Land Nav fundamentals made easy

[Kadnine]

Bookmark this link. Harb got me to thinking and this! This is a perishable skill. Use it or lose it, folks. Print out the manuals before the grid goes down.
Anyone out there that know of any other land nav resource or maybe some geocaching training clubs?

- Keith

[ChopperDoc]

good link.

[ChopperDoc]

If you are a SG member they have the Tritium compass a little cheaper than I have seen most places.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/g ... x?a=287022

Have 2 of these and they are the issue compass for sure, not some cheap imitation.

[325MOUTguru]

Good topo maps are a must.
Most of the time, you can terrain associate your way to a location.

[ChopperDoc]

Good topo maps are a must.
Most of the time, you can terrain associate your way to a location.

I got used to terrain association at 100 knots and 100 feet AGL. Have to work on a new perspective.

[ChopperDoc]

printable maps (free)

http://www.digital-topo-maps.com/

[Kadnine]

Good stuff guys. Keep it coming.

I live literally (and I know what "literally" means beyond mere exaggeration) a stone's throw from a rail road trax that run North through Cincinnati and South around the outskirts of Louisville. This is my doomsday map. If necessary, I could hike up-trax to stay with friends, or hike down-trax to friends and family. I have a sketch (laminated, with distances between fresh water sources clearly marked) in my BOB. It's not a sub for the real deal, tho. Just a last ditch guide. Even if I was injured, hurting bad, and couldn't think clearly, I could STILL drag myself and my family up or down this easily marked route.

Time to get topographical. Time to keep up the skills.

I was surprised to learn how many people in my area use http://www.geocaching.com/

- Keith

[325MOUTguru]

The tracks are what we call a linear danger area.
Basically it is an easily traveled route and because of that is essentially no different than a road.
If things ever do get shitty, I would highly advise you to only use the tracks when absolutely necessary.
Now if you make you way 15-20m into the wood line and travel parallel to the tracks, that is better but still not optimal.

[Kadnine]

The tracks are what we call a linear danger area.
Basically it is an easily traveled route and because of that is essentially no different than a road.
If things ever do get shitty, I would highly advise you to only use the tracks when absolutely necessary.
Now if you make you way 15-20m into the wood line and travel parallel to the tracks, that is better but still not optimal.

Good catch! Even with proper adhesion to patrol protocols (parallel travel thu the woods, bounding overwatch, due tactical diligence when crossing,) IT IS STILL A ROAD AFTER ALL and should be treated as such. This is my LAST resort, but perhaps I didn't make it clear that I would never skyline myself or family on what is, essentially, just another road.

The beauty of the tracks is that they're designed to last a good twenty+ years before Mother Nature obliterates them. They don't wash away in floods, (usually,) are immune to wild fire, (generally,) are a visible land marker from the air in case of air rescue ("We're on the tracks just South of town between where Highway X and Interstate Y... um... USED TO BE.... over"), no carwreck jams blocking yer way, etc.

And there's a psychological component to seeing two, straight, parallel lines, made by man, that lead to friends and family. That's a comforting sight. And if I ever need use them to abandon my Castle for refugee living elsewhere? We're well past the point of taking such benefits for granted.

Still, a good catch, and one which needs stressing. Treat it like a road. And roads are NOT your first, best or only plan. Get a map. Get a compass. Learn them both. It's sort of a package deal, the two great tastes that go great together.

- Keith

[Kadnine]

I got used to terrain association at 100 knots and 100 feet AGL. Have to work on a new perspective.

Heh. Never envied your mid-air map conversions when sending you a call for close air support in this strange thing we ground mammals call "meters." Frankly, I was just glad you were there at all! Soooo... Thanks!

- Keith

[Harb]

Thanks Kandnine!

[ChopperDoc]

I got used to terrain association at 100 knots and 100 feet AGL. Have to work on a new perspective.

Heh. Never envied your mid-air map conversions when sending you a call for close air support in this strange thing we ground mammals call "meters." Frankly, I was just glad you were there at all! Soooo... Thanks!

- Keith

usually we cheated. GPS and all...

But I will tell you that I put a lot of effort into not using the GPS and using the map. It is a skill that is perishable and I could tell when someone had been relying on the GPS too much. Used to aggravate copilots by not letting them use the GPS and nav by dead reckoning and terrain association.

[ben_p]

Good topo maps are a must.
Most of the time, you can terrain associate your way to a location.

This. Once you can utilize terrain association correctly you really don't need much else, as long as you can do it properly.

[ChopperDoc]

Good topo maps are a must.
Most of the time, you can terrain associate your way to a location.

This. Once you can utilize terrain association correctly you really don't need much else, as long as you can do it properly.

How does that terrain association work from ground level inside a forest again...

learn it all, cause you never know when you are going to need it.

[ben_p]

Good topo maps are a must.
Most of the time, you can terrain associate your way to a location.

This. Once you can utilize terrain association correctly you really don't need much else, as long as you can do it properly.

How does that terrain association work from ground level inside a forest again...

learn it all, cause you never know when you are going to need it.

Pretty well for me. I'm not saying to ignore fundamentals and go straight to terrain association, but once you learn to terrain associate you can move a lot faster. You might not have the precision, but if you aren't looking for coded ammo boxes in the woods it doesn't really matter.

Also, Ranger Joes sells some pretty good protractors for anyone that's interested in them. They are a good addition to anyone's map gear.

[ChopperDoc]

Good topo maps are a must.
Most of the time, you can terrain associate your way to a location.

This. Once you can utilize terrain association correctly you really don't need much else, as long as you can do it properly.

How does that terrain association work from ground level inside a forest again...

learn it all, cause you never know when you are going to need it.

Actually this was supposed to say:

How does that terrain association work from ground level inside a forest in the middle of the night again...

[ben_p]

Actually this was supposed to say:

How does that terrain association work from ground level inside a forest in the middle of the night again...

With or without NVGs? LOL I get what you are saying man, but I think you are taking my comment to the extreme a bit. The only point I was trying to get across was that I agreed with 325MOUTguru about the usefullness of terrain association with proper training.

[ChopperDoc]

Actually this was supposed to say:

How does that terrain association work from ground level inside a forest in the middle of the night again...

With or without NVGs? LOL I get what you are saying man, but I think you are taking my comment to the extreme a bit. The only point I was trying to get across was that I agreed with 325MOUTguru about the usefullness of terrain association with proper training.

nope I understand, Not calling you out just trying to hit home that you should be proficient with all aspects of it. Once you learn to terrain associate you will use that a majority of the time, no doubt.