After the 'Where', there comes 'How', 'When' and 'Which Way'

MAPS

One of the oldest forms of written communication, the map is the most important piece of information the adventure rider has. They come in all shapes sizes and styles and like a treasured tool in your kit, some maps have been around the owners life for a very long time. They gather information and data year by year as the regions on them are travelled and explored. For the person of few words, a map is sometimes their only journal. In this course you will learn the importance of a map and the understanding of the following attributes:

• Type
• Scale
• Size
• Age
• Projection

You will learn the basics of map reading including but not limited to:

• At some point on a map there will be a Legend. This is a table that tells you all the information mentioned above relative to that particular map. IE its Name, Type, Scale, Size, Date and Projection. Also any markings, symbols or icons used on the map will be explained therein.
• Unless specified by the compass marks on the map, North is always UP.
• Most maps have a grid on them. Some are Latitude (the Easy-West lines) and Longitude  (the North-South lines) and are marked in Degrees. Or arbitrary grid lines marked by number (1-9) and letter (A-Z) like a street directory.
• If you are NOT using a GPS, maps with Lat and Long are the most useful as you can locate your position in relation to a universal frame of reference and therefore is useful to anyone who has access to such information, like someone at the other end of the phone or radio.. Arbitrary grids are only useful to someone else with the same map.

COMPASS

The compass, like the Map, are one of the oldest tools of navigation. A magnetic device the always points North/South. If you have a good vantage point for landmarks, a map with contour information and a compass, you can always tell where you are and where you need to go. Unlike a GPS you cannot find your position exactly, but pretty close if the surrounding terrain/environment has discernible unique attributes. Navigating in the outback (and probably the snow) is more challenging and requires that you make careful note of your direction of travel (and when it changes), how long you have travelled in that direction and a known starting point. Learning to navigate by map and compass is a very useful skill as it forces/teaches you to be aware of and responsible for your actions. Where you go, and what you do. Following a GPS or formed road with little care for 'Where you are' is lazy and if you loose your map, there are no road signs, you make a wrong (un-noticed) turn or the road disappears, you are in trouble.

Interesting facts:

Q:If you were on the North Pole and walked 20km South, 20Km East and then 20 Km North, where would you be in relation to where you started IE the North Pole?

A: Right where you started.

Q: If you were 10Km north of the Equator and did exactly the same thing as above, where would you be in relation to where you started?

A: 20Km East of where you started.

Q: If you were at any other point on the Earth (Other than the South Pole) and did what you did above, where would you be in relation to where you started

A: It is not easy to determine, however if you started from somewhere more than 10Km North of the Equator, you would be somewhere less than 20Km exactly East of your starting point. If you were more than 10 Km South of the equator you would be the same, somewhere less than 20Km and exactly East of your starting point.

The old mariners of pre satellite days were truly studious and skilled men.

GPS

Too easy!!. maybe not? They come with their own set of problems, most importantly you become very reliant on them and when they fail, break, or stop, you are like a fish out of water if you don't have your Analogue' navigation skills to fall back on.

They come in three main varieties and we will learn about each:

• Handheld non-moving map, used by Hikers and Military.
• Touchscreen moving map, like conventional Garmin or NavMan Turn by Turn units
• Mouse/software combo, used to turn a laptop or PC into a Navigation device.

There are a few terms that we will use.

• Moving Map.
• Track.
• Waypoint.
• Locked and Unlocked, Most PNA GPS units run windows CE and some 'lock' you out of it. So you need to 'Unlock' them to get access and install other useful software.

MOVING MAP SOFTWARE

Finally we will put al our knowledge together and implement it using OziExplorer Moving Map Software

Unlocking a Windows based PND

• Learning what version and how 'complete' the install of Windows mobile is on your device
• 'Unlocking' the device to get access to the Operating System

Installing OziExplorerCE/PND

• Installing a menu system and the Oziexplorer/iGo software
• Installing Maps and other files needed for navigation

Using OziExplorerCE

• Creating Maps
• Calibrating Maps
• Scenario based orienteering practicals to generate track logs and way points
• Importing Tracks and Waypoints

Using Google Maps Directions on your GPS

• Planning a route on Google Maps
• Extracting the Google Directions to a GPS Track with Waypoints
• Plotting your GPS tracks on Google Maps to share with others

If you like what you have read, check out our prices and Training Schedule then contact us

We look forward to meeting you.