Synopses & Reviews
Designed for both land and water use, this comprehensive guide helps unlock the complexity of map and chart reading as it relates to navigation. Beginning with detailed technical descriptions of the tools of navigation—a compass, an altimeter, a GPS system, and a sextant—this handbook shows how to use these tools either individually or in combination with each other to navigate any area. Factors that cause tools and techniques to fail are discussed, such as why an altimeter often shows the wrong elevation, a GPS position is sometimes off track, and the sun often points in an unexpected direction. Twenty-one real-life scenarios provide practical wisdom for even the most intrepid navigator. Specific information on using the moon for directions and the stars for position, measuring boiling water temperature for elevation, map projections, map datums, great circle routes, and the UTM/UPS grid system is included.
Synopsis
Learn how to: *Understand maps. *Take and follow compass bearings. *Pinpoint your position with an altimeter and compass. *Navigate with a GPS receiver. *Find your way across deserts, jungles and oceans. *Use celestial bodies and other natural cues. Answers to intriguing questions: *Is it true that altimeters read higher when it's cold? *Does a compass needle point directly toward the nearest magnetic pole? *Why is my GPS position sometimes totally off? *Is it possible to navigate through featureless terrain without instruments? *Can I use the moon to find directions? *How do you create a flat map from a round globe?
Synopsis
Relying heavily on graphics, this authoritative text covers more wilderness navigation topics than any other book on the market. It provides detailed technical descriptions of navigation tools -- maps, charts, compass, altimeter, GPS, and sextant -- and step-by-step procedures on how use these tools individually and in combination with each other. Factors that cause tools and techniques to fail are discussed. One full chapter dwells into the complexities and limitations of celestial navigation, while another chapter describes natural navigation techniques -- if you aren't carrying any navigation tools, don't give up hope. The last two chapters deal exclusively with practical navigation. The last chapter, which is quite entertaining, describes real life scenarios, some of which the author has vividly experienced.
About the Author
Fred Touche is a technical writer and has been an avid hiker, skier, kayaker, and mountain climber for 37 years. He lives in North Vancouver, British Columbia.