Fictional training map · 1:50 000

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MGRS 12U WD · CFB Wainwright area

SelectedNone

Tap any location for its grid reference · tap a contour for its elevation · map turned 0°

Lesson 4 of 9

Orienting a Map and Taking Bearings

1Set the declination screw to the sheet's grid-magnetic angle (lesson 3), and turn the bezel until N is at the index line.
2Place the compass on the map. Turn it until a long edge lies along a vertical grid line with the direction-of-travel arrow toward the top of the map.
3Now turn the map itself, compass and all, with the rotate buttons above the map or the map-turn control below, until the red end of the needle sits in the orienting arrow.
4The map is oriented: grid north on the sheet points to grid north on the ground. With the screw left at 0° the map would be set to magnetic north instead, off by the GMA.
5To take a bearing, choose the Ruler tool and draw a line from your start point to your destination.
6Lay the compass edge along that line with the travel arrow toward the destination, then turn the bezel until the orienting lines run along the grid with N to grid north. Read the grid bearing at the index line.

Orient the map

Compass on the map: Not placed
Bezel N at the index line: Set
Edge along the grid, arrow to map north: Not set
Needle in the orienting arrow: Not set
Turn the map: 0°

Face a new direction turns you on the ground and puts the map back square to the desk, so the needle swings and the map has to be oriented again.

Take a bearing

Choose the Ruler tool and draw a line from your start point to your destination.

Compass

Bezel 000° · declination 0°

Tap any component of the compass to inspect it.

Bezel at the index line: 000°
Declination set on the screw: 0°
On the map at: Not on the map

On the map: drag the compass to move it, drag its rear end to turn it, and drag the ring to rotate the bezel. Its settings stay as you leave them in every lesson.

Grid reference

Tap the map

Precision: Names a 1 m square

Precision is not accuracy. More digits name a smaller square; they do not make the map, or your plotting, any more exact. On a 1:50 000 sheet a careful reader is good to about 50 m.

Ruler

No measurement

Press on the map for the start point and drag to the end point. Drag either end to adjust it. The distance comes from the grid coordinates, so turning or zooming the map never changes it.

Markers

No markers yet. Choose Marker above the map, then tap the sheet.

Legend

1 km grid line
Index contour
Contour
Road
Track
Creek, lake
Woodland
Building

Scale: 1:50 000
Contour interval: 10 m
Grid: MGRS 12U WD · WGS 84

The terrain, names and elevations are fictional training data. The grid is the real MGRS grid for the CFB Wainwright area.