Navigation Thread

[Shnick]

This thread is a repository of Navigation resources, lessons, books and anything related to not getting lost while in the great outdoors.
Feel free to provide what you know and let others learn from it.

If the mods decide to give Nav its own forum, it'll be easier to move the info from here to there.
Either way, the info belongs in the Skills forum instead of "Suggestions".
Here are a few of the links I have already mentioned.

Training:
Colorado State and the Institute of Navigation (ION)
FM 3-25.26
Washington State .pdf lesson Plan
USGS Page on "Find your way with Map and Compass"
landnavigation.org's 4 Part Lesson on Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert Land Nav Skills (in PDF or PPT)
Libre Map Project

Map Resources:
The Bureau of Land Management GeoCommunicator Website.
LSIS Energy Rangeland Site Mapper (All Layers)
Trimble Outdoors Website
The University of Texas at Austin
NOAA Magnetic Declination Calculator


Books:
Be Expert with Map and Compass by Björn Kjellström

Apps:
Backpacker GPS Trails



I would like to start up a 5-6 part lesson plan for everyone, after the first of the year.
I'm moving to TX, once I get the family settled I'll start on it.

But in the meantime, post up your Nav smarts!

[nikao]

Thanks for doing this. Can't wait for the challenges

[Beginnersbushman]

Sweet! I will be looking forward to this as well.

[Iz]

This is all I got

Navigating with a lensatic compass and map








Navigating with only a compass


Navigating with only a map

[Shnick]

Thanks Iz, your series is what I started with...

[TheProfessor]

Learning land navigation, like anything else, consists of acquiring a number of individual skills, practicing them separately, and then combining and practicing those skill sets in groups or exercises.

The exercise described in my video is a combination of these skills:

* Following a bearing with an orienteering compass
* Measuring distance by pace count
* Using ranger pace beads

Each of these skills could be separate lessons or videos in their own right, and it is assumed that you have developed those sub-skills before working on this larger exercise.

Note also, that land navigation usually uses both map and compass. This exercise builds compass and measuring skills that can be combined with map navigation later. Plus, it gets you out and practicing right away.

Of course, the exercise is most effective when one persons sets up the course, and another follows it. You can do the exercise solo by setting up a course outbound, and following it back to the starting point "Hansel and Gretel" style. Keep the pace counts and back-azimuths in a notebook for that variation.

I have set these courses up that led hikers to a new campsite, back to the parking area a new "scenic" route, or just around a loop back to the starting point.

Since I taught vector analysis in my high school physics course, this exercise allowed students to practice the concepts of vector addition in polar form with a practical hands-on exercise.


*

[Beginnersbushman]

Great Video Professor! Looks like a perfect exercise for a newbie. Looks like a Vector Hike is in my near future. Thanks to IZ as well, I'll be watching those vids later today..

[BradGad]

As several people on another recent navigation thread opined...

Be Expert With Map and Compass, by Bjorn Kellstrom, is an excellent intro to land navigation. Very clear and accessible. Probably the best place to start for someone new to this subject.

http://www.amazon.com/Expert-Map-Com...ap+and+compass

[cellis]

As several people on another recent navigation thread opined...

Be Expert With Map and Compass, by Bjorn Kellstrom, is an excellent intro to land navigation. Very clear and accessible. Probably the best place to start for someone new to this subject.

http://www.amazon.com/Expert-Map-Com...ap+and+compass

Seconded on that book. I first learned of it from GreyOne on another post and loved it. Also if this goes further the book shows a great progression of drills to learn orienteering, it might be something to base a tutorial on. I still need to do them myself, I feel I understand everything in the book pretty well but practice is different as always.

The one thing I would fault it with is declination teaching by the way. I had that nailed before they taught it and now I am completely confused about it after reading that part over and over.


Also Iz's videos are really good as he posted before. I especially liked the 2nd to last one where he does it without a map and draws it.

[AnthonySmithXR]

I found this useful
http://www.bushcraftusa.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=79231


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