STAR 2 MAP

READING MANUAL

GRADIENT

Vertical Interval (VI)

This is the rise between successive contour lines.

Horizontal Equivalent (HE)

This is the distance measured flat on the map, between adjacent contour lines. The width
of the (HE) depends on the ground represented. If a steep slope is shown, the contour lines will
be drawn close together (HE will be small), and if the slope is gradual the contour lines will be
wide apart (HE will be larger).

Gradient

This is a slope expressed as a fraction. If a slope is said to have a gradient 1 in 5 (1/5), it

means that for every 5 meters of horizontal distance traveled, the slope rises or falls 1 metre
vertically. It also shows the smaller the horizontal distance, the steeper the slope.

1/5 is a very steep slope.

Gradient can be calculated on the map, using a simple formula: -

VI – Vertical Interval
HE – Horizontal equivalent

To Calculate:

VI – This is the difference between the highest and lowest contour.

HE – This is the distance between the two points by range.

VI=120M-20M

= 100 M

HE = Assume that the distance between

A & B is 1600m. the gradient would be

VI = 100 = 1/16

HE 1600

The gradient of AB is 1 in 16
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READING MANUAL

BACK BEARING

AIM: To teach cadets how to measure back bearings with a compass.

A back bearing is the bearing taken from the observed point back on the original position.
If you are standing at a church, and you take the bearing of a school 240’ then the bearing of the
church from the sight would be 60’. All we did was to calculate the back bearing.

Calculations:

If a bearing is more than 180’ E.g. 240’ – 180’ = 60’

If a bearing is less than 180’ we add 180’ e.g. 60’ + 180’ = 240’

TYPES OF BEARINGS

A map bearing is either a true bearing or a grid bearing. A field bearing is a magnetic
bearing also called a compass bearing.

i. Magnetic bearing:

This bearing is taken with a compass (an accurate compass needle always points
to magnetic north).

ii. Grid bearing:

This bearing is one measured on a map using a protractor.

iii. True bearing:

This cannot be measured direct, but must be calculated from one of the other two.
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READING MANUAL

Measuring a magnetic bearing with the Light Weight Compass

i. Face the land mark (hill, building etc) on which you intend taking a bearing,
either to plot on your map, or go give you a course to follow.

ii. Hold your compass with the direction of travel arrow pointing to the actual
landmark and level enough to permit the needle to swing freely.

iii. Turn the dial of the housing, without changing the position of the whole compass,
until the orienting arrow in the housing is parallel with the magnetic needle and
the red end is pointing to the letter ‘N’.

iv. Now you can read on the dial at the index pointer the magnetic bearing to the
actual landmark.
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READING MANUAL

CONVERSION OF BEARINGS (NOT FOR TESTING)

Magnetic Bearing – True Bearings

1. Find the magnetic bearing between the two points ‘A’ & ‘B’.

2. Draw a vertical line through ‘A’ to represent magnetic north. A next line is drawn from
‘A’ to ‘B’ to represent the angle.

MN

Ai. A Aii. A 160 0

3. Check the bottom of the map to find the magnetic variation, and then draw another line
from ‘A’ to the right or left of magnetic north to form true north. (Left or right or the
position of TN from MN depends on the magnetic variation). -

MN TN

MN TN 10 0

100 W
Magnetic 150 0
Variation
100W 160 0

B
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READING MANUAL

Grid Bearing – Magnetic Bearing

1. Measure with a protractor on the map the bearing of a point ‘A’. from a point ‘X’.

2. Draw a vertical lien through ‘A’ to represent grid north, a next line is drawn from
‘A’ to ‘X’ to represent the angle.

3. Check the bottom of the map to find the magnetic variation, and then draw
another line from ‘A’ to the right or left of grid north to form magnetic north.

Setting a Compass for Night March

It may be necessary to march by night in the direction of a certain point, and as

this point will not be visible in darkness, it is necessary to march by night.

Method

1. Take a magnetic bearing in daylight or a grid bearing from the map and convert it
to a magnetic bearing. *In Jamaica the variation is so small it would not affect
our bearing, so we need not convert.

2. Set the dial to the appropriate bearing at the line of travel (Direction of travel
arrow), and turn the whole compass until the north end of the compass needle
(red) coincides with the letter ‘N’.

3. Hold the compass in front of you and march in the direction of the travel arrow.
As long as the needle and the north arrow coincide, the direction of travel arrow
will remain on the required bearing.
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READING MANUAL
THE PROTRACTOR

A protractor is an instrument used for plotting and measuring bearings on the map. It is
the essential link between the compass and the map. For drawing or measuring bearings on the
map, a protractor is now described.

The protractor is usually made of cardboard. On the front face, round three edges of the
protractor, are graduated the 360 degrees of the circle. The degrees are marked clockwise,
starting from the left-hand bottom corner, and there is an inner and an outer set of figures. The
outer set shows graduations from 0-degrees to 180 degrees—360 degrees, the inner set from 181
degrees. In the centre of the bottom edge, which is called the zero edge, is a small arrowhead.

MEASURING A BEARING

Suppose that it is required to measure the bearing of the windmill at P from the church at
A. The two points are joined with a pencil line, and the protractor lay on the map so that the zero
edge lies along the north and south grid line on which the church is shown. To find the bearing,
a reading is taken where the pencil line cuts the graduated edge of the protractor. In this example
the bearing is 110 degrees.

The following figure shows a bearing, which is more than 180-degrees. In the previous
example, the protractor was laid on the map facing to the right, and the bearing was read off the
outer set of figures. In this example the protractor is laid facing to the left and the inner set of
figures gives the bearing as 225-degrees. If the bearing is judged by eye before measuring there
is no danger of subsequently reading the wrong set of figures.

If the point from which the bearing is to be measured should lie between two grid lines, one of
two methods can be adopted. Either a pencil line can be drawn north and south through the
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READING MANUAL
point, parallel to the grid line, and the protractor lay along this line, or if the point in question is
fairly near a grid line, it can be judged by eye that the edge of the protractor is lying parallel to
the grid line.

It is not strictly necessary to lay the protractor on the actual point from which the bearing
is required. In practice the bearing can be measured at any one point where the pencil line
joining the two objects crosses a north and south grid line. In the fig. below, the bearing of Q
from P could be measured equally well at A1, A2 or A3. The angle is the same in each case.

P A1

A2

A3

Example of measuring a bearing

All bearings measured or plotted on the map must be grid bearings, because the angle is
measured from the north and south grid lines.

The main use of the protractor is to measure angles and bearings, but a protractor also
shows on both its faces a number of the more common map scales. The respective scale lines are
drawn out and divided into primary and secondary divisions in exactly the same way as they are
shown at the bottom of the map. Six different scales are shown on the two faces, each with a
variety of subdivisions, so that there is unlikely to be a map on which distances cannot be
measured with the service protractor.

The Army Service Protractor (diagram)

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READING MANUAL
REPARATION OF A ROUTE CARD

AIM:

1. To teach cadets how to prepare a route card and use it.

STORES

2. One Map and one compass between two cadets.

NOTES

3. Ensure that cadets have pencils and paper.

PRELIMINARIES

4. Draw a large-scale route card on the blackboard for demonstration purposes.

APPROACH

5. The construction of a route card is not only a necessity for patrol training and
adventurous training but, at the same time, is a method of putting into practice the
measurement of distances and bearings which have already been taught.

PREPARATION OF A ROUTE CARD

6. The purpose of a Route Card is to assist in navigation when moving across country. A
Route Card should be used for Map Reading exercises, Patrol exercises and Adventurous
Training expeditions, and a copy should always be given to the adult in charge so that he
knows the route selected by cadets if he is not moving with them

7. Routes must be divided into “legs”; a “leg” is a route between two landmarks easily
identifiable on the map and ground.

8. The example of a Route Card Proforma below shows all the information, which must be
included for a long expedition across difficult country. Headings marked with an asterisk
may be omitted on short exercises and expeditions across easy country at the discretion of
the adult responsible.
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READING MANUAL

ROUTE CARD

COMMANDER……………………..START POINT ORS……………………………………

*ETD (Estimated time of departure)………………………………………………………………..……

ROUTE……………………………….FINISHING POINT GR………………………………..

ETA (Estimated time of arrival)…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Remarks
From To Rearing Distance Landmarks
Location Grid Ref Location Grid Ref Grid Mag Hazards