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As the NAVIGATOR you are responsible for all operations involving the map. You will work in concert with the COMPASS, PACER, COMMUNICATOR, ENGINEER, SCOUT and SQUAD LEADER. You will plot the assigned checkpoints, draw the course line which connects the points, and through the use of the provided protractor/UTM grid reader, determine the course to be traveled.
The topographical map is your foundation and blueprint for success. It is your responsibility to learn to read and use your issued map.
Your map will be a reduced section of some part of a larger area. Along the edges of the map are small lines and numerals. When extended these lines form a continuous grid on the map. Through the use of procedures listed below, you can determine your position on the map, plot desired points, and successfully navigate the terrain depicted on your map. The scale of your map is 1:24,000, which means that one unit of measurement on the map equals 24,000 units of the same measurement full-sized. At the bottom of your map is a bar scale that allows you to make to-scale measurements that correspond to feet, miles, or kilometers. You will use METERS for all measurements during your exercise.
For this exercise you will be tasked with plotting a position on the map and then navigating to that position.
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SCALES:
Pay particular attention to the various distance scales at the bottom of the map. You will be tasked with measuring the distance between points. All your measurements will be in meters. Ensure the entire team knows that the measurement will be in meters. The team PACER will have greater detail on pacing and measurement skills.
CONTOUR: The contour interval is also located at the bottom of the map. The contour interval simply states the measured difference between the brown, wavy lines you see on your map. Through use of the contour interval you are able to determine the height of hills and the steepness to inclines or declines in the terrain. Widely spaced contour lines indicate a gradual slope, while contour lines spaced closely together indicate a steep slope. Contour lines that blend into and form a “V” or “U” represent either a canyon or valley. Contour lines that roughly form circles and get smaller in size with elevation indicate hills or mountain peaks. It is important to note that contour intervals are in feet vice meters.
As you familiarize yourself with this map, pay attention to the natural relief features (hills, streams, valleys, and lakes) vice man-made features (hard surface roads, buildings, power lines, etc.). Topographical maps (such as the one you are holding) may not accurately portray man made features, simply because maps are normally not updated and printed to reflect what structures may have been built on the depicted terrain. When you are in the field, disregard man made features when you are navigating! If a man made feature happens to accurately coincide with your position, that’s fine, but always back your position up with the natural relief features of the map. Your map is UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator), which is based on the meter. The grid lines, which are described below, are always one kilometer (0.62 miles) apart, both vertically and horizontally.
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GRID SYSTEM
You will quickly notice that your map has a uniform portrayal of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines. This network of intersecting lines is known as a “grid system”. This grid system allows you to simply and accurately plot positions on the map and assist in the navigation of those plotted points. For this exercise you will be required to plot one or more points on your map. Each of the vertical (north-south) lines and horizontal (east-west) lines is assigned a specific number in sequence. These numbers, when quoted in pairs where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect, are called “grid coordinates”. In specifying a grid coordinate, the north-south line is read first, followed by the east-west line. Always “READ RIGHT, THEN UP.” You also have a UTM grid reader in your possession which will allow you to accurately plot a position on the map.
Each grid square has a length of 1000 meters and a width of 1000 meters. Each side (length and width) then, may be further subdivided into tenths of 100 meters. Your UTM Grid Reader further breaks the 100 meter increments down into five increments of 20 meters each. All map plotting will be in an eight digit format, broken down as follows:
Example: 47358440 (think of this as 4735 8440)
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UTM Grid Reader |
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How to read UTM Grid Coordinates:
It’s easy! Just remember, READ RIGHT, THEN UP.
1. RIGHT. The first two numbers represent number (47) of the vertical north-south line. Find the north-south grid line with that number.
2. Reading right from grid line 47, we see we must go further right another 350 (the second two numbers in this group, 35, in hundreds) meters.
3. UP. The first two numbers in the second group (84) represent the horizontal east-west line. Find the east-west line with that number.
4. Reading up from grid line 84, we see we must go further up another 400 (the second two numbers of that group, 40, in hundreds) meters.
At left you will see a diagram of a UTM grid reader. You will learn how to use this grid reader to pinpoint grid points, to measure angles and set direction of travel. Your Combat Ops facilitator will teach you these skills
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Try this exercise
On the map to the left try and find the object of interest that is located at the grid: 66265814. ...since you do not have a UTM grid reader, you will have to do some estimation/interpolation. The answer can be found at the bottom of the Scout page.
Try one more...65745926...the answer to this can also be found on the Scout page
Click here for a larger map, it is downloadable and print-ready in PDF format.
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