Identify your approximate location on your map. 1. In this guide, we will be covering the following: The first step to successful navigation with a map and compass in the backcountry is correctly orienting your map. You can also plot a known compass bearing on the mapthe reverse process. Lay the compass on the map, using the straight edge to create a line from your starting point to your destination. Youve got your trusty compass and a map of the area, but you dont know exactly where you are in relation to the map. Regardless, let's break it down into several steps: Open the compass cover at a 90-degree angle and then set the lens bracket at a 30-degree angle. Take a bearing to a visible landmark using your compass. Check the index line to find out the bearing you just have taken. Hold the compass steady and level, and up to your face. With our compass adjusted for local declination, were now ready to start orienting ourselves. Use a Compass to Plot Bearings on a Map. You want to go cross country directly to Devil's Wash Basin, a deep and beautiful lake you've heard a lot about. The legend. I guess the military needs the extra accuracy now and then say, for example, to precisely place artillery fire. Adjust the compass bezel so that north on the compass corresponds to north on the map. In actual practice, orienting your map is something you'll often do "on the run" and can be as simple as glancing at your compass needle and turning the map more or less accordingly. Magnetic north would be slightly to your right, or east, by about 14. Using your protractor or other straight edge, you draw a line from your current position in the direction of where you want to go. The instructions on this page might make orienting a map seem a highly technical thing. But it isnt just magnets there are other culprits at play, here. The needle on your compass dial will always be pointing north, so when placing the compass on the map, the needle on the compass should match the map's north in order to orient yourself. Module 1 Lensatic Compass. A: In order to orient and read a map, you have to have spatial awareness. This way you can see the object and the bezel at the same time. Announcement: My online Land Navigation course includes four hours of video instruction, and two downloadable PDF books, all for about the same price as a typical paperback book. Adjust for magnetic declination. On your map, though, you can see the two spots. How to Pack a Backpack Are You Doing it Right? You can always orient your map with a working compass. Its declination is recorded as 14E. 4. Take your compass and turn the compass housing (bezel) until the red orientating arrow is in line with the direction of travel arrow. Well, that is, unless you're doing something silly like holding the compass backwards. Come on in and save lots of money! Youre somewhere on that line, so you know have a line position. The keys to successfully navigating the wilderness are being able to determine your position, know where youre going and understand how terrain affects your movement abilities. Home / Educational Resources / Math Resources / Compass: Definitions and Examples. Orient the map to the terrain. When you point your compass towards true north, your compass needle is going to point a little to the west. This is because it is prepped to point instead to magnetic north once its lined up with your compass needle. 2. Welcome back to the Land Navigation Manual for the Art of Manliness. Making sure you don't move to change directions, turn the glass compass housing until the short luminous line is directly lined up with the luminous magnetic arrow. Its declination would be written as 14E. That would be 130. While some elements of the navigation process are similar to using a baseplate compass, there are also slight differencesincluding how you hold a lensatic compass. The My Open Country name is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. $8.77. Place your map in such a way that the terrain features line up with your maps features. Most lensatic compasses are designed to withstand moisture to a certain extent, but nobody makes them perfect. It's important to hold your compass stable, squarely in front of you, and level. In my. Flip up the lid to a 90-degree angle. FM 3-25.26: Map Reading and Land Navigation. 3. To orient a map means to line it up with the terrain, so that North on the map is pointing to North on the terrain. 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From the compass, to GPS, to now even your mobile devicetheres no shortage of navigational tools. The number one destroyer of compasses and any enclosed items like these is moisture. Your map is now aligned to magnetic north. It is easy to learn and it can be done with just a map and compass. When moisture seeps into the lens case of your lensatic compass, it causes major problems. Brett May 23, 2016 Last updated: June 2, 2021. You see that its 310 in relation to you. You will not be using it for the center-hold technique. 3. For this, they use a lensatic compass, among other navigation equipment and techniques. Were going to figure out where we are on that line now. The variation between magnetic north and true north is currently so minor that this can generally be ignored. With that bearing, we can use our compass to start traveling in the direction we need to go in order to get to our endpoint. This is commonly known as puttingthe red in the shed. Place the compass on the map with one long edge of the baseplate running between the two points of interest. Draw a line towards the roadway youre on using the side of your compass. how to orient a map using a lensatic compass; how to orient a map in military; orient a map using a lensatic compass powerpoint Hold the compass steady and level, and up to your face. Lay the compass on the map, using the straight edge to create a line from your starting point to your destination. Place the thumb of the other hand between the rear sight and the bezel ring; extend the index finger along the remaining side of the compass, and the remaining fingers around the fingers of the other hand. Read the number at the index line. Above: For this example in the Grand Canyon, grid north ("GN") differs from true . Tags: download Elcenter Course, mp3 download Elcenter Course, download mp3 Elcenter Course, mp3 gratis Elcenter Course, Elcenter Course lagu mp3 dan video mp4. Next, without changing the orientation of you map, move your compass so that its edge is touching the point you are plotting to/from and the compass dial reading matches your bearing. A visualization depicting the Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks (STP 21-1-SMCT) task Orient a Map Using a Lensatic Compass (071-COM-1011). Finally, read the number on the rim of the compass. There are step-by-step to use a compass. To prevent this issue, well tweak our compass to account for declination. Also known as setting the map, orientating helps to relate your position and the landscape around you to the map, therefore making onward navigation more straightforward. Hold your compass in the two-hand hold, steady and level in front of you. So, if youre in Muir Woods and your compass has a bearing of 180, youll want to subtract 14. 3 . Turn the map and compass together until the azimuth sighted lies under the Index Line. Youll notice the north/south symbol on a corner of your map with a straight 90 line going up. Thank you for signing up to Advnture. surface. Read the azimuth: Lastly, ensuring the dial is floating, look down on it and read the azimuth. Point position. When this happens, its time to orientate using a compass. You now have your target's bearing. Your map (and yourself) are now be orientated north. Thankfully, its notwhether orienting your map with a compass or without, this is a skill that can be learned in minutes and which can be done in a matter of seconds out in the field. Not a problem. He is currently the President of the London Mountaineering Club, training to become a Winter Mountain Leader, looking to finally finish bagging all the Wainwright fells of the Lake District and hoping to scale more Alpine 4000ers when circumstances allow. Last but not lease, lensatic compasses are prone to scratching. At night, however, or in other periods of limited visibility (fog, blizzard, etc) keeping these two luminous bits lined up will be your only remedy. With your bezel ring set, stand at your starting point and . 2. 3. 2. How To Get Your Map and Compass To Face the Same Direction. What is the preferred method of using a lensatic compass when reading magnetic azimuths. Theyre not traditionally used for camping trips or simple navigation, but if youre serious about prepping, this is a must-have in your EDC bag and bug out bag. Read your compass (Figures 5-25 and 5-26). How to Determine the Bearingof a Distant Object. How to Use a Compass to Get Your Bearings. The housing is marked with cardinal points, typically north, south, east, and west, which . A lensatic compass is often referred to as a military compass, and is typically used by the U.S. Military. Whether or not you participate in orienteering, I'm confident you'll find that a properly oriented map is a huge help in finding your way. The first step of orienting with our map and compass is to make sure north on the map lines up with north in our terrain. Step 1 Determine the direction of the map of the declination and its value from the declination on the map. Performance Steps 1. Another trick for declination when your compass cant adjust for it is to create your own declination arrow out of masking tape and tape it beneath your compass under the correct declination degree hash (This will only work if your compass has a clear base). Then tilt the mirror until you can see straight down into the bezel. 2. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Step 4: Walk along the path and make sure your compass always points North. Lets return to Muir Woods as an example. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); MyOpenCountry is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Isnt that a little black arrow outline? Half the activity of their sport is keeping their map oriented so they can navigate faster and with more accuracy. Turn your entire body as a unit until your predetermined azimuth falls under the fixed black index line. On your map, place your compass. Open the cover completely and pull back the rear sight. The Lensatic compass is used to determine 'azimuths' or 'compass bearings' (horizontal angles). Youve got your dependable compass and a map of the region, but youre not sure where you are in respect to the map. So, don't sweat too much the minute details of getting your map finely oriented to the last degree with your compass. OEC G&V. Download. orient a map to the ground by map-terrain association, Sunday Firesides: Become an Evangelist . As we can see, the area Im in has a declination of 4E. Check the declination of your local location on your map or on a website. From this diagram, we can see that our compass would point to magnetic north a little over 13 degrees to the right of "straight up" on the map (grid north). . Though GPS and smartphonesare reliable, its still vital to carry a compass, and know how to use it, as a backup or lifesaving form of navigation. 1. The U.S. military M-1950 lensatic compass shown in this video is still in use today. There are 2 ways to do this - using landmarks or using a compass. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Look directly down on the top (smaller card) of compass to view general orientation cardinal points. You want to know how to use a lensatic compass? Program, Strengthen Your Tribe: A Report on the Atomic Athlete Vanguard, The Best Riddles for Kids (With Answers! Youll line up your needle with the tape arrow instead of the arrow on your compass. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What is a Lensatic Compass and How to Use Them? A: To rotate a map in Beat Saber, you can hit the trigger button on your controller. Flip up the small magnifying glass. 3. There's another way to orientate a map using a compass that starts slightly differently to what was explained above. Basically, the compass needle will point someplace east of true north in locations west of the agonic line, whereas it will point somewhere west of true north in areas east of the agonic line. Turn your declination-adjusted compass dial so due North is at the index pointer. No worries. Turn the little screw using a small screwdriver or the little metal piece that comes with your compass lanyard. Lets go back to our Muir Woods example. navigation and combat. The basics of orienting yourself with a map and compass. USING A COMPASS Magnetic azimuths are determined with the use of magnetic instruments, such as lensatic and M2 compasses. Orienting the Map with anOrienteering Compass. Your compass is now set. Its not unheard of for hikers to accidentally read their map upside down and end up facing south, rather than north. Take your compass and line up the edges with the north-south gridlines on your map. Hed just line his map up with the features of the lake we were currently on to find our portage to the next lake. Now repeat step 3 above and youre good to go. But I wish I had the simpler kind that just automatically points to the direction on the compass that I am . When we dont have our point position, we have to use less exact forms of orientation based on line or area position to find it: Line Position. Place the three remaining fingers below as if you are holding a gun. Determining a Bearing, or "Shooting an Azimuth", Using Your Compass Sights to "Shoot an Azimuth". Now, hold the compass level and squarely in front of you. Orient you compass with the bearing, and draw the bearing line. You see that its 230 in relation to your location. A: To rotate a map in Beat Saber, you can hit the trigger button on your controller. You cant see the end point in your terrain, so you cant shoot a bearing on it. Because most of the components are housed in a casing, moisture can wreak havoc once its in there. 6. This may arise when you don't know your current position but have taken a back bearing from a visible landmark (1) you can identify on the map. Now $7.56. Then turn the map until the position of the landmarks on the map corresponds to the real-world features in the terrain, then cross-check your position with additional features to ensure you have oriented correctly. Hold the compass with your thumb fully in the thumb ring, and your index finger wrapped around and gripping the circular part of the underneath of the compass's base. Hold the compass at eye level and point it at the object. Orienting, or aligning, the map is really easy with just 3 steps: Lay your map out on a relatively flat, smooth surface. Step 2 Lay the map in a horizontal position. Lay your compass on the map and line up its edge with a known landmark. Place the fully opened lensatic compass on the map with to orient the map to find your position. Youll want to turn it until that black arrow outline is lined up with the 4E hash mark. Line your lensatic compasss base plate up with the maps north-south lines. The instances navigation needs to be most spot-on are when visibility is compromised. UK readers, youre in luck. Start spinning the bezel slowly until the 'magnetized needle' is aligned with the 'orienting arrow.'. Were ready to start orienting ourselves now that our compass has been corrected for local declination. If not, recalibrate before continuing. Ymiko Compass Survival,Compass For Kids,Compass Hiking Durable Shockproof Waterproof Brass Camping Tools For Navigation Outdoor. The United States military needs to know how to navigate on land when all digital systems fail. Finally, you can always triple check with human features, such as walls or towns that youd expect to be able to see in the valley. Step 2: Line up your lensatic compass with the North Star and make sure the index mark is on the star. This was developed. Lastly, the reading lens also helps cover the compass and folds out; this is where the term lensatic comes from. Step 2. Position of the point. Were not using it at all during this entire process.). Well adjust it to account for the declination of our compass. Finally, before setting off, be sure to do a quick check by looking around you to see that all features represented on your map are where they should be in the terrain. Using the approach described above, plot that bearing on the map. It will be clearer why we need to compensate for declination in the first place. With solid land-navigation skills, you'll be more confident and "at home" in the wilderness. You will receive a verification email shortly. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A: To rotate a map in Beat Saber, you can hit the trigger button on your controller. 4. Assume youve climbed to the top of Camels Hump in Vermont. Looking at the map is an easy way of finding which direction north or east are relative to your current position. (Note: The magnetic compass needle should be ignored.) The fact that they glow in the dark (especially, if they're the tritium kind which will glow for years without having to be exposed to light) means you can use your compass without a light for night navigation. Turn the compass and the map as a unit until the luminous magnetic arrow is directly under the fixed black line. Thanks so much for sharing! Find the magnetic declination on your map. Lensatic compasses are made up of three parts: cover, base, and reading lens. The reason contours are king is that they are fixed, at least in the timescales were talking about here. We may use the map to identify any landmark we observe in our landscape once we know our point location. Whenever the luminous magnetic arrow lines up with the luminous short line, you're following your intended azimuth. Hey, it happens! As a result, its declination would be 14 degrees west. Say your azimuth was 170 degrees. Pull your elbows firmly into your sides; this will place the compass between your chin and your belt. On the map, you are where the line connects with the highway. PART 1 Basic Land Navigation. 2 a. Orient the map using the first technique. Most compasses are marked with the four cardinal. We just dont know where exactly. For bearings of 181 to 359 degrees, rotate the bezel clockwise. So its declination would be 14W. Turn the map and compass together until the red needle is pointing north. The lanyard hole that can be used by the orienteering compass user can limit access to the compass if not enough space is available to move the compass across your map. Gently pull the lid down until the sighting line is visible through the lens. Magnetic north is now off the coast of Greenland, but true north is at the very top of the world. NY 10036. You cant shoot a bearing on the end point in your terrain since you cant see it. Let's say you see a water tower off in the distance. Corrected the orientations of the map when the G-M angle exceeded 3 degrees (50 mils) using one of the following: a. 4. Copyright 2013-2019 Collingwood Publications LLC, Some of the best land navigators around are orienteers--those who participate in the cross-country running/map reading sport of orienteering. ), but youre not sure where. The floating dial is used to determine the direction in which you are pointing your compass. This is why you should never take a bearing off a sheep. Spread out your map. To find the tower's bearing with your lensatic compass: 1. Map and compass skills are essential when navigating the great outdoors, Abrupt topography, like mountain peaks, should be easy to identify thanks to their contours on the map, Magnetic declination guidance on a standard topographical map, Having adjusted the compass housing to correspond with magnetic north, line your compass up with the map's gridlines, Red is in the shed: the compass needle is lined up with the orientating arrow, Ski towns are full: why we cant all just move to the mountains, Berghaus MTN Guide MW Hoody review: a performance mid-layer for the mountains, Rangers warn National Park graffiti could throw hikers off the trail. The term lensatic comes from the fact that there is a lens on the rear side of the compass that aids in the orienteering process. 3. Yeah, book is the most effective tool that can be made use of for affecting your life. Note: This procedure places the fixed black index line of the compass parallel to north-south grid lines of the map. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A: You can use the arrow keys, or you can hold down shift and move in any direction to rotate a map around its axis. Most people have never heard of them, but soon enough, youre going to be a master at using them. You can figure this out with a little compass work. Lets break down the individual parts of a lensatic compass so you can understand every element behind how it works. At this point, your map is almost oriented. So in this installment, well go over the skills you need to do just that. Youll want to stick to areas that are cool and dry, and dont offer any immediate threats to technological devices. Compass adjusted for declination. If you dont start out using your lensatic compass with a map, then its just a regular compass. Wrap your middle, ring and pinky finger around your thumb for support. that it is pointing towards the top of the map. Its a bit tricky, but once you get the hang of it, youre solid. north. Thats your bearing from point A to point B. 1. So in this episode, well go through the abilities youll need. Heres our step-by-step guide to the most straightforward. From point A to point B, thats your bearing. Set your compass dial to 000 degrees. Open the cover completely and pull back the rear sight. Plot a line on the map using the back bearing from that mountain. We only recommend products we genuinely like, and purchases made through our links support our mission and the free content we publish here on AoM. You want to line up your view so the direction of travel arrow is straight ahead. Open it up using the cloud-based editor and begin editing. The bezel clicks as it moves--three degrees for every click. 3 Navigation: Compass Basics Read, Understand, and Remember! No declination exists and you dont have to adjust your compass. When we dont know where our point is, we have to rely on less precise kinds of orientation based on line or area position: Position of the line. Want to start taking action on the content you read on AoM? To use the terrain to orient a map, you must be familiar with symbols used on the map. If your local declination is east of the agonic line, youll need to add the declination to the bearing on your compass; if your local declination is west of the agonic line, youll subtract the declination from the bearing on your compass. 5. In Part I, we covered how to properly use a compass, how to shootyour bearings, and the best map for navigating: the topo map. But not to you, I trust. Just follow these lensatic compass instructions: Open the compass: Let the cover and the base form a 90-degree angle. 5. Next, turn the compass housing so that the index pointer corresponds to the number of degrees of the magnetic declination. Lets say you know youre southeast of Saddle Mountain and northeast of some smaller mountains. Were headed to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma for this example. 3. Come to think of it, I dont even know if he had a compass. One disadvantage is, unlike the orienteering compass, it's not easy to make it double as a protractor, meaning you'll have to carry a protractor with you. If the local declination is positive, subtract the declination amount from the bearing you just derived. We still need to understand where we are in reference to our map how to orient ourselves before we can start really navigating, which well cover in Part III of this series. Youve orientated the map. You need to know where youre going before toying with the compass. Youll want to rotate it till the black arrow outline matches the 4E hash mark. (Be sure you understand magnetic declination. Turn your entire body as a unit until 066 (062 + 004) degrees falls under your compass's fixed black index line. But not to you, I trust. Lets say youre planning a short hike from one point to another. Steady the compass by allowing the hand holding the compass to rest in the cupped palm of your other hand. This is sometimes referred to as putting red in the shed. The angle between true north and magnetic north is declination. Place map on flat surface (not metal) 2. 3. Look at the red needle to see which direction it is pointing. Assume youre in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. functional from -50F to 150F. Any kinds of magnets whatsoever. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you do map orientation? Orient you compass with the bearing, and draw the bearing line. The degrees are in red, and are the ring's inner measurements. Place your compass base plate on your map so the edge of the compass is aligned with the north-south meridian lines. A map, by definition, is a small-scale representation of the real world or a section thereof. Making sure you don't move to change directions, turn the glass compass housing until the short luminous line is directly lined up with the luminous magnetic arrow. Line up your map with what you see around you. A Cumbrian born and bred, his native English Lake District has a special place in his heart, though he is at least equally happy in North Wales, the Scottish Highlands or the European Alps. 3. Basically, in areas west of the agonic line, the compass needle will point somewhere to the east of true north; in areas east of the agonic line, the compass needle will point somewhere west of true north. Well, youre going to have to do some math with all your bearings to make sure you get a true bearing. New York, The compass baseplates edge is now pointed in the direction of the visible landmark you used to get your bearing. Place the compass on your map with the edge along a north-south grid line. On the other hand, wrap the fingers around the three fingers below the compass. For sighting purposes, we recommend using the compass-to-cheek method for better accuracy. Step 1: Find the North Star.