Map Reading

[Carl_SlayR]

Hi All,

I've had my NSW R-Licence for nearly a year now and havn't been hunting on public land yet because I'm not sure how to read their maps and know if I'm still in the right area of a place I've never been before. How do I go about learning to read them properly ?. I really want to get out around my area (Newcastle). Even if there is someone that would be willing to take me out just for a walk and show me what the go is.

Cheers Carl

[discord]

Dept of Lands put out a booklet I've heard good things about (but haven't seen first hand)

http://www.mapworld.com.au/products/map ... geoscience

only $5.95

[Carl_SlayR]

Thankyou Thankyou

[Fraser]

Carl, is the problem the maps in question, or do you have problems with navigation?

It's been a couple of years since I lived in NSW, but in 2010 there was data availabe on the game councile website that could be downloaded to a Garmin gps.

Cheers,

Fraser

[Carl_SlayR]

The problem is me yes. Maybe if I got a GPS and used it alongside the maps I could figure it out. I've never done any sort of navigation besides road maps which I am pretty good at.

[Fraser]

You'll need a map, compass (silva are easier to read than prismatic) protractor, GPS, and eventully a map case. You need to check that all of the are on the same unit of measurement. Sea charts and some civilian maps are in longatude and latertude, military and some government are in MGRS. Also military compasses and protractors use mills not degrees and seconds.

I found garmin to be an easy brand to use, but GPS is not infallable so you need to be able to use map and compass as well.

Is there some one at your local club who can help you? your going to need to be shown how to shoot a bearing, plot a bearing, do a resection, and how to account for magnatic varriation.

Cheers,

Fraser

[AndyD]

Silva are a manufacturer (and the only ones I use by choice) and actually make prismatic compass amongst their many offerings. A prismatic is a style of compass.
I think that a Silva orienteering compass would be a good choice (it can have a protractor as part of the unit base)

I can highly recommenced a book called "Map and compass" by Cliff Jacobson, ISBN 978-0-7627-4762-7.
It is important to learn and practise how to use a map and compass to navigate before you actually need use of that skill.
Google "aiming off compass" to read further on a most useful technique if you are going to be using the compass as a backup navigational system.

Be careful of unqualified advice, and ensure you are confident and have practised usage before going a field.
Cheers

[Carl_SlayR]

Thanks guys