Ah yes, the thawing of the country is but a few short weeks away as spring arrives. With it comes the time when many of us will venture out more often. Yeah yeah, I know. There is no such thing as a training season, range season, outdoor season, everyone is hard core 12 month 24/7 get out and get after it. But for those of us who prefer to do the bulk of our outdoor activities during milder weather (like me) keep on reading.

As we get ready to shake the cold off in a few weeks now is the perfect time to knock out those precombat inspections (PCIs) for our kit and check all our navigation kit out before we head out into the spring wilderness. I’m getting excited just writing about it. And one more time - yes, I know and believe that this is a continuous cycle without regard to the weather or season, but the reality is humans are still…human. Most of ‘em anyway. So coming out of Christmas and the dark winter is a great time to lay out your land navigation kit and double check it.

A good place to start no matter what season. Electronic land nav devices need power. We are fortunately in a better era of low power consumption for GPS and electronic compass devices, long gone are the days of power-hungry GPS units that could chew through a set of AA batteries in a few hours. Rechargeable and solar top off battery systems and units that run for days on a set of batteries are commonplace. But don’t let that lull you into a false sense of readiness, have a power plan for your devices and verify what you have on hand is good to go. Some things to check:

Setting Up a New Map. If you plan to train in a new area preparing your map and get familiar with both the type and data on the particular map sheet. If you are laminating your map, take all these steps prior to sealing it up as these will be permanent improvements to the sheet. These additions are about convenience and ease of use, so do what works for you. You are only limited by your own creativity as to what to add and how you modify them. Any addition that will allow you to find data faster, prevent errors, and assist your personal nav preferences should be added. Below is an example or “A” way of modifying a topo map for use. At a minimum I always write the declination conversion for the sheet so I don’t have to do the mental “do I add or subtract?” drill when I’m cold, wet and tired. Highlighting (and adding) northing and easting numbers mid sheet makes them easier to find when plotting a grid or sending reports. Things that should not be permanent additions for tactical maps are OPSEC related items like your group’s standardized checkpoints and other graphic control measures. Keep all info related to the map sheet itself.

Verify your map series. The USGS no longer does field verification or other primary data collection for some of these feature classes, and there are no national data sources suitable for general-purpose, 1:24,000-scale maps. This is what may surprise some of you - especially if you are accustomed to using “old school” topo maps. If it existed on the ground, the mapmaker found a way to add it to our maps.

Some features on our topo maps did not transfer to the newer digital processes. There are some significant things missing from new map data that expert navigators grew up using. Examples of these now unmarked features can include recreational trails, pipelines, power lines, survey markers, and many types of buildings. Since US Topo maps are mass produced from national databases, some features shown on traditional maps might never be included on future US Topo maps. For example, a national database of isolated ranch windmills and water tanks (which were on the manually built maps) is unlikely to ever be built. The tall community water towers are a gift to navigation, seeing one off in the distance can save your bacon for a resection/modified resection. Only problem is your new map may not even depict it.

The photos above are 1:24,000 maps of the same terrain, the same scale, the same grid square. On the left is a USGS “historical” map, on the right is a current version. You can see the details that are left off the new US Topo print on the right. No buildings, churches, power lines, or spot elevations. The power line running NW / SE is a great catching feature (and a significant linear danger area (LDA)) but using the new map you would never know it was there until you walked up on it. To mitigate this loss of detail we must use other tools like satellite imagery and aerial photos to augment the new version topo maps. Be sure you have everything you need in your kit, and most importantly have an understanding of the items you choose.

Map Datum. Consider two comparison photos of two maps with different datums; the two pictures below are the same piece of terrain, the same grid square. Take a look at the grid lines compared to the terrain. The historical map on the left uses North American Datum 1927 (NAD27) while the newer one on the right uses North American Datum 1983 (NAD83). Notice how the grid intersection southeast of Hill 2545 has shifted a couple hundred meters south due to using the newer datum. The details of understanding map datum and why it matters are in the CM-5 Land Navigation Manual. For our purposes this morning and your PCI the learning point is know what datum you are using on your GPS compared to your map. Also ensure everyone on your team or family or group are referencing the same datum.

Azimuth Check. This technique is for both lensatic and baseplate compasses. Use a horizontal flat or vertical square surface free of metal (including nails). Measure an azimuth to the nearest degree using a calibrated electronic compass (a calibrated smart phone can work great for this). Record the azimuth and check your compasses against the baseline. A one- or two-degree difference should be the max. Do this with new compasses, if they are out of the manufacturer’s stated tolerance get a replacement. Two or more baselines with a minimum of 90 degrees difference should be used.

So there we have it, a quick run through of what you need and what you need to look out for when inspecting your land nav kit. This overview does not address standard field equipment that you should always have with you (medical, environmental protection etc). And the most important check is the knowledge you have before going out. Land navigation is a foundational skill that takes years of training and practical application to become an expert. That being said the basics / introductory skills are low cost and low resource intensive so these are a great place to start in the spring if you are new to the community. If you are an old hand at land nav now is still a great time to lay your kit out and get a good cross check in before your next outing. Take care until next week!

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