NAVIGATION/ORIENTEERING TIPS/TRAINING

At the Nav clinic last weekend I mentioned a couple of resources that I wanted to share:

BOK website - http://treklite.com/b...

This site has a lot of information, including links that identify most all the symbols.

Books - 'Be Expert with Map and Compass' by Björn Kjellström
'The Complete Guide to Adventure Racing' by Don Mann

These books can be found on Amazon.

-Patrick

Here is a link to the International Orienteering Federation's orienteering symbols document.

It's a PDF document that gives you the meanings of the symbols used in orienteering as well as the meaning to the various columns on the control sheet.

Here's a link to a free online book on how to read topo maps and use a compass.

This link will take you to a PDF file that explains briefly and directly related to Adventure racing some helpful tips to plotting UTM coordinates using the two common types of plotting tools found either commercially or homemade by racers. It also provides tips on double checking your Checkpoint plots.

Remember that some races especially near military bases or run by military are usually a 1:50,000 scale....some plotting tools will have this scale...some may not. The military issues it's soldiers a plotting tool called a "protractor" it's just like the Adventure racing tools on the market (they are commonly available and cheap). Military plotting is the same as civilian. 4 digits coordinates give you a grid square, 6 digit will put you within 100m of your checkpoint and 8 digit coordinates within 10M. It's not uncommon that we were given 6 digit coordinates..unlike racing...in the Army if you got 100m from your objective you just either blew it to hell or fanned out with 6-8 people and located say a more detailed supply drop. In military land navigation training 8 digit coordinates are given to practice precise navigation.

Orienteering meets will generally have the Checkpoints already drawn on the map. Then requiring you to only chose your route. By use of terrain features...roads/trails...or by following a compass bearing.

http://www.infiterras...

It was just a matter of time before an "Adventure Racing" compass was developed. Noted a post on another AR site last week...as you can see the compass base plate contains your plotting graphs for several differant map sizes, latitude and longitude..etc. Here's the link to the Brunton site page.

http://www.brunton.co...

THESE POSTS ARE BY OTHER TRAILBLAZER MEMBERS COMBINED UNDER SIMILAR THREADS TOPICS:


Navigation Games has put out the January edition of their free online magazine. And it has a pretty cool UTM practice map on pages 14-15, as well as some other interesting articles. Enjoy!

http://www.navigation...

-Patrick D.

I have been asked a few times about the compass I use for orienteering. Here is the 2006 model of what I use http://www.thecompass... It is a thumb compass, goes for $45, and is intended for use on the left hand. I am a big fan of this type of compass for orienteering. I have used the old base style previously, but these are much faster for short and medium length events. These compasses however do not have degree markings and would not be helpful for shooting specific bearings.

This store also has another option that goes for $89, but I don't see how that one is worth 2X the money. But if you are interested here is the link http://www.thecompass...

Hope this helps....Patrick

POST BY SEAN BUTLER

I used to have the 6 Spectra until it got lost at a 24 hour Rogaine. :-( I loved it. I can't compare it to the one you use, but I do know that the 6 spectra was very fast to point to north. I'm currently using a baseplate model that I get for < $15, and it is very slow. It can take up to 5 seconds for the needle to settle in. The 6 Spectra was sub-second -- I could run with it and 90% of the time it was pointing the right way.

I don't think I paid that much for mine though -- maybe sub $60.

The one issue I had was that the colors all faded.

/Sean

LINK TO THE TRAILBLAZER AR MARCH NEWSLETTER...GREAT NAVIGATION GUIDE:

http://www.trailblaze...

Another great source of information on Navigation, specifically UTM, also has PDF of several differant maptools that given the right printer and some transparencies might provide for a cheap or last second alternative to buying a mapping tool.


http://www.maptools.c...