Posted on Mar 16, 2018
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I’m good at measuring distance, four digit grid coordinates, and six digit grid coordinates. I am having trouble with 8 digit grid coordinates and want to get better. I have been trying to practice on the U.S Army Future Soldier site, but I’m still having trouble grasping it. If anyone could give me some advice and nudge me in the right direction, that would be great! Thank you. I am using a 1:50,000 scale military map as provided by the Future Soldier site with a coordinate scale and protractor.
Edited 6 y ago
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 21
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SSG (Join to see)
You might be able to find a copy at a surplus store. The PX or clothing sales might have it too. The most recent edition is from 2013. The internet might have it too. I just looked on Amazon has some older copies which will still help. I don't know how much really changes in the way of land nav.
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Are you good at math? If so, you can easily use the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate distance.
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SGT Sunny Lalingua
SGT (Join to see) - If it were in Chinese I wouldn't be using it. I can't count the number of students in my English classes who pick up the protractor and are going to slap it down on some lines trying to read basic grid coordinates. I teach my students as I was taught: You know you have the protractor right when you can read the name. I didn't learn SF rules of thumb...
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You should tag pathfinders, they can probably help you out more than anyone. When I went out for EIB I came across a bull pen with bulls in it (god bless texas...) between points. I opted to take the L on that one and tried to eye ball a post directly ahead of me, but it wasn't perfect and messed up my pace count and of course mistakes grow exponentially once you make one.
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8-digits grids with the 1:50k and plastic protractor are a challenge! Just remember - 8-digit grids get you down to the 10-meter level... it's "all powers of 10s" so 4-digit = a grid square 1kmx1km; 6-digits are a 100m apart, or a 100x100m box, so 8-digit is a 10m x 10m box. Good luck! Glad to see Land Nav is still being taught at the level of understanding these basics on a paper map. You never know when you might lose power to your electronics!
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
Some of us used to see if we could stick in someones pocket with 10 digit, very tricky to do.
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One saving grace is that as a Pvt or PFC you probably won't be called upon very often to lead a patrol to a point on the ground. As an NCO you will be expected, esp if you are in the infantry. Take the time in between to study and practice, if able, to build up your skills at map reading and terrain navigation with a compass. Best wishes in honing your military skills..
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SPC David Willis
Certainly wont be leading a patrol with any ones lives on the line. During training ops though our NCOs would rarely be in charge of navigation. Best way for pvts to learn is for them to do.
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http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/jasonclemens/506/mapreading/lesson2/page5.html
8 digit grid just places you more exact to the location then the 4 or 6. Being a FDC, I wished we used 8 digits, but still I could placed the 81mm in a 55gal. can. If it helps, here is a link.
8 digit grid just places you more exact to the location then the 4 or 6. Being a FDC, I wished we used 8 digits, but still I could placed the 81mm in a 55gal. can. If it helps, here is a link.
MILITARY MAP READING | LESSON 2 | PAGE 5
An eight digit grid coordinate enables you to plot an pin-point location on the map that is accurate to 10 meters. Eight digit grid coordinates are generally used to provide an pin-point that is more accurate than a four or six digit grid coordinate. Used to mark such things as exact locations of a fighting position, command center, or wounded requiring medical evacuation.
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8 digit grids are hard to plot. Especially on a 1:50,000 scale map. A 6-digit grid, correctly plotted and located, will get you within 100 meters of where you're trying to be. Generally, that's close enough to find what you're looking for.
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For the beginning information, watch "plotting 6 digit grids" on this channel
Shorter:
Search for the term "Tenino" and "land navigation" on Google or AKO or Reimer digital library.
Longer:
As you can see on the Boise State University link that a previous poster provided, you are essentially "eye-balling" between the numbered tick marks to get the remaining 2 digits for an 8 digit grid. Takes practice. As others have mentioned, 8 digit grids imply a resolution not often required, but it is the defacto standard for map reading and land navigation training. Some of the harder land nav courses can have distractor stakes that will throw you off for a fairly small error.
For straight line distance, you can use an additional piece of paper with a straight edge to it, and use pencil marks to compare distance with the scales marked on the map. You can also use a similar method to measure road distance, though it is a little tedious. Other stuff to know includes recognizing terrain features by looking at the contour lines, and being able visualize what those contour lines are representing on the ground - that _WILL_ be useful to you when actually navigating. The best way, _by far_ to navigate is by something called terrain-association, when the terrain and visibility allow for its use.
You will also want to understand how to convert from grid to magnetic and vice versa as well as to read the declination diagram. Some more advanced stuff includes intersection and resection, which allow you determine locations based on known points.
Good choice to focus on land nav. If there is any one individual Soldier skill that is broadly applicable and critical, it is land navigation. Eventually, you have to get on the ground and start using pace counts, dead reckoning, and (preferably) terrain-association, in order to develop mastery and it takes a lot of practice (and patience). But getting a handle on map reading will make that _ALOT_ easier.
There used to be a standard map for map reading instruction covering Tenino in Washington state. Everyone in the Army has encountered that map at some point, whether they remember or not. Most or all of the map is in the EG or EH grid square identifiers. In any case, if you have access to AKO and you search for Tenino map, you might find it. I would also try the Reimer digital library if that's still a thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r99CTMZWLIo
Search for the term "Tenino" and "land navigation" on Google or AKO or Reimer digital library.
Longer:
As you can see on the Boise State University link that a previous poster provided, you are essentially "eye-balling" between the numbered tick marks to get the remaining 2 digits for an 8 digit grid. Takes practice. As others have mentioned, 8 digit grids imply a resolution not often required, but it is the defacto standard for map reading and land navigation training. Some of the harder land nav courses can have distractor stakes that will throw you off for a fairly small error.
For straight line distance, you can use an additional piece of paper with a straight edge to it, and use pencil marks to compare distance with the scales marked on the map. You can also use a similar method to measure road distance, though it is a little tedious. Other stuff to know includes recognizing terrain features by looking at the contour lines, and being able visualize what those contour lines are representing on the ground - that _WILL_ be useful to you when actually navigating. The best way, _by far_ to navigate is by something called terrain-association, when the terrain and visibility allow for its use.
You will also want to understand how to convert from grid to magnetic and vice versa as well as to read the declination diagram. Some more advanced stuff includes intersection and resection, which allow you determine locations based on known points.
Good choice to focus on land nav. If there is any one individual Soldier skill that is broadly applicable and critical, it is land navigation. Eventually, you have to get on the ground and start using pace counts, dead reckoning, and (preferably) terrain-association, in order to develop mastery and it takes a lot of practice (and patience). But getting a handle on map reading will make that _ALOT_ easier.
There used to be a standard map for map reading instruction covering Tenino in Washington state. Everyone in the Army has encountered that map at some point, whether they remember or not. Most or all of the map is in the EG or EH grid square identifiers. In any case, if you have access to AKO and you search for Tenino map, you might find it. I would also try the Reimer digital library if that's still a thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r99CTMZWLIo
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Get a good mechanical pencil with as thin a lead as you can get. Pay for a good laser cut military protractor with a thread at the center to get exact degree measurement. Learn your pace count in all terrain. Know what a backstop is and how to handrail. Become an absolute master at terrain association and most importantly... Practice, practice, practice...more practice.
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