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OverlandRecon

OverlandRecon

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Did anyone here learn that phrase as a child? I'm going to be teaching my son to navigate without GPS this summer and that phrase popped into my head. I used it to remember the North, East, South and West orientation when I was young. Do any of you have other tricks that might help me teach him old school navigation?
 
OB-4144

OB-4144

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OverlandRecon said:
Did anyone here learn that phrase as a child? I'm going to be teaching my son to navigate without GPS this summer and that phrase popped into my head. I used it to remember the North, East, South and West orientation when I was young. Do any of you have other tricks that might help me teach him old school navigation?
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Don't know any, but a good compass, with degrees and maybe mils. And a good map. Have fun.

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druff6991

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Knowing the time of year can help him determine directions. For example in winter, the sun is going to be in the southern sky.

There's also the finger rule for determining how much sunlight is left. Each finger between the horizon and the sun is 15 minutes.

Using your watch as a compass, keep the watch level, point the hour hand at the sun. Halfway between the hour hand and 12 is south.

Make an electromagnet to magnetize a needle, put on a leaf in water, insta-compass

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vegasjeepguy

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Being able to find the Big Dipper and Polaris (the North Star) has always been useful when away from the city lights when they are easy to see.
 
Rob B

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There are a few basics I remember from Boy Scouts.

"Sun rises in the east and sets in the west"
"There is a tendency for moss to grow on the northern side of atree—in the northern hemisphere"
"Most rivers flow south"

Also, how to tell time with a sun dial is a good skill and relates.
 
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Teague

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His measurement steps will be shorter going up hill and longer going down hill. It's important to know flat, uphill, and downhill paces.

Young people are never without some sort of electronics, the one meter rule for shooting azimuths with a compass. And how it becomes more important the farther he'll have to follow that line.

There's no shame boxing off an obstacle, but boxing off an obstacle and then staying on a fire/forest road is cheating. (Until he's passing it on to his own kids and needs to beat them to check points.)
 
Longshot270

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I just learned it north, south, east and west in a paired fashion.

By learning it that way, the next was easy. The sun rose in the east and then swung through the south. Central Texas is around 30° N so you can cheat and see the north leaning any time you can see the sun.

I have issues with magnetic compasses not pointing north so I'm skeptical until I can compare to the sun. But compasses are the standard for point to point and nighttime nav when there isn't a gps.

Natural markers aren't so good down here. Rivers flow to the gulf over here so it could be anywhere from south to east over a long distance.
 
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