Practical Land Navigation

[Stschil]

Let me preface this with a little background before I get into the meat of my question:

My GF and are, I guess, intermediate preppers. Still putting things together. So, for Christmas, I bought her a decent lensatic compass and the Army FM for Land Navigation.

I remember, quite fondly, the fun I had teaching basic land nav to my soldiers when I was in the Army. The spark came back as I was showing her how to use the compass.

This got me to thinking. Would there be anyone else out there in INGO-land that would be interested in participating/helping with putting together a basic, good old fashioned, get lost in the woods and find your way back, Land Navigation Class?? I think it would be a great way for INGO members to meet each other, learn a new skill or even polish up on an old, rarely used one, make a few new friends and prepare.

I am no expert by any means and would gladly accept any help and/or advice if there is an interest out there.

Here is kind of things I have in mind:

1. A weekend trip to a state park or maybe to anothers members' woods (should the offer be made) I would suggest BOB only, but maybe it would be better for learning if everyone was more comfortable. Don't know for sure.

2. Overviews on map reading, using a compass and protractor to determine location via grid coordinates

3. Intersection and Resection

4. A practical Land Navigation course where each person gets a chance to 'head into the woods' and use these skills.

(Oh yeah,,,forgot to mention. NO GPS's as the premise of this would be that the Sats for triangulation would be down and GPS would be useless anyway)

What do you think, INGO Members?

 

[Blackhawk2001]

Why not start off with a day class (no overnight) and work up from there?

 

[E5RANGER375]

Why not start off with a day class (no overnight) and work up from there?

^^ this!!! or maybe 2 classes before going to the field. Land nav at night is a totally different beast than during the day.

 

[Stschil]

Why not start off with a day class (no overnight) and work up from there?

No issues either way on Day vs Weekend. But I like to camp

 

[Stschil]

^^ this!!! or maybe 2 classes before going to the field. Land nav at night is a totally different beast than during the day.

Good info already coming in! I love it

I agree with you 100% about navigation at night. However, I think I would like to make sure everyone can find their way in the light and have the basics down pat before going to pace counts in the dark.

 

[jeremy]

So still make it a weekend camp out. Just instead of Night Nav, have group time/activities/classes. Then when everyone is up and moving in the morning you can give out points and move from crawling to walking at day nav.

 

[Stschil]

Honestly, I hadn't even considered a night course when I started mulling this over. It is a different animal altogether, as E5RANGER375 says.
I was more along the lines of sitting around a campfire telling each other how awesome we were. Showing scars, telling war stories, etc.

 

[E5RANGER375]

Honestly, I hadn't even considered a night course when I started mulling this over. It is a different animal altogether, as E5RANGER375 says.
I was more along the lines of sitting around a campfire telling each other how awesome we were. Showing scars, telling war stories, etc.

play with fire and you'll wet the bed

 

[Stschil]

play with fire and you'll wet the bed

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there...

 

[Armed & Christian]

Morgan-Monroe State Forest has a pretty decent land nav course already set up & maintained by this guy: TrueNorth and Associates

 

[Hoosier8]

I did the Indianapolis Adventure Race with my daughter and her husband one year and had to learn orienteering in quick order. Fun.

 

[Stschil]

Morgan-Monroe State Forest has a pretty decent land nav course already set up & maintained by this guy: TrueNorth and Associates

Might be a way to go, however I was really trying to do something low cost. More of a cooperative event to bring INGO members together to learn a skill and learn about each other as we may someday all be up the same **it creek. Would be nice to know who we can count on to 'bring a paddle', so to speak.

 

[eldirector]

I'm up for a refresher. My uncle was a pretty serious backpacker, and taught me the basics as a teenager. I've forgotten most, but would enjoy a low-risk (not getting lost alone) chance to re-learn.

Morgan-Monroe would be a great place to learn. Great maps available, good landmarks, and a nice network of trails. You can't get TOO lost!

 

[Armed & Christian]

Might be a way to go, however I was really trying to do something low cost.

IIRC, the map packet is only about $25. Once you get them, make color copies and divide the total cost among everyone who signs up. Even if you only get 5 people, the cost per person wil only be about $6.

 

[Bill B]

I would be interested in helping, as long as we aren't doing pace counts through the swamps at 38 degrees.

 

[Armed & Christian]

I would be interested in helping, as long as we aren't doing pace counts through the swamps at 38 degrees.

no swamps, though there are plenty of elevation changes and none of it utilizes the existing trails maintained by DNR. When we ran through it this past Spring, I don't think anyone's pace counts were near accurate after dealing with underbrush, ravines, saddles, and all other manner of woodland obstacle.

 

[Hawkeye]

Check into an Orienteering Club or course. I think there's one in central Indiana.

 

[Beech Grover]

I would be interested in this for some family fun day.

 

[philo]

I would be interested in helping, as long as we aren't doing pace counts through the swamps at 38 degrees.

We are pretty close to 38 degrees N lat.

I've got a GPS at work that I use to establish lat/long for collection points, but i hate to use it and wouldn't rely on it for long term navigation needs. Batteries go dead at inopportune times!

Give me a good old fashioned map and compass and ideally an aerial photo.

I'd be interested in working on this too.

 

[Falkin88]

I've been known to teach the map and compass course at IU from time to time so if you need some help teaching this more than happy to help out.