BASICS
Fold the map
Lock the thumb
Orient the body
Many quick map glances
1-2 seconds per glance
Repeat several times
Form an image in your mind
What is "Map Reading"
Mental conversion between 2 Dimensions and 3 Dimensions
What looks simple in 2D may be complex in 3D
Map Reading - Precision
Read all details
Run slowly or walk
Stop if necessary
Map read ahead
Run straight (narrow focus)
Look for distinct features
Open marsh
Large boulder
Open knoll
Features that standout from common features around
Run on top
Map Reading - Rough
Simplify away small details
Run fast
Map read ahead
Run straight (broad focus)
Double check (error prevention)
Look for distinct catching features
Hills, slopes, valleys
Open marshes
Vegetation changes
Large depressions
Run on top
PITFALLS - Precision
Map not oriented (wrong features read)
Look too far ahead (open terrain)
Micro parallel errors
Run past (now map reading features 360o)
Run too fast, lose contact and have to stop to relocate
PITFALLS - Rough
Map not oriented (macro parallel errors)
Look too close (slow speed)
Run too fast (lose map contact, forced to slow down)
Fail to double check (small error leads to large error)
GOLDEN RULES - Precision
Run only as fast as you know exactly where you are on the
map
Your thumb is locked on your current location and you know
which feature is coming up
GOLDEN RULES - Rough
Run only as fast as you know approximately where you are on
the map
(You know which feature you are on, which feature is coming
up but may not know your exact location)
Teds note: "This is still too dangerous for me, I prefer
to know exactly at all times as this prevents parallel errors
and 'losing map contact' type errors"
Map Simplification
How much information do I need to get from A to B
Choices
Direct compass, run really fast and pray
Precision, read all details, run slowly and feel
safe
Balance of precision and rough map reading
Depends on the map and terrain
Depends on the route choice
Depends on your abilities
Map Simplification - Terrain
Grassland (rolling hills)
Vegetation/hill combo
Ridge/depression combo
Tend to use compass to get initial direction
ERROR PREVENTION - Precision
Error: Lose contact
Prevention: Redundant map checks (fast glances)
Prevention: Map read features ahead
Prevention: Beware of badly mapped features
Prevention: Slow down at the Attack point to be sure
Prevention: STOP when you lose contact - relocate
ERROR PREVENTION - Rough
Error: Lose Contact
Prevention: Map read ahead, anticipate
Prevention: Beware of parallel features
Prevention: Redundant map reading double check that the long
feature you are on is the correct one (look for distinguishing
features)
ERROR PREVENTION
Error: Stop too soon
Prevention: Map read ahead to large distinct features as opposed
to the "relocate when you reach a feature technique".
Prevention: Know the map scale
Prevention: When map reading, ask yourself, "what features
shall I see along the way?"
ERROR PREVENTION
Error: Run too far
Prevention: See "Lose Map Contact" error prevention.
Prevention: Know the map scale
Prevention: When map reading, ask yourself, "what features
shall I see along the way?"
ERROR CAUSES - Lose map contact
Cause: Run too fast for map reading ability
Cause: Lose concentration, get distracted
Cause: Multitude of mapmaker errors (it should take more than
1 error for you to lose map contact)
ERROR CAUSES - Parallel error
Cause: Map not folded or oriented properly
Cause: Failed to perform redundancy checks
Cause: Slight map errors that lead you astray
(Remember to always double check)
Cause: Lose concentration, distracted
Map Reading Training - Line O
Control picking
Rough/Precision course (both)
Map making (highly recommended)
Concentration training ("put a watch on it")
Corridor orienteering is obsolete
Map Reading Training - Line O
Line shall follow intricate map and varying map details
changes in direction (practice folding, thumbing)
straight section (race situation)
2-4 km in length
Concentrate 100%
Learn optimum speed
Map Reading Training - Control Picking
Many controls with or without flags/ribbons
Small point features
Very short legs and changes in direction
Practice folding
Thumbing
Map Reading Training - Rough/Precision
Long legs (rough map reading) followed by 3-4 very short legs
(detailed areas for precision map reading)
Long legs shall be run as hard as possible
Short legs shall be run slowly, carefully using precision
map reading
Map Reading Training - Map Making
Best way to learn how to map read
Spend several hours relocating
Learn to judge distance
Learn to orient the map and relate objects to each other spatially
Earn money
Learn how map makers interpret orienteering base maps
Learn to respect map makers and their problems
Map Reading Training - Concentration Course (Timed Control Picking)
Time the session to introduce/simulate stress
Practice redundancy checking, map reading ahead
Use Control Picking style course
Detailed area
Difficult orienteering
From a training presentation by national coach Ted de St. Croix.