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Maps

SeaBee Land Navigation: ... Other than making a personal reconnaissance of the terrain, you must be thoroughly familiar with the use of commercially prepared maps as well as maps drawn hastily in the field. You must also interpret signs and symbols used on maps, prepare field sketches and overlays, and use the lensatic compass properly...

Waterproofing Your Map Keep your maps dry and readable

FM3-25.26 MAP READING AND LAND NAVIGATION The purpose of this field manual is to provide a standardized source document for Army wide reference on map reading and land navigation. This manual applies to every soldier in the Army regardless of service branch, MOS, or rank. This manual also contains both doctrine and training guidance on these subjects. Part One addresses map reading and Part Two, land navigation. The appendixes include a list of exportable training materials, a matrix of land navigation tasks, an introduction to orienteering, and a discussion of several devices that can assist the soldier in land navigation.

Land Navigation [FM21-26 Partial] Cartography is the art and science of expressing the known physical features of the earth graphically by maps and charts. No one knows who drew, molded, laced together, or scratched out in the dirt the first map. We do know that map reading and land navigation skills are critical to survival in a wilderness environment. Whether you're preparing to be an Army Ranger or a backpacker through the Australian outback, this handbook is filled with information you need for safety and survival in wilderness.

Map Reading & Land Navigation Appears to be an edited version of FM21-26

Field-Expedient Direction Finding [FM21-76c18] In a survival situation, you will be extremely fortunate if you happen to have a map and compass. If you do have these two pieces of equipment, you will most likely be able to move toward help. If you are not proficient in using a map and compass, you must take the steps to gain this skill.

National (USA) Geophysical Data Center - 1995 world chart in Color

TopoZone - The Web's Topographic Map

USGS Mapping Information: Home Page

WORLD OF MAPS Maps for anywhere - World - Rec, Travel, etc.

OA Guide to Map & Compass part of The Backpacker's Field Manual by Rick Curtis.

An interactive map of the world. This thing is great! It even had the little town I lived in when I was in Germany (Landstuhl)!

Color Landform Maps of the U.S. - the shaded & colored relief maps are incredible!

"FM 21-31: Topographic Symbols" This manual describes the topographic symbols and abbreviations authorized for use by all echelons in the interpretation of military maps, overlays, and related features and activities.

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GPS & Satellites

Global Positioning Systems Go 12 channels and forget the rest.

SARSAT Everything you need to know about emergency beacons and satellite search & rescue. Awesome site.

Maps, Compasses, & GPS's 101. A Basic Course This article is targeted for campers, hikers, backpackers, hunters, and anyone else who enjoys being in the out of doors.  It assumes that you know nearly nothing about using a map and/or a compass.  As a physics teacher, I know that there are many of you who are not proficient in these skills, because I find that 95% of my students have no idea how a compass works, much less how to use it for simple navigating.  With this caveat in place, let's look at some of the things you need to know to begin basic navigation on land.

GPS in Outdoor Recreation.  A Guide for the Uninitiated This guide is targeted for all outdoor enthusiasts who want to step into GPS, but don’t know much about it. My intension is to share some basic working knowledge of GPS without dwelling on all the whys, ifs, or the science behind it. The techniques described are certainly not the only ones, but they serve me well. I hope that they will be helpful to you, the reader.

LEI Tips & Tricks Links to the left will lead you to to various tips, tricks and experiences with Lowrance and Eagle receivers.  Some of it may be useful, some of it may be useless. You decide which one is which. Note that some of the procedures described here may result in degradation of your receiver performance, invalidate warranty or have other unexpected results. 

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Expedient Methods {Winging It}

Trail Blazing, Signaling & Navigation: TRAILS. BLAZING A WAY. SIGNALLING. DIRECTION & DISTANCE. MEASURING HEIGHTS & DISTANCES. ONE may camp out for years and never acquire a knowledge of woodcraft if hired guides or woodsmen are employed, but one never knows when a knowledge of woodcraft, of trailing, or of similar matters, may be necessary. It is an easy method to depend upon one's guides and never give a thought to the mysteries of woodcraft, but it is much wiser to be able to depend upon yourself and to feel confident that you can follow a trail, find your way or eke out a living in the woods without any one to aid you, and every camper should strive to become as skilled in woodcraft as the professional guide. Excerpt from the: "Book of Camping" By A. Hyatt Verrill, 1917; Chapter Four

Instinct Navigation - Using Your Built-In Compass by Mitch Durrance Finding your way in the woods can prove to be a challenge for the inexperienced woods person even with a compass. You could be walking in the right direction and be a few degrees off and come out in the next county, if you come out at all. Trails can disappear right in front of you and one tree can look like another... (PDF) [Link recovered 4/8/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Finding Direction by Christine Matsko Various Field Expedient methods. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/8/11 - now hosted onsite!] Several quick tips on alternative methods. See Also: Finding Your Direction When Lost

Make a simple compass to find magnetic north, or south, (depending on where you live) using just a Sewing needle ~1 inch long, small bar magnet. (refrigerator magnets may work if you don't have a bar magnet), a small piece of cork and a small glass or cup of water to float the cork and needle.

The Bushwalkers Guide to the Galaxy - Improvised Navigation - How to navigate the Surface of the Earth with less than a GPS or Compass. by Alan Sheehan. A great article on the various ways to navigate on land.  [Link updated  4/8/11]

FIELD-EXPEDIENT DIRECTION FINDING In a survival situation, you will be extremely fortunate if you happen to have a map and compass. If you do have these two pieces of equipment, you will most likely be able to move toward help. If you are not proficient in using a map and compass, you must take the steps to gain this skill.

North By The Moon. The moon is a compass or more accurately a pointer to the north star. So if you can see the moon you should be able to find north. There are two ways to do this. (John Goude) (PDF) [Link recovered 4/8/11 - now hosted onsite!]

FIELD-EXPEDIENT DIRECTION FINDING Chapter 18 of the old FM 21-76

Finding Your Way Using the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Improvised Compasses. Nice site, good information. Horrific spelling.

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Lost

Getting Found - How to Navigate the Backcountry To be truly prepared for a wilderness emergency, whether the wilderness you find yourself in is a few miles from help or a few hundred, you must be accomplished in only six skill areas: fire-building, procuring and preparing food and water, shelter construction, first aid, making and employing signals, and navigation. In this article we will cover the basics of outdoor navigation, but please remember—you can't become accomplished in any of these areas by just reading about them.

Finding Direction by Christine Matsko Various Field Expedient methods. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/8/11 - now hosted onsite!] Several quick tips on alternative methods. See Also: Finding Your Direction When Lost and in PDF Format elsewhere.

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Miscellaneous

LAND NAVIGATION (Excellent Comprehensive Article from the Web - very comprehensive.) WHILE IT IS HANDY TO KNOW HOW TO FIND DIRECTIONS BY THE SUN OR STARS, such methods are useless in adverse weather conditions. Knowing how to find the North Star doesn't do much good if you can't see any stars due to clouds, fog or a blizzard. Even an overcast sky prevents you from using wristwatch or shadow and stick methods of finding north. In a wilderness emergency or during a military operation, waiting for clear skies could cost lives. Modern technology has given us portable Global Positioning System (G.P.S.) satellite receivers, which are wonderful navigation aids as long as you have batteries, but compasses and topographic maps are still the primary tools to use when moving around in the outdoors. The first rule of gun fighting is "always bring a gun" and the first rule of heading into the boonies is "always carry a compass." A good compass will enable you to align your map with magnetic and true north, find your way to a destination, follow your route to a destination and find your way back to your starting point. The two basic types of compass are the sighting type (like the military lensatic compass) and the orienteering type.

Desert Navigation Techniques Staying on Course, Staying Found

Geomagnetic Field Synthesis Program Input Form Interactive!

Magnetic Field Program Download User Information Form Free Software

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Orienteering

Instructions for the US Army Lensatic Compass. [PDF] Contains several different discussions. The instructions in this booklet are for the Lensatic, Magnetic Compass currently being distributed by the US Army and Troop Command. This compass is known throughout the world for its precision, reliability, versatility, ruggedness and much more. It has helped to save lives in time of war and provided many with recreational and commercial usefulness in times of peace. The Lensatic compass is used to determine 'azimuths' or 'compass bearings' (horizontal angles). It is also used to follow a course over the ground, orient or set a map, and determine position of objects in relation to a map.

Lensatic Compass or Military Compass Basic Use. This file was made using the text from the Army Compass Manual, and the pictures from the Marine Manual of Common Tasks. It is only a basic primer of how to use the Military Compass. You can also download this survivalprimer.com file in PDF FORMAT

Kjetil Kjernsmo's illustrated guide on How to use a compass

OA Guide to Map & Compass - Part 1 (part of The Backpacker's Field Manual) by Rick Curtis Traveling anywhere in the wilderness means determining where you want to go. Maps and guidebooks are the fundamental tools both for trip planning see (Chapter 1 - Trip Planning) and while you are out on the trail.

Orienteering - the Sport of a Lifetime Orienteering is the sport of navigation with map and compass. It's easy to learn, but always challenging. The object is to run, walk, ski, or mountain bike to a series of points shown on the map, choosing routes–both on and off trail–that will help you find all the points and get back to the finish in the shortest amount of time. The points on the course are marked with orange and white flags and punches, so you can prove you've been there. Each “control” marker is located on a distinct feature, such as a stream junction or the top of a knoll.

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