how to orient a map using a lensatic compass how to orient a map using a lensatic compass

We just dont know where we are. For this task, the lensatic compass really shines. So in this installment, well go over the skills you need to do just that. Fill & Sign Online, Print, Email, Fax, or Download The first step in orienting ourselves with our map and compass is to double-check that north on the map corresponds to north in our landscape. Lets say youre planning a short hike from one point to another. First, use your compass to get a bearing on a peak of Saddle Mountain. Sometimes limited visibility means terrain features may not be visible. Kieran has taught mountaineering, ice climbing, and single-pitch and multi-pitch rock climbing in a variety of contexts over the years and has led trekking and mountaineering expeditions in the Alps, Rockies, and UK. Corrected the orientations of the map when the G-M angle exceeded 3 degrees (50 mils) using one of the following: a. 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. You now have your target's bearing. The easiest way to orientate a map is to relate the features in front of you to the features on the map. My 159-page, fully illustrated book is yours for the asking. 3. We may use the map to identify any landmark we observe in our landscape once we know our point location. Line it up with that. Step 3 Use one of two techniques to orientate the map. Using your location as a pivot, rotate the compass until north on the bezel is pointing to the top of the map and the compass housing orienting lines are parallel with the map's vertical grid lines. Overview. To prevent this issue, well tweak our compass to account for declination. This straightforward video shows both approaches to using a compass to orientate a map: All the latest inspiration, tips and guides to help you plan your next Advnture! To do so accurately, however, we must first adjust our compass for magnetic declination so the reading taken from the compass arrow is pointing our map towardtruenorth as opposed tomagneticnorth. 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). Dont worry that your red orientating arrow doesnt point exactly map north. If you take just one thing from this guide, let it be the appreciation that contours are the most important navigational feature on the map, especially where hills and mountains are concerned. Orient you compass with the bearing, and draw the bearing line. Whenever the luminous magnetic arrow lines up with the luminous short line, you're following your intended azimuth. Pros . For bearings of 181 to 359 degrees, rotate the bezel clockwise. 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. Set your compass dial to 000 degrees. Make sure the degrees of the dial are readable. No declination exists and you dont have to adjust your compass. If youre in the Adirondacks, add 14 degrees to get a correct bearing of 194 degrees. It typically consists of a magnetized needle that is mounted on a pivot and placed inside a circular housing. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & More: A Manual On Food Storage and Survival: 2nd Edition Revised and Updated. 9-4. that it is pointing towards the top of the map. The red end of the needle must be pointing to the top of the map. 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. Orient the map to the terrain. Program, Strengthen Your Tribe: A Report on the Atomic Athlete Vanguard, The Best Riddles for Kids (With Answers! Doing that with a lensatic compass is much like doing that with any other compass. Shoot a bearing with your compass at the peak of Saddle Mountain. Adjust for magnetic declination. 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. But I wish I had the simpler kind that just automatically points to the direction on the compass that I am . Leave your orientating arrow in line with the index line and the direction of travel arrow, as it will already be primed to point magnetic north. For sighting purposes, we recommend using the compass-to-cheek method for better accuracy. Related Tags. For this, they use a lensatic compass, among other navigation equipment and techniques. This is why you should never take a bearing off a sheep. 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. A good temperature of 65F to 78 should keep the humidity down and help preserve the structural integrity of the compass. Looking at the map is an easy way of finding which direction north or east are relative to your current position. Battle tested - shock, water, sand proof, and. When we know our point position, we can identify any landmark that we see in our terrain by using the map. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What is a Lensatic Compass and How to Use Them? My 159-page, fully illustrated book is yours for the asking. The lensatic compass must always be held level and firm when sighting on an object and reading an azimuth. Thats 130 degrees. Below, we offer a short, straight-talking guide to how its done. The Lensatic compass also has a large number of drawbacks, including the use of a large case that can make this a cumbersome and heavy option. 1. Then tilt the mirror until you can see straight down into the bezel. Remember declination from Part I? One advantage is it's probably more accurate when it comes to "shooting azimuths," meaning the act of determining the specific compass direction to a spot on the earth. Yeah, book is the most effective tool that can be made use of for affecting your life. Hold your compass in the two-hand hold, steady and level in front of you. As magnetic north changes depending on where you are in the world, you have to ensure you adjust your compass accordingly. You have your point location when you know precisely where you are in reference to your map. Youre somewhere on that line, so you know have a line position. Sight: Now peek through the rear sight slot, aligning the sighting wire or the front sight to the desired direction or object. Ethan Allan, the peak you observed, is cut through by the plotted line. This makes it easier to relate what you see on the map with what you see on the ground. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. To use your lensatic compass to find the direction of your intended azimuth (which you probably got from your map, using your protractor): 1. Now draw the bearing line using the edge of the compass, and extending it in the desired direction. Holding any compass in a slack and half-a**ed (that's an old military term) manner can cause you to go off in the wrong direction. Isnt that a little black arrow outline? Title: USING THE MILITARY LENSATIC COMPASS 1 USING THE MILITARY LENSATIC COMPASS PART 2 Intermediate Land Navigation Module 14 Travel Distance Estimation 2 . Take your compass and line up the edges with the north-south gridlines on your map. The lensatic compass is 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. With the map level, place the compass . Aligned the side of the compass with one of the north-south grid lines. FM 3-25.26: Map Reading and Land Navigation. Take a bearing to a visible landmark using your compass. Ensure that the compass bezel is set to 0 degrees i.e. Turn the little screw using a small screwdriver or the little metal piece that comes with your compass lanyard. 1. Spread out your map. 3. This is because it is prepped to point instead to magnetic north once it's lined up with your compass needle. Look at the red needle to see which direction it is pointing. A map and compass are useless unless you know how to use them properly. ","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. The instructions on this page might make orienting a map seem a highly technical thing. ), Podcast #858: The Affectionate, Ambiguous, and Surprisingly Ambivalent Relationship Between Siblings, How to Fight Entitlement and Develop Gratitude in Your Kids, How and Why to Hold a Weekly Marriage Meeting, You Dont Have to Be Your Dad: How to Become Your Familys Transitional Character, Podcast #810: How to Turn a Boy Into a Man, Sunday Firesides: Climb the Ladder of Love, Podcast #865: How to Win Friends and Influence People in the 21st Century, Podcast #863: Key Insights From the Longest Study on Happiness, Podcast #875: Authority Is More Important Than Social Skills, Podcast #874: Throw a 2-Hour Cocktail Party That Can Change Your Life, 9 Mental Distortions That Are Sabotaging Your Social Life, How to Make the Perfect Snowball: An Illustrated Guide, Podcast #869: The Survival Myths That Can Get You Killed, Skill of the Week: Survive Falling Through Ice, Podcast #848: The 5 Priorities of Short-Term Survival, we covered how to properly use a compass, how to shootyour bearings, and the best map for navigating: the topo map, Land Navigation Manual: How to Use the Military Grid Reference System, Land Navigation Manual: Finding Your Bearings & Topo Maps, More Than Just Finding North: Understanding the Compass, Podcast #534: How Navigation Makes Us Human. They could be your saving grace during a SHTF situation. When you have a line position, you know that youre on some identifiable line on the map (trail, ridge line, etc. Turn the map and compass together until the azimuth sighted lies under the Index Line. (2) Keep the compass aligned as directed above while . On your map, place your compass. But its important to understand the different types of navigational toolsincluding a lensatic compass. To avoid that problem, lets adjust our compass to take declination into account. Place your compass on your map with the edge of the baseplate parallel to the north-south meridians on the map. ), you just dont know exactly where. Step 1 Determine the direction of the map of the declination and its value from the declination on the map. 5. Here's an example from an older map of the Grand Canyon. A compass needle aligns with the magnetic fields in the Earth, which is what it uses to help you find true north. When this happens, its time to orientate using a compass. Lay your map out in front of you on a relatively flat and smooth (and dry!) Its not unheard of for hikers to accidentally read their map upside down and end up facing south, rather than north. The orient a map to the ground by map-terrain association is one of the most basic skills that you will need in order to survive. (Note: if you have a compass with an adjustable declination the adjustment needs to be set to zero). Line your orienteering compass's base plate up with the map's north-south lines. The skill allows users to find north with ease, which is crucial for navigation. Great article! For this example, were going to go to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. The reason contours are king is that they are fixed, at least in the timescales were talking about here. You don't want to hold it crooked, cockeyed, or off level. You learn that it has a 176 bearing. Where the line intersects with the highway is where you are on the map. Place your map on a horizontal surface and then place the compass on the map so that the orienting arrow points to true north on the map. Use the lens to look through the sighting line to find another landmark, and repeat until you reach your destination. Kieran James Cunningham is a climber, mountaineer, and author who divides his time between the Italian Alps, the US, and his native Scotland. We know were somewhere along HW 115 and south of Saddle Mountain. Step 1. Were going to figure out where we are on that line now. Its a bit tricky, but once you get the hang of it, youre solid. The instances navigation needs to be most spot-on are when visibility is compromised. But heres the catch: depending on where you are on the planet, the angle of declination varies. We covered how to use a compass correctly, how to shoot your bearings, and the greatest map for navigating: the topo map, in Part I. Identify where you are on the map and place the compass edge over this location. Here at Brunton, we manufacture a variety of different compasses for varying needs in the field. A power point class to Orient a Map Using a Lensatic Compass or $0.99 - Purchase Checkout Added to cart or $4.99 - Monthly Subscription Checkout Added to cart Billed once per month until cancelled or $14.99 - Annual Subscription Checkout Added to cart Billed once per year until cancelled or $9.99 - Protected: VIP Subscription Checkout Added to cart Billed once per year until cancelled . To orientate the map, rotate both the map and compass together until the red compass needle and the red orientating arrow match up. Fill in the empty areas; concerned parties names, places of residence and phone numbers etc. NB. However, imagine youre in Muir Woods in San Francisco, facing true north. Well, youre going to have to do some math with all your bearings to make sure you get a true bearing. 4. A Beginners Guide. Youll line up your needle with the tape arrow instead of the arrow on your compass. 3. 2. Once you are physically at your starting location, its time to put your compass to good use. Orienting your map means aligning it so that north on the map corresponds to north in the terrain and the maps topography correlates to the real-world topography in front of you. Area Position. When you point your compass towards true north, the needle will point a bit to the west. If the local declination is positive, subtract the declination amount from the bearing you just derived. You discover that it has a bearing of 176. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A: To rotate a map in Beat Saber, you can hit the trigger button on your controller. We'll start from the beginning, and go through everything you need to know to find your way over the terrain. Taking each features relative shape, height and distance away into consideration, you should be able to start to match them to the contour features on the map. Youre on that line, so you know where youre standing. Well say the declination value is 10 degrees. You need to know where youre going before toying with the compass. Turn your entire body as a unit until 066 (062 + 004) degrees falls under your compass's fixed black index line. As we can see, the area Im in has a declination of 4E. Method #2. Map Reading and Land Navigation: FM 3-25.26. So, if youre at Muir Woods and your compass reads 180 degrees, subtract 14 degrees. The base is the compass dial, bezel, and the thumb loopthe thumb loop is used for stability to garner a more accurate reading. Orient the map to the terrain. To use this method (a) Open the cover to a 90-degree angle to the base. Procedures. You should then be able to roughly work out which way is north, east south or west using your maps gridlines. Without getting over-complicated, a standard compass is different from a lensatic compass. Standard compasses use floating dials, but lensatic compasses use a damping mechanism powered by electromagnetic induction. 2. When moisture seeps into the lens case of your lensatic compass, it causes major problems. 3. When the actual lens gets damaged, it unnecessarily impairs simple operation. It will make it easier to understand why we adjust for declination in the first place. surface. For instance, line up roads, mountains, water towersany terrain features that stand out enough to make orienting the map possible. 1 color. Line your lensatic compasss base plate up with the maps north-south lines. To find the tower's bearing with your lensatic compass: 1. Imagine that you want to hold it as if it were firmly mounted in that position. The mils are in black, and are the outer measurements on the ring. Travel to that landmark. We may then use our compass to begin going in the direction we need to go in order to reach our destination. If you point your compass towards true north, your compass needle is going to point a little to the east. He has climbed a handful of 6000ers in the Himalayas, 4000ers in the Alps, 14ers in the US, and loves nothing more than a good long-distance wander in the wilderness. The narration and imagery may seem old-timey in this era of high-def computer graphics . Put the compass anywhere on top of the map. Make a mark with your pencil at the notch on the end furthest from the sighting wire. Now were going to find out where exactly we are on that line. Turn your declination-adjusted compass dial so due North is at the index pointer. Were ready to start orienting ourselves now that our compass has been corrected for local declination. Declination is the angle formed by true north and magnetic north. 8; Page 11 G. LOCATING POSITION USING INTERSECTION 1. There are 2 ways to do this - using landmarks or using a compass. Hand placement: Insert your thumb through the thumb loop and the index finger along the compass. This is because technology is fallible, batteries run out, cold kills gadgets and theres always the possibility of dropping a device down a steep slope or into a rushing river. 3. Open the compass all the way so that the cover locks into position against the base, forming a straightedge along the left side. Heres how it works. Wrap your middle, ring and pinky finger around your thumb for support. If the local declination is negative, add the declination amount . west is 270). With your bezel ring set, stand at your starting point and . 1. Hey, it happens! Take your compass and turn the compass housing (bezel) until the red orientating arrow is in line with the direction of travel arrow. The lensatic compass is comprised of different parts compared to a baseplate compass. 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. Place the fully opened lensatic compass on the map with 3. Your action from here depends on the value and direction of your declinationeast or west. Most people have never heard of them, but soon enough, youre going to be a master at using them. Magnetic north is now off the coast of Greenland, but true north is at the very top of the world. Youll notice the north/south symbol on a corner of your map with a straight 90 line going up. Get my Land Navigation coursehere. 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). 2. There are step-by-step to use a compass. You can look through a small window of the top (thats the lens), and navigate smoothly from there. Spatial awareness refers to having knowledge about where everything in the environment is located relative as well as understanding how objects relate with each other spatially. We know were someplace south of Saddle Mountain on HW 115. Assume youve climbed to the top of Camels Hump in Vermont. Place map on flat surface (not metal) 2. Magnetic North is 15 East. Large Ball Compass - Easy to read ball compass shows two readings. Using the approach described above, plot that bearing on the map. Point position. In my. . These other objects can interfere with compasses, and no matter how miniscule the differences may seem, it can leave an impact. Now $7.56. Note: This procedure places the fixed black index line of the compass parallel to north-south grid lines of the map. ? At this point, your map is almost oriented. Best Overall. This video shows how to orient a map with a compass and briefly discusses magnetic declination. Want a free ebook on Land Navigation? A: To rotate a map in Beat Saber, you can hit the trigger button on your controller. 2. Tags: download Elcenter Course, mp3 download Elcenter Course, download mp3 Elcenter Course, mp3 gratis Elcenter Course, Elcenter Course lagu mp3 dan video mp4. You see that its 310 in relation to you. 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. Declination was taken into account while adjusting the compass. This step comes after aligning our map and compass needle to magnetic north if using a compass that doesnt have a declination adjustment key. 3.Rotate the map and compass until the directions of the declination diagram formed by the black index line and the compass needle match the direction shown in the . 3. 4. Go to your map. Move the lens holder: Slightly push forward the lens holder. Photo: Wikipedia. PART 1 Basic Land Navigation USING THE MILITARY LENSATIC COMPASS Module 6 Map Information. 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. Most compasses are marked with the four cardinal. Brunton TruArc 8010 Classic Map Luminous Compass Brunton TruArc 8010 Classic Map Luminous Compass Item # WX2- 715075 / Mfg. Your map is now aligned to magnetic north. 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. Read your compass (Figures 5-25 and 5-26). You want to find your position using the technique of partial resection, so you need to know that tower's bearing with a high degree of accuracy. True north is at the very top of the earth, while magnetic north is currently off the coast of Greenland. To begin, use your compass to locate a peak on Saddle Mountain. Determine the correct magnetic azimuth to the designated point within 3 degrees using the compass-to-cheek method, or within 10 degrees using the center-hold method. How can you get your point position then? Well adjust it to account for the declination of our compass. The variation between magnetic north and true north is currently so minor that this can generally be ignored. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you orient a map to ground? Shoot the reverse bearing you got with your compass from the top of Saddle Mountain on your map. A map so lined up is easier to interpret and follow than a map spread out haphazardly. Identify your approximate location on your map. Line up the meridian lines (the parallel lines inside the bezel) with a north/south grid line on the map. The Art of Manliness participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links. 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. Rotate the compass until the north on the bezel points to the top of the map and the compass housing orienting lines are parallel to the maps vertical grid lines, using your position as a pivot. number of degrees in a circle (360: north is 0 or 360, east is 90, south is 180, and. Check the declination of your local location on your map or on a website. How To Get Your Map and Compass To Face the Same Direction. Youll see that it shows two arrows when you turn your headset or controllers around to show the new orientation of a map. So your true bearing would be 166. Youve got your trusty compass and a map of the area, but you dont know exactly where you are in relation to the map. See the line labeled the agonic line? Youve orientated the map. But lets say youre in the Muir Woods near San Francisco and youre facing true north. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2. 1. Now hold your compass horizontally and point the 'direction-of-travel-arrow' towards the landmark. OEC G&V. Download. Adjustable Declination Compasses. The how to orient a map using a compass is a skill that can be used in the outdoors. Put that hand up to the compass, steadying the compass by placing your index finger along the compass's side, and wrapping your thumb between the bezel ring and the rear sight. Hey, it happens! 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. Assume youre going on a short trek from one location to another. US $10.58 orient yourself to a map and follow a course over land The lensatic compass is used to set course bearings Instructions for Lensatic compass Open the lensatic compass so that the cover is at a 90 degree angle and the lens bracket is at a 30 degree angle to the case Lensatic Compass. Turn your entire body as a unit until your predetermined azimuth falls under the fixed black index line. How to Use a Compass to Get Your Bearings. All you have to do now is take a bearing towards the unnamed mountain. . What happens if you dont adjust your compass for declination? Your compass is now set. Check back next month for our final briefingon how tonavigate using MGRS coordinates, just like they do in the military. A lensatic compass is often referred to as a military compass, and is typically used by the U.S. Military. B. That has the potential to make a significant impact!