the plane containing the meridian passing through P subtends with respect to the plane containing the prime meridian. If P is to the east of the prime meridian, the longitude is positive; if P is to the west of the prime meridian, the longitude is negative. Longitude angles can range up to +180 degrees (180 degrees east), and down to -180 degrees (180 degrees west). The +180 and -180 degree longitude meridians coincide directly opposite the prime meridian. Latitude and longitude coordinates on the earth are sometimes extended into space to form a set of celestial coordinates.

It is okay if keep asking others person if we are don't knowing well certain information in certain area. May the person willing to show you the way via many medium that are suitable best.

The right to make a copy for personal use is part of most existing publishing agreements. This right is recognised as an important right for the author. Because the right is attached to the author and in most cases well defined, personal use won’t harm the publisher.

SUUNTO Orienteering Technical Course

Course: SUUNTO Orienteering Technical Course

Date: 8-9 Oct 2011
Location: Gua Tempurung, Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia

First time I know the information for this course, already make me feel interested to be a participants. I enrolled at the last minute and thanks to the organizer, because he was accepted me.

I rode my bikes to the course location took me around 6 hours journey plus a rest stops. This time really enjoyed the ride because I have never rode my bike beyond Rawang exit in Selangor. This time was my first ride in Perak.

The course really informative either you were first timer (without basic) or you already familiar with compass, map & trail running! This course conducted by Magnet Edge with collaboration with SNR Adventures, these companies were no stranger in organizing such orienteering races & rogaining races in Malaysia. They also a part of technical team for a few local adventure races.

The participants exposed to the technical knowledge & the instructor shared their experience in equipped the technical team pre, during and post orienteering race organized. The basic knowledge seems help most of us to mastered, because this course taught us to be orienteering race organizer.

As the final part of this course, all eight participants divided by two teams and need to set the orienteering course for each other at Gua Tempurung parameter. My team manage to set the 'real' orienteering course which need to walk-run for around 5km to completed the course.

The greatest part was, the participants & the instructors together swam the nearby river with strong current as a post course activity.

Later, I rode my bike headed down to my hometown JB..

Basic Navigation

Navigation (pandu arah) is an essential skill that every people who are involving in outdoor recreation activity must have. Navigation can be used either with equipment (compass) or with natural sources (sun). But certain level of navigation is using a combination of equipments and the nature.

The lowest level to determine the direction is using compass (walking in the woods) and the highest level of navigation is using a scientific calculation and sophisticated equipments (landing on the moon). From the beginning, people navigate and marked their destination with many methods until a civilization happen.

Wilderness navigation can be an invaluable skill when exploring the great outdoors. The best places to explore and go hiking have no roads and lots of vegetation, making it very easy to get lost. If you’ve ever been lost in the woods for any length of time, you’ll know that it’s a very humbling and unpleasant feeling. A little preparation and practice with a few simple navigation tools can help you stay on track and avoid getting lost.

Before you set out on your next walk in the woods, take the time to learn how to read a map, use a compass, operate a GPS, and use the sun and stars to guide you. Below are some of the essential wilderness navigation skills that you can use to survive a wrong turn in the woods.

Know the Major Landmarks
Research the area that you’re going into. Most parks and campgrounds have some known boundary points. For example, the area where we go has a highway on one border and a river on another side. Knowing where I’m supposed to be in relation to these landmarks can help you get back on track. When you’re lost, you often think that you’re headed in one direction…when in fact, you’re headed in the opposite direction. Take some time before your trip to familiarize your group with a map and the area that you’ll be in.

How to Read a Map
Map reading is one of the pillars of wilderness navigation, and like any skill, it gets easier with some practice. Being able to translate the symbols, lines and colors of the map to the actual terrain features in front of you can be confusing sometimes, but it gets much easier after you try it a few times. Most maps will have a legend or key that will show you the symbols used on the map and what they represent. The colors used on maps are pretty standard and represent different types of features, as follows:

* Black: Used for man-made features and cultural areas such as buildings, roads, railways, pipelines, and property boundaries.
* Brown: Used for topographic and surface features such as contour lines.
* Green: Used to show vegetation features, such as woods.
* Blue: Used for water features, such as rivers, streams, lakes, and swamps.
* Red: Used for main roads, such as highways. It can also be used to show special features like a tunnel or survey lines.


Contour Lines
Contour lines are used to connect points of equal elevation. Being able to decipher contour lines and translate them to a picture of the terrain is a handy wilderness navigation skill. Lines that are close together indicate a steep rise in elevation. Often times, maps will label the contour lines with their elevation above sea level. Below are a few examples of what a map will show relative to the actual terrain features that they represent:

The Map’s Scale
Another key element of map reading is the scale on the map. Often overlooked, this scale can help you estimate distances and better plan the timing and route of your hike. Most maps are in a scale of 1:24,000 (standard) or 1:25,000 (metric). For the 1:24,000 scale maps, one inch equals 2,000 feet. For the 1:25,000 maps, 5 centimeters equals 1,250 meters. Look at the scale of your map and use it to your advantage. Many maps will have grid-squares to help assist in estimating distances on your map. Knowing the scale of the map and your pace length can help you get back on track...and back to camp! See the pace counting section below.


Map Care
If you need a map for your next camping trip or hike, than taking care of your map should be a top priority. If your map is not water-proof, be sure to protect it in a plastic bag or case. When you fold your map, take the time to do it properly. If you fold your map a different way each time, the creases will become worn and rip and these areas of the map will be unreadable. Depending on your trip and the type of map that you have, it may be worth your while to have it laminated. Most of the larger office supply stores can do this at a reasonable price.


Pace Counting
If you’re participating in a wilderness navigation or orienteering course, you’ll need to plot and hike through a variety of bearings and checkpoints, and you’ll also need to gauge the distance that you’re covering between each to see if you’re on track. To do this, you’ll count your paces and compare it to the projected distance that you measured on your map.

To figure out your pace count, measure a 25 meter length on a sidewalk or path, and count your paces to cover that distance. Multiply this number by 4 to get number of paces per 100 meters. Using a set of simple pace beads (like below), count your paces for the first 100 meters and then slide the first bead down. When you reach 1,000 meters, you slide down one of the top beads and reset the lower beads. It may seam archaic…but it works really well! While the use of GPS units has made land navigation a forgotten skill, it’s nice to have a back-up plan for when the batteries die!

Using a Map with a Compass
A map is necessary in wilderness navigation, but it’s not very useful without a compass to orient yourself. Once you establish the position on the map where you are (Start) and the point where you’re going to stop (Finish), the line between them is your path (azimuth). You can take your straight-edge ruler and lightly sketch this path on your map. If you have a protractor, you can also measure the compass bearing from the angle of your new line and the map’s vertical north line. If not, don’t worry – there’s another way. Place your compass on the map and turn the map until the north arrow on the map lines up with the with the north arrow on the compass (both map and compass should be on a level and flat surface). If you place your compass at the start of your path, and the north arrow on the compass lines up with the vertical grid-north lines on the map, you should be able to look down and see what direction your path is with respect to your compass bearing. Look at the bearing on the compass that lines up with the direction of your path – this is your azimuth. In the picture below, the azimuth is approximately 330 degrees.

Now that you have your azimuth, you’ll want to correct it for declination. Declination is the angle between magnetic north and geographic north. Declination varies by geographic region and usually noted on topographic maps. As an example, the northeastern states of the US have a declination correction of 10-18 degrees, but the states along the Mississippi River have a declination near zero. To correct for declination you rotate the compass on your map to re-orient the north arrow with magnetic north. Many maps will show the magnetic north arrow and geographic north arrows together with the angle defined between them.

When you start your hike, take your compass and orient yourself and the map so that your facing your azimuth (direction of your path). If there’s no visible trail to follow, you’ll want to use your compass to get a landmark to walk towards, at which point you’ll take another bearing to the next landmark. Wilderness navigation can get tricky in thick vegetation or at night and will require patience and multiple bearing checks. Before you depart, remember your back azimuth (your path minus 180 degrees), as this is the bearing you’ll want to take back to the start.

Below is an example of what the compass sight picture would look like on a lensatic compass when taking a bearing on an object:

I hope that these wilderness navigation tips help you as you prepare for your trip. It doesn’t take much time to get better at map reading and compass use. With a little bit of practice, you’ll feel a lot more comfortable before you head out into the woods!

The right to make a copy for personal use is part of most existing publishing agreements. This right is recognised as an important right for the author. Because the right is attached to the author and in most cases well defined, personal use won’t harm the publisher.