MAP READING

AND
LAND NAVIGATION
SCOPE OF PRESENTATION

 Definition, Importance, Care and Security of Maps

 Categories and Types of Maps
 Marginal Information
 Grids
 Scale and Distance
 Direction
 Elevation and Relief
SCOPE OF PRESENTATION

 Navigational Methods and Equipment

 Terrain Association
DEFINITION OF MAP

 Geographic representation of a portion of the earth’s

surface drawn to scale, as seen from above;

 Uses colors, symbols and labels to represent features

found on the ground
IMPORTANCE OF A MAP

1. Strategic and tactical planning in all command;

2. Show relative position on a certain given area;
3. Show accurate distance, location, best routes and key
terrain features
4. Avoid lost and keep alive.
CARE OF MAP

1. Proper folding: Accordion Fold or Slit Fold

2. Carry maps in a water proof pocket and use acetate to
cover the map. Avoid drawing or improper marking to
avoid confusion;
SECURITY OF MAP

1. Maps must not fall into unauthorized hand;

2. When in danger, destroy the map;
3. Avoid indication of plans or area of interest in the map;
CATEGORIES OF MAP

Scale is expressed as a fraction and gives the ratio of map

distance to ground distance

 Small 1: 600, 000 and smaller

 Medium 1: 600, 000 but smaller than 1:75,000
 Large: 1: 75, 000 and larger
TYPES OF MAPS

1. Plain Metric Map

2. Topographic Maps
3. Plastic Relief Map
4. Photo Map
5. Joint Operation Map
6. Pictomap
TYPES OF MAPS

7. Photomosaic
8. Military City Map
9. Special Map
10. Terrain Model
11. Hydrographic Map
MARGINAL INFORMATION

1. Sheet Name – found at the upper center margin. a map

is named after its outstanding cultural or
geographic features.

2. Sheet number – found in the upper right margin and

used as reference number assigned to
each map

3. Series Name and Scale – found on the upper left margin. A

map series usually comprises a group of
smaller maps at some scale designed to
cover a particular geographic area.
MARGINAL INFORMATION

4. Series Number – appears in the upper right margin and

lower left margin.

5. Edition Number – is found in the upper margin and in

the lower margin, representing the age
of the map.

6. Bar Scale – located in the center of the lower margin

and in the lower margin use for
determination of map distance to the
corresponding ground distance with
three different units of measures.
MARGINAL INFORMATION

7. Credit Note – in lower left margin, primary purpose is to list

the procedures and reference, the method
of compilation for used by technicians.

8. Index to Adjoining Sheet – in lower margin, it identifies the

map sheet covering areas around the area
covered by the map you are using.

9. index to boundaries diagrams – in lower margin, this is a

miniature map that shows the boundaries
and special show line that occurs within the
map area.

10. Projection Note – in lower margin, it indicate the method

use to portray the map area.
MARGINAL INFORMATION

11. Grid Note – in the center lower margin, it gives information

pertaining to the grid system used, the initial
guidelines and the number of digit omitted from
grid values.

12. Grid Reference Box - usually located at the center of the

lower margin. it contains information identifying
the grid zone designation and 100,00 meters
square identification.

13. Horizontal Datum Note - located at the center of the lower

margin and defined as geodetic reference
point.
MARGINAL INFORMATION

14. Legend - at the lower left margin, illustrates identifies the

topographic symbols used to depict some of
the prominent features on the map.

15. Declination Diagram - located in he center lower margin

and indicates the relationships of true north and
magnetic north.

16. Protractor Scale – in upper margin, use for laying out a

magnetic north line on the map.

17. User Note – located in the lower margin use for

connections and errors on the map.
MARGINAL INFORMATION

18. Unit Imprint - at the left side of the lower margin, it

identifies the agency which printed the maps
with its respective symbols.

19. Contour Interval Note - located in the center of the lower

margin. it states the vertical distance between
adjacent contour lines on the map. when
supplementary contours are used the interval is
indicated.

20. Coverage Diagram – normally in lower margin, it indicates

the methods by which the map was made,
dates of photography and other sources
material.
MARGINAL INFORMATION

21. Graphic Scale - a ruler used to convert map distance to

ground distance without going through
mathematical computations.

22. Contour Interval – the contour interval states the vertical

distance between adjacent contour lines on the
map. when supplementary contour are used
the intervals is indicated.

23. Vertical Datum Note – it designates the basis for all

vertical control stations, contours and elevation
appearing in the map.
MAP SYMBOL

 Purpose:
1.Visualize an area of the earth surface;
2.Represent the natural and man-made feature;
MAP SYMBOL

 Classification:
1.Topographic Symbols are standard drawing of
map features and organized by the colors;
MAP SYMBOL

 Classification:
1.Topographic Colors:
a) Black- All man-made features; such as buildings,
roads not shown in red, etc
b) Blue- All water features like lakes, rivers, swamps,
streams, etc
c) Brown- All land forms, like contours, cuts, fills, etc
d) Green-All vegetation, such as forest, orchard, jungles,
e) Red- Main roads, built-up areas, and special info
MAP SYMBOLS

TOPOGHAPHIC SYMBOLS

Man-made Objects
MAP SYMBOLS

TOPOGHAPHIC SYMBOLS
Drainage and Vegetation
MAP SYMBOLS

TOPOGHAPHIC SYMBOLS
Drainage and Vegetation
MAP SYMBOLS

MILITARY COLORS

1.Blue- All friendly forces, installations, activities and firepower;

2. Red- All enemy forces, installations, and activities (double lines
means enemy)
3. Yellow- shows grassed or contaminated areas
4. Green-indicates friendly or enemy demolation, minefield and
man-made obstacles
5.Spare Colors-use for classification and accompanied by
legend
MAP SYMBOLS

TYPES OF MILITARY SYMBOLS

1. Troops unit symbols – are shown by rectangle. (basic
symbols for military unit and activities).

2. Branch arm of service and type – organization symbol –

used in conjunction either other symbols to signify
a military unit activity or installation.

3. Size of unit – used to identify the size of a unit or

installation.
GRIDS AND COORDINATES

 Grids - are parallel lines from east to west, north or

south that forms a square used as a reference system
to help the map reader locate areas quickly.

 Coordinates - are the numbered grid lines on the map

and are further subdivided to show specified location

 Geographic Coordinates – the location of any point of

the earth surface maybe given by stating into its
distance north or south of the equator (latitude) and east
or west of prime meridian (longtitude).
GRIDS AND COORDINATES

 Polar Coordinates – On The Map Maybe Determined

or plotted from a known point by giving a distance along
that direction.

 Grid Coordinates - the military grid system divides the

earth surface into many 100,000 meter squares. each of
these squares are further subdivided into 1,000 meter
squares. the 1,000 meter squares is the basis of the
military grid system which is used in reading military
map.
GRIDS AND COORDINATES

 Grid Square - can be located or identified by combining

the number of the vertical grid line and horizontal grid
line which intersect at the lower left corner of the
square.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GRIDS

 Does not requires knowledge of the area

 Applied to large areas
 Does not requires land marks
 Applies to all map scales
GRAPHIC (BAR) SCALE

 Is the most accurate means of measuring distance on a

map.
 It is the ruler printed on the map which distances on the
map may be measured as actual ground distance;
GRAPHIC (BAR) SCALE

 Two parts of Graphic (Bar) Scale:

LOCATING PT OF GRID SQUARE
TERRAIN FEATURES

Five Major: Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Hilltop,

Valley, Ridge, Saddle, Depression

Three Minor: Draw, Spur, Cliff

Two Supplementary: Cut, Fill

TERRAIN FEATURES

Hill- An area of high ground. When you are located on

a hilltop, the ground slope down in all directions;
TERRAIN FEATURES

Valley- A stretched-out groove in the land, usually formed

by streams or rivers
TERRAIN FEATURES

Ridge- A sloping line of high ground

TERRAIN FEATURES

Saddle- A deep or low point between two areas of higher

ground between two hilltops
TERRAIN FEATURES

Depression- Low point in the ground or sinkhole. they are

represented by close contour lines that have
tick marks pointing toward low ground
TERRAIN FEATURES

Draw- a less developed steam course than a valley. there

is essentially no level ground and, therefore, little
or no maneuver room within its confines
TERRAIN FEATURES

Spur- a short, continuous sloping line of higher ground,

normally jutting out from the side of a ridge
TERRAIN FEATURES

Cliff- a vertical or near vertical feature; it is an abrupt change of

the land. the slope is so steep that the contour lines
converge into one contour line or the last contour line has
tick marks pointing to low ground
TERRAIN FEATURES

Cut- man-made feature resulting from cutting through raised ground,

usually to from a level bed for a road or railroad track;

Fill- man-made feature resulting from filling a low area, usually to form
a level bed for a road or rail- road track
ELEVATION IN METERS

Three types of contour lines:

1. Intermediate: are contour lines located between two index

lines.

2. Supplementary: are contour lines placed to specify half of the

contour interval. Example: contour interval 20
meters 100m 120m 130m and 140m

3. Supplementary contours 10 meters index: are major elevation

points and have the elevation number written
within the contour. (Ex.100m,200m,300m)
FINDING POINTS

1. Orient the map: Compass or Terrain Association

2. Compass Technique: Cheek and Center hold
methods

3. Grid Coordinates: Grid Zone Designator (RP) and

number sequence (four digit, six digit or eight digit)
4. Remember: READ right then up
5. Dead Reckoning
FINDING POINTS

Parts of Lensatic Compass

FINDING POINTS

Parts of Lensatic Compass

FINDING POINTS

Compass Technique

Compass to cheek method center

hold method the compass to
cheek technique is used almost
exclusively for sighting and is the
best technique for this purpose.
the center hold method is much
faster but is also less precise.
FINDING POINTS

Orienting the Map

A map is oriented
when it is in a horizontal
position with its north/
south corresponding to
the north/ south on the
ground
FINDING POINTS

Military protractor
FINDING POINTS

Grid Coordinates
FINDING POINTS

Grid Precision
FINDING POINTS

Grid Precision
TOPOGHAPHIC SYMBOLS

Man-made Objects
TERRAIN IDENTIFICATION TEST

Stations:

1. Shoot two azimuths, either in MILS or DEGS using

both methods;

2. Given a known point ID its 4-Digit or • 8-Digit

coordinate;

3. a) Find Pace Count.

b) Given a 4 digit and an 8 digit coordinate • plot
both points and ID the Feature or structure
End of presentation!!!