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Q&A

Posts tagged navigation

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Q&A What should a beginner look for in a sextant?

I have an interest in sextants and how they work, mostly from reading the Horatio Hornblower novels. I know that sextants are still sold. While I am sure that are not nearly as precise as GPS is n...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  edited 2mo ago by Michael‭

Question sailing navigation
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Q&A Did any lighthouses provide directional navigation signals?

Rather than shining in all directions, lighthouses usually produce a directed beam of light that continuously sweeps in a circle. This allows: the light to be more concentrated and so appear brig...

5 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Ray Butterworth‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question sea navigation
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Q&A What advantage does the what3words coordinate system have over other, traditional systems?

I recently came across the what3words coordinate system in an outdoor magazine. The system divides the world into squares of 3 m x 3 m. Each square is then named with a combination of three (as far...

5 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Snijderfrey‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question maps navigation
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Q&A Would there be any practical uses of a geological map for a hiker/backpacker?

I just found that I can get free geological map overlays for Google Earth for all of the individual states in the United States from here. For instance, this is what a good deal of Yosemite Nation...

7 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question maps navigation
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Q&A Are there any general rules of thumb for route finding up a mountain without any trails?

Sometimes mountains won't have trails or recorded routes simply because they don't get enough traffic that a trail will be created. Not every mountain has recorded routes simply because people have...

6 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to explain unexpected success following a bearing taken from an iPad

I live in northern British Columbia where the relevant declination values are currently Magnetic declination: 17° 45.30' East Grid declination (for Natural Resource Canada's NTS maps): 16° 17.04'...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by tomfumb‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A As of 2019, why do mountaineering courses still teach how to use a paper map?

I've been looking into learning how to mountaineer and noticed that the local mountaineering society still requires a training in navigation as part of the prerequisites for most of their basic cou...

21 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by JonathanReez‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question navigation
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Q&A How can you navigate without a compass or GPS

What are the ways you can navigate when you don't have a compass or a GPS? For example how can you tell which way is north.

10 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Gabriel Solomon‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to temporarily mark a trail?

If one needed to hike out and then come back to a certain spot, how could one temporarily mark their trail so that it is easy to follow back to that exact spot when the route back is not obvious? ...

12 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What signs can I use to navigate a cave if lost?

I'm working on a story where a character gets trapped in a cave but use his knowledge as a weatherman to navigate and escape! Are the any weather-related clues you could use to escape a cave specif...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Jori Richman‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Group protocol should the group become separated

A small group (2-10 people total) is travelling in a wilderness area. For whatever reason a person or a couple get separated. What is the best strategy for the lost ones? What is the best strategy ...

4 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Vorac‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What are the differences between prismatic, lensatic, mirrored, and optical sighting compasses?

Background I am looking at compasses for backpacking and camping, and have come across more compass varieties than I had ever thought possible. Three terms that often come up together are "prismat...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Jonathan Landrum‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Garmin inReach vs. overcast sky

Garmin says about inReach that to have a two-way satellite communication "you need to have a clear view of the sky". And what about cloud cover?.. Say it's winter and 100% overcast with angry cu...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Alexander‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Navigation device with offline maps and GPX support

I have a subscription service from komoot for maps. Is there any GPS device that supports offline maps and GPX, preferably with android OS integration. Example scenario would be: Use an android bas...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Mohammed Shameer‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question maps navigation gps
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Q&A Is there an app: remind me when I get back here

The basics of what I'm after is very, very simple: Push a button, it notes your location. When you reach that point again it tells you. I've looked around and I don't find anything that seems to...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Loren Pechtel‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question navigation
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Q&A How do simple compass needles remain level instead of see-sawing with magnetic dip? Are they flat even near the poles?

This instagram post by Colin O'Brady (just hiked across Antarctica) shows his compass needle looking fairly level, but I can't see enough else to know if he's holding it level. A significant fract...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by uhoh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to follow bearings while running?

I'm am amateur orienteer that does a fair chunk of races. I'm reasonably decent at navigating - using attack points, bearings, contours, catching features etc. But I cannot follow a bearing accur...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Atlas‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A What is a glass artificial horizon?

On Amundsen's polar expedition they had, Of instruments and apparatus for the sledge journeys we carried two sextants, three artificial horizons, of which two were glass horizons with dark glas...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A How do you know you have reached North or South Pole without GPS?

Having read about the recent foot traverse of Antarctica by Colin O'Brady I was wondering which means the polar explorers of former, pre-GPS times used to determine that they had reached the North ...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Benedikt Bauer‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Question navigation history
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Q&A I never adjust for true north. Is this bad practice?

This question (Calculate true north with a compass and map) got me thinking. I rarely bother adjusting compass bearings for magnetic north. Is this bad? I understand the theory but I just rarely bo...

6 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A Magnetic deviation at either pole

I know that the magnetic north is not exactly at the polar north, so when hiking very close to the Northern Pole, you have to take the difference into account. This got me thinking: Is this also a...

1 answer  ·  posted 12y ago by Henrik Hansen‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A How is elevation gain and change measured for hiking trails?

If a trail is listed as 1500m of elevation change, what exactly does that mean? For example, if the trail goes up 500m, then down 200m, then up 100m, then down 300m, then up 400m, is that consider...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by RockPaperLizard‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A What format should I use to report my location to emergency responders?

Suppose I am out in the wilderness and an emergency arises. I have an accurate fix on my location (from GPS, map and compass, astronomical observation, etc...). I manage to get in touch with emer...

7 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Nate Eldredge‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A Can a compass be thrown off by its surroundings?

Would it be possible for a compass be affected by its surroundings, such as a large iron deposit or other rocks to the point where it is not working correctly? I am not talking about declination ...

4 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A What does contouring mean in the context of navigation/orienteering?

One of the techniques while navigating in the outdoors is known as contouring, what does this mean and when would it be useful?

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A What do unusual waymarks in France mean?

I recognize the official system for French waymarks of Grand Randonees and local paths like shown here: but I've also seen large white rectangles with a horizontal red line in the middle. They are ...

3 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by MundaneStudies‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Question hiking navigation
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Q&A How to find good hiking maps for the Laugavegur trail in Iceland?

I will be hiking the Laugavegur trail alone and have been looking for good hiking maps (1:50 000) online. My google searches yield no good results. Where do you even begin to look?

0 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Edza‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Q&A How accurate is the method of finding north with a watch?

There is a method of finding north with a watch described here So you point the hour hand of your watch at the sun. Halfway between your hour hand and the noon mark is south. How accurate is ...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Question navigation
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Q&A Getting lost and circling a trail in a loop?

What is the term for that phenomenon when someone in wilderness start experiencing a strange situation? When, They aren't certain that they have lost the route They may or may not be walking on a...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by WedaPashi‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A Are there any reliable plants to use for navigation?

I've always heard that moss grows on the north side of a tree. Presumably, this is because conditions on the north side, at least in the northern hemisphere, tend to get less sunlight and are damp...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by wanderweeer‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to estimate current speed and direction while swimming at sea?

In an episode in the tv series "I shouldn't be alive", crew members of a yacht racing team got caught in a violent storm and found themselves stranded in the Gulf of Mexico after their boat capsize...

4 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by Question Overflow‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

Question sea navigation
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Q&A What is the risk of getting lost while canoeing in a cypress swamp?

Based on the answer here I would be exploring a cypress swamp in the Mississippi valey north of the 35th Parrell. If I canoe in a lake or on a river, I always have a pretty good idea where I am, ...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by James Jenkins‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A What is a back bearing when navigating with map and compass?

Sometimes when navigating with map and compass one will take a back bearing, i.e. a bearing taken directly opposite to the direction one is travelling? When and why would one want to do this?

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

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Q&A Can I use satellite images as hiking maps, how?

I tried to find topographic maps of my area in Brazil, but the best I could find is some 1:50000 map from 1983. My biggest need for a map (besides not getting lost) is avoiding private properties ...

1 answer  ·  posted 10y ago by Luiz Borges‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

Question maps navigation
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Q&A Is a smartphone or dedicated gps receiver better for navigation in the desert?

For most backcountry navigation I use a topo map and compass when necessary. Generally I'm following known trails and combined with some basic awareness of cardinal direction and land features I do...

8 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Eric‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A Does the two sticks and a star method of finding north work the same way in both hemispheres?

There is a method of finding north by aiming two sticks at a star and then tracking the star's movement to find which way is north. You can read the full description here. However, there is the a ...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

Question navigation night
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Q&A Can a compass reverse polarity?

Can a compass have its polarity reversed so that the end marked "north" points south and vice versa? If so, what could one do to prevent and fix this problem?

1 answer  ·  posted 7y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A Are the orienteering marches popular in Germany?

I'm engaged in orienteering marches, which differ from sport orienteering: there is the time limit, where finishing before time gives no advantage to the participant, and the center is put on the d...

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Danubian Sailor‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A Navigational gear worldwide

Is there any difference in navigational equipment between the northern and southern hemisphere? We live in the northern hemisphere but will be emigrating to the southern in the next few weeks. We'l...

3 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Sirex‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is it normal for a compass to develop an air bubble at high altitude?

I live in Denver, Colorado. Going above 10,000 ft. (3,000 metre) always results in an air bubble large enough for me to want to tilt the compass to prevent the bubble from interfering with the nee...

2 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by jsf80238‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A Orienteering skill organized trainings in Germany?

Are there any schoolings/trainings for orienteering skills in Germany? I hike during weekends, but mostly using GPS (geocaching) or using trails, so there's not much opportunity to fully train ori...

1 answer  ·  posted 10y ago by Danubian Sailor‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A In orienteering/navigation, what is an attack point?

Some features in orienteering or navigation are called attack points. What exactly does this refer to?

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A If I lose my compass, what is the easiest way to identify and follow a heading?

Possible Duplicate: How can you navigate without a compass or GPS Obviously we all carry a compass and a map when we go trekking, but if I lose them but know I need to get back to my car...

1 answer  ·  posted 12y ago by roryalsop‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to find route for pedestrian

I want to make long foot trip from Salzburg via Innsbruck to Milan and from there to Venice. Is there a tool that allows me create routes for pedestrian? I'm looking for things like walking on sid...

2 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Karolina Ticha‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

Question walking navigation
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Q&A In orienteering/navigation, what is a handrail feature?

One of the terms in orienteering/navigation is "handrail feature". What exactly does this term mean?

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A What is a catch feature in orienteering?

On of the terms used in orienteering is "catch feature". What exactly is a catch feature and how would a catch feature help one with navigating in the outdoors?

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A Thinking about a road trip out West

My wife and I are thinking of taking a road trip from northwest Ohio to "out west" - Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, etc. I've never been farther west than Indiana, so it's a whole new terr...

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by motoxer4533‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to identify latitude & longitude with a compass?

I am not exactly sure where I am in the world. It could be that I am in a boat on the ocean, been in a plane crash, or suffered some other calamity. In any case I either have a compass with me or...

2 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by James Jenkins‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A How would navigation be different while hiking at night?

If one were to hike during the night and sleep during the day, what differences in navigation would one have to take into account? In my experience you are more on instruments (such as a compass o...

4 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

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Q&A Why would one aim off when navigating with a map and compass?

Sometimes while navigating with map and compass, the advice is to aim off i.e. to aim either to the left or right of the intended destination, as opposed to straight for it. Why and when would one...

4 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭