Lab 8: Map & Compass Navigation

Introduction

In this activity, students utilized maps, compasses, and a Trimble Juno 3 GPS device to navigate to a series of points at the Priory.  The maps used were created in Lab 7, and the compass and GPS devices were provided by the instructor.  The class was split up into six different teams of students, and each team was given a set of latitude/longitude coordinates to be located. 

Methods

At the beginning of this exercise, the instructor gave each team of students a set of five coordinates.  These points were then plotted on the printed maps (points for Group 5 are shown in Figure 1). 

Figure 1: Map with Group 5's points plotted (Photo: Amanda Senger)

For this exercise, three navigation tools were used: 

• 2 Maps of the Priory: UTM, GCS
• Trimble Juno 3 (Figure 2)
• Compass

  

  Figure 2: Trimble Juno3 GPS (Photo: Laura Hartley)

  
  

After distributing the navigation tools, the instructor demonstrated how to use the compass and map together (Figure 3).  Each student also measured their "pacing" by counting steps along a 50 meter long tape measure. Though the map, compass, and pacing combined provided general direction and distance for navigation to the points, the GPS device allowed for double-checking of locations. 

Figure 3: Dr. Hupy demonstrates compass & map navigation (Photo: Amanda Senger)

Then, each team put their navigation skills to the test and set out to find their first points.  The map and compass was used to find the bearing from the Priory parking lot to the first point (Figure 4).  Before leaving the parking lot, each group also turned on the tracking feature on their Trimble device in order to gather data about their route for later use.  

Figure 4: Compass & map navigation (Photo: Amanda Senger)

When in the field, each team member took on different roles (Figure 5, 6).  Amanda served as the primary compass and map navigator, and figured out the direction the runner needed to go.  Jeff served as the primary runner, and followed Amanda's directions to scout out ahead of the group.  Anneli served as the note taker, recording and calculating distances and directions.  Jackie served as the GPS operator, and used the device to double-check the group's trajectory and final destinations.  Anneli and Jackie also served as pacers, and used the map's scale and their previously calculated pace to determine approximate distances to points. 

Figure 5: Jeff as runner, Anneli as note taker, Jackie with GPS

Figure 6: Anneli and Jackie as pacers (Photo: Amanda Senger)

Discussion

One of the main problems encountered in this activity was dealing with terrain.  While the compass, map, and pacing alone might have worked for a flat field, our terrain was fraught with trees, bushes, hills, and ravines.  This made pacing difficult and navigating in a straight line nearly impossible.  Another problem that occurred was a missing destination point marker.  After searching for quite some time, Group 5 determined that the Point 2 marker must be missing and added their own to a tree near the given coordinates (Figure 7).  

Figure 7: Jeff marking Point 2 (Photo: Amanda Senger)

Results

A map displaying Group 5's destination points and tracking points is displayed below (Figure 8).  

Figure 8: Map displaying Group 5's track log and destination points

 Conclusions

Despite the troubles with terrain, this activity proved very valuable.  Though many people rely heavily on advanced technology for navigation purposes, technology can fail.  For this reason, it is important to also know how to navigate with more primitive devices such as maps and compasses.