Lesson
8 of 25
Navigation 1.1 Street Maps and Compass Points
When it comes to moving around in unfamiliar
territory there is no more important item to have than a map. GPS units and cell phone apps are very handy
on a day to day basis but in a real emergency I don’t want to put my life in
the hands of anything that fragile which is connected to systems that might not
be in place when you need them.
Street maps can usually be found in a book that covers most of the surrounding towns. These maps will show you routes to locations as well as alternate routes to travel if the main road is blocked. They also show the location of water features that you can use to get water from or to use as a natural blockade.
As was covered in the total load lesson on these maps you can write in your rally point location and highlight the best routes of travel to get in and escape.
To use a street map isn't as complicated as topographical maps. They don't need to be aligned with north and you don't have to own a compass, although it does make it easier. You simply have to find the road that you are on and follow it until it meets another road to find your location. From there it is merely a matter of left and right turns to get you where you want to go. If you are traveling in unfamiliar places during times chaos it is best to plan your route carefully and study it before you leave. The last thing you want to happen is get detoured down a dead end street into unsafe surroundings.
The best street maps that I have found include topographical detail as well. Meaning that there are lines on the map that indicate the change in elevation. I will cover this in greater detail in a future lesson but for now if you are going to buy a map book try to get one that is topographical.
Map books should be kept in every vehicle that you own with up to date rally point information. You should also have laminated pages in your core bag that has just your rally point information and any information of resources that you add to it. This map will have markings for possible caches that you hide and store.
Compass Points. Most people understand the basics of how a compass works. The needle points north. But there is a little more that you need to understand to master the use of this important tool. Yes it is true that the compass does point north, but it doesn't point to true north (the pole of the earth that the planet actually spins on). Magnetic compasses point to magnetic north which is a couple of degrees different than true north. This number changes depending on how far away from the pole you actually are. For our lesson on street maps this wont be an issue as a general direction of north is good enough.
A magnetic compass is just that, magnetic. The little needle that point to that faint signal up north can be interfered with by man made magnetic sources. To get a true reading on your compass you need to be away from your vehicle as well as any large metal objects. If you try to use your compass while sitting in you vehicle the magnets in the speakers of your door could give you false readings. That is just a disclaimer as I would rather you stayed safely in your vehicle while you navigate, just understand that if you get some crazy readings that might be the case.
To use your compass you need to just find out where north is and turn your map in that direction. This way the streets that you see out your window will be going in the same direction as they are on the map. In future lessons we will cover how to use your compass to it maximum potential but for now it just has to point north.
Magnetic north is an area near the north pole that is a part of the magnetic pole of the earth. The magnetic field of the earth pulls down at this point and this is why it attracts the tip of the needle in your compass. There isn't a manned outpost up there with a machine that makes this field for use with your compass. (just to be clear)
And lastly I need to add, there is a threat of a form of solar flare that will come from the sun that could be so powerful that it actually reverses the magnetic field of the earth. This would make your compass actually point south instead of north. I have heard many reports of what would happen if this did take place and they range from sudden extinction to a more slow paced change of our weather system and the start of another ice age. You can do your own research on this topic if you are concerned about this threat. I mention it because there is a slight possibility of this happening and if it did it would obviously change this lesson. To be as prepared as you can be the more information you have the better.
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