Navigation for Dummies

[Rick]

I've posted some navigation items before and this is one more for the new folks. It's easy to get off course even when walking on fairly flat land. There are several reasons for that.

1. We all have a dominate foot so your stride is a bit stronger with that leg. Walking in a straight line is not all that easy because of it.
2. Packs that are loaded unevenly can cause us to drift.
3. We naturally tend to shy away from places like cliffs or ravines of even if you have strong sun in your face.
4. Many of us have a tendency to always pass objects on the same side. In other words we may walk around an obstacle by passing it always to the right or to the left.

Knowing these "tendencies" will always try to lead us off course is probably the first important step. But you can compensate for any or all of them even if you don't have a map and/or compass.

Dead reckoning is nothing more than determining your current position by calculating your course and distance from the last known location. For example. One hour ago you were standing at the truck. You calculate you can make about 4 miles per hour given the terrain and your conditioning so you "dead reckon" you are four miles from the truck.

If you have a map but no compass, you can then plot your estimated location on the map. Your calculations will take into consideration any known features such as a river or mountain against their locations on the map.

If you do not have a map then try this. Remember that sheet of paper and pencil you carry in your kit? It's time to drag it out. Establish a North direction on the piece of paper. Establish a scale so the entire route fits on the paper. The starting point and your estimated location are plotted on the paper as accurately as possible and in accurate relationship to each other. 1 inch = 1 mile for example. You need to establish actual direction on the ground. Which way in North, South, East and West? We've talked about many different ways to do that so I won't go into it here.

If you are on flat ground, pick a distant landmark and walk toward it. You can also find TWO landmarks ahead of you and line them up. OR find two prominent landmarks BEHIND your and line them up.

If you are in a heavily wooded area you can still accomplish the same thing but the prominent features will be much closer. If you have the ability to attain high ground or climb a tree (you aren't injured or other wise impaired) then you can still find a distant point to navigate toward.

Continue to plot your progress on your home made map and try to be accurate in relation to the scale you've chosen.

Some folks find this so easy to do while others struggle so hard at it. It's only my personal opinion but I truly believe some of us have a genetic ability to orient by dead reckoning and some folks simple don't have the genetics that allow them to. Whatever the reason, if you find it difficult then the above methods can work well for you if you practice it often and always keep in mind those things we discussed above that will steer you off course.

[trax]

So Rick, how long did you have to wander around in a circle before you figured all that out?

[rat31465]

Nice post, informative....perhaps there needs to be a sticky on Navigation here on the forum.
It would seem that knowing how to properly navigate would prevent someone from getting lost and having to test their survival skills in the first place.
I learned a lot about reading a compass from my Scuba Diving Certifaction class...kind of hard to use landmarks when visability in the water is 10 ft or less.

[Ken]

Let me offer some solutions to these problems:

1. We all have a dominate foot so your stride is a bit stronger with that leg. Walking in a straight line is not all that easy because of it.

Solution: Stab yourself straight through your dominate foot. That'll fix that little problem with your stride.

2. Packs that are loaded unevenly can cause us to drift.

Solution: Never carry a pack!

3. We naturally tend to shy away from places like cliffs or ravines of even if you have strong sun in your face.

Solution: Either walk straight off the cliff OR only walk in total darkness to avoid that tendancy to be shy.

4. Many of us have a tendency to always pass objects on the same side. In other words we may walk around an obstacle by passing it always to the right or to the left.
Solution: Bring a chainsaw and simply cut down everything that will prevent you from walking in a straight line. Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

[M-J de M.]

Thanks for the good advice, Rick.

Now I see what you mean about the lampooning culture here, Ken:

[crashdive123]

Now I see what you mean about the lampooning culture here, Ken:

Well, lampooning certainly beats some of the other options available.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

[Rick]

So Rick, how long did you have to wander around in a circle before you figured all that out?

At first I followed the sun. It took a couple of days to figure out I wasn't going south, though. And keeping up with the sun is sort of tiring, you know? I mean, not only do you wear yourself out, it's never night time!

[rat31465]

At first I followed the sun. It took a couple of days to figure out I wasn't going south, though. And keeping up with the sun is sort of tiring, you know? I mean, not only do you wear yourself out, it's never night time!

When I joined this forum I didn't realize that Hip Waders were going to be needed to wade through the Bull&*%$....

[Rick]

That should have been the first thing you were given? You didn't receive them?

[Ken]

May I suggest one of these instead?

[Sarge47]

At first I followed the sun. It took a couple of days to figure out I wasn't going south, though. And keeping up with the sun is sort of tiring, you know? I mean, not only do you wear yourself out, it's never night time!

Not to mention that the sun seems to be pretty far away!

[rat31465]

That should have been the first thing you were given? You didn't receive them?

I have considered taking a dry suit diving class...this class might prove useful for this forum as well....

[Rick]

Another one for the new folks. We've discussed this on here several times but it's important that you look BEHIND you often as you travel. Especially when the trail leads around bends or up hill or down hill or encounters folks in the trail. Be certain to memorize important landmarks when looking behind you.

If something happens and you have to retrace your steps the trail will look familiar if you've followed the above rule and you'll be less likely to get lost.

[rat31465]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...e-to-breakdown
This links to an article which states that the worlds GPS systems are nearing there life expectency...and could begin breaking down as early as next year.
Better break out the compasses and maps people.

[Rick]

Not to worry:

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4103132

[Rick]

Before leaving your vehicle or starting out on your next hike take a moment to orient yourself with the major landmarks you can see from your vehicle. If you happen to get lost, you can use those landmarks to guide you back to your vehicle. Of course, if you have a topo map and compass and know how to use them the odds are pretty good you won't get lost. Still, it's a good idea to take a look around before starting out.

[Ken]

Landmarks? My first compass lessons were taught to me on the open ocean. The only "landmarks" that could be found were up in the sky. Unless we were souped in - then there weren't any at all. This was before GPS, and we didn't have LORAN, so we tended to rely on the compass and our charts a bit. Not too many places to stop and ask for directions........

[crashdive123]

Landmarks? My first compass lessons were taught to me on the open ocean. The only "landmarks" that could be found were up in the sky. Unless we were souped in - then there weren't any at all. This was before GPS, and we didn't have LORAN, so we tended to rely on the compass and our charts a bit. Not to many places to stop and ask for directions........

I first learned under the open ocean.

[Ken]

I first learned under the open ocean.

On or under, does it make a difference? Once the hatch is sealed, that is? Then again, I guess that you were ALWAYS souped in.

[Rick]

You can also use your ears to tell direction. Sound travels at 560 feet per second or 1 mile for every 5 seconds. If you are in hilly country and in the fog or at night a sharp yell or blow on a whistle will usually produce an echo. Time the delay between the initial noise and the echo and you can determine how far the object is that reflected the echo. If you have a map, you should be able to calculate your relative position on the map from the echo. For example. a cliff face produces an echo in 3 seconds. You now know it is 1680 feet from your location. Find the cliff face on the map and move away from it on the map 1680 feet (use the scale) and you should be close to your location.

For those of you that learned to navigate on the water, you can use you ears at night or in the fog. Crashing breakers obviously represent the shore line. You can slowly navigate parallel to the sound. If the sound stops, that generally indicates a harbor or inlet. You can also listen for shore birds.

Animals are constantly turning their heads listening to the environment around them. It's a trait we should emulate.