Using a Map and Compass on a Hike - Map and Compass Skills - Video 4 

Thank you Mr. Bryan. This video really helped me understand. I looked at two other channels on this subject and barely understood. You taught me a lot just now. Thank you sir.

Have been trying to understand Land Nav. for some time. Thanks it was a good video and helped me get a basic understanding. I need to learn much more but this sure was a good start. thanks Dave

thank you for this Brian... this is so far the easiest video to understand regarding triangulation and declination :)

Thanks for all the work you put into that. I learned something new.

I loved the series, Brian. Great job.

Thank you Brian! great video ... full of practical info!

we called it intersection (and re-section in reverse). Good video....great way to practice....

Brian, your series on compass info is superb! In fact I have the same compass as the one you're using on the hike. I have one question, the unit has a small black clip that's about 1/2 inch in diameter and slotted. What is its use and where does it belong? Thanks in advance! Craig in Shoreline, WA

Brian, this is a nice overview of some important skills. It's worth mentioning that determining your position by triangulation only works under very favorable circumstances - you need to be able to see features, identify features, and find a feature that is on your map. All of these are not very likely in the real world scenarios on being lost. A more practical way to get yourself on lost is to always print a map that has a UTM grid on it (do so at caltopo.com) and then use a GPS for a GPS app on your smart phone that shows your coordinates, to plot them correctly. This can be done at night, low visibility, confusing terrain, or any other challenging conditions and works correctly every time.

thanks for the effort put on this video, i found it useful (hiker from Argentina)

Thank you sir, for your effort and dedication in teaching us this subject. It is one of the best i ever seen with real life example linking to the theory.

great series, it really offers a good refresher course on the skills I used to have

THIS MAY CLARIFY OR CONFUSE. Adjust compass for magnetic declination ["East is least (-), West is best (+)"]. The purpose is to synchronize compass to topo's (topographic map) true North. Some sport compasses have a screw to make the adjustment. Military lensatic compasses cannot be adjusted this way. The topo shows annual declination. However, it may be out of dated. Get current declination at: /g www.ngdc.noaa.gov eomag-web/?useFullSite=true Topos, are read RIGHT and UP. Grids are divide into increments of 10. [RRrUUu (the lower case letter represent 1/10)]. Give position with six digits. On other maps: Latitude N/S from Equator. Longitude E/W from Greenwich. This given in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Map index show CONTOUR LINES and gives the distance between them. Pace count: My left foot pace count with a 45 lbs load over average terrain is 66 paces for 100 meters (1,000 m = 1 klm). Calculate your own over a known 100 meter path. Use "ranger beads" for pace count (look it up). In my case, I lower one of the 10 bead every 66 paces. When i've lowered 10 beads, I lower 1 of the upper bead. These represent 1 kilometer. You may have 4-5 of the 1-kilometer beads. At intervals, depending on visibility and points of reference, you take another bearing and record coord, date, and time on the topographic map. If this is for a military application, do not write on the topographic map. You cannot always travel on a straight-line. If you can distinguish a point in the same heading that is on the other side of the obstacle, go around it and, when you arrive, continue with your bearing. Binoculars come in handy.

another great video

Extremely great video thank you

Thanks for making this video. I've wondered how to find my position on a map, but so many videos and books I've read only cover how to navigate from an already known position. The problem is; I usually don't know where I am if I'm in a new area :P

nice video, BUT two errors, calculation of declination and triangulation. - it is rare to get a topo map hot off the press, meaning GETTING and USING a map that was published the same year. You must add or subtract the deviation by the number of years that have lapsed. if map is 5 years old, you must multiply by 5 by the amount that it changes every year. the amount of change is found in the margin or the bottom of the map. - triangulation, you where bisecting not triangulating. bisecting is shooting 2 bearings, triangulating is shooting 3 bearings, 3 bearing much more accurate. All in all well demonstrated video

I hiked this trail back in 1972 with my Boy Scout troop!

'mornin, Bryan; Another Top-Notch M&C installment.Very useful headings.Thanks again 4 taking the time 2 make & share this info.with us.Sure hoping the storm has passed by U By now. From The Maritimes In Canada. A.T.B. Terry " GOD BLESS "

👍👍 shared to my Facebook and added to a public playlist.

Very helpful and interesting.

Hi Brian , great video Iam trying to learn to use a map & compass so this is very helpful thanks . Atb Martin

You don't have to orient the map in order to triangulate. Just get your bearing, place edge of the compass at landmark, then turn the whole compass until the meridian lines on compass line up with the lines on the map. Then draw your line.

Great info. Thanks for sharing.

Amazing! Where is that 20:48 sir? Those artillery guns, I can only guess are pointing at the reverse azimuth of some foreign unwelcome hikers I guess & I'm sure pieces of their broken compasses could still be found lying down in the surrounding dirt :)

Thanks for the great video series. Very easy to understand. I live in Louisiana where it's very flat and there's not really easily recognizable landmarks with which to triangulate. Will you be adding to the series how to use time or steps or ranger beads to help with this and with distance traveled?

Wonderful teaching video, thanks! One question: where can I go, online, to get the free maps?

Quick question to clarify something for me... If my magnetic declination is 8° EAST, when I manually adjust the declination on my compass (Suunto MC-2G USGS), as I'm facing the bottom of the base plate, do I swing the black needle so that the tick mark is to the right of zero (East)? Or do I swing it to the left (West) of zero so that the red arrow (Dog House) swings back to the East of zero?

..On that Suunto MC-2, just dial in the declination on the bottom of the compass; that's what it's there for. "Set it and forget it!"

I live in Marietta. Good video!

excellent information sir !

Very informative. Thank you for my new skill

Great video, very helpful.

i like this video and such a beautiful sight! But I also one have question. I have a Silva Expedition S Compass, what is very similar to your Suunto. I looking after in videos etc but I still don"t know how to use the Clinometer in it. Can you tell me?

I ordered a Ueasy Compass a sort of Lensatic compass I have it now but I dont have alot of faith in it. As when I got it it was pointing in the right direction tonight its not. So Idk but your videos are helpful there is alot to learn for land navigation.

Sorry Brian... when you mentioned 4.29 degrees in discussing Declination you were wrong. 4 degrees 29 minutes does NOT equal 4.29 degrees. It is closer to 4.5 degrees. You are confusing the "minutes" with decimal parts of a degree. Let's get it right please.

I see on the map there is a variance between true north and grid north (GN). Should I include the 1degree 22' variance in addition to the 4 degree 29' variance, in my declination adjustments, when working with this map?

the magnetic deviation on the map is not "4.29 degrees," it is 4 degrees and 29 minutes which is 4.48 degrees.

The most confusing i have ever seen anywhere at any time any place.

hey ,,,, what is the mirrow used for, how come you didn't use it to take a sighting?????that is what the mirrow is there for. the line down the middle should give you a clue

where can I buy those maps

shamu land surveying in bangladesh

Mano, i can’t understand what you’re saying-you’re slurring and talking too fast.

Good video! Also, for anyone looking for a good, cheap topo map. Go to www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/pdf-quads then click on the tab that says PDF Quads (1) and zoom in on the area you want, then download and print them off for free. It takes a little work to piece them together but they are good maps.