SAR Fundamentals/GPS practical

From PCSAR

Contents 1 Subject 2 Authors 3 Scope 4 Prerequisites 5 Objectives 6 Time Plan 7 Aids 8 Question bank 9 Frequently Asked Questions 10 Feedback 11 License 12 Reference Material 13 Notes

[edit] Subject

What is this lesson plan about?

[edit] Authors

List who wrote this lesson plan.

• Brett Wuth

[edit] Scope

What is included in this lesson, what's not and why.

SAR Fundamentals Manual: Ch.13 "Navigation"

Basic SAR Skills Manual: Ch.7 "Navigation"

[edit] Prerequisites

What should students already know/have accomplished before the lesson is presented.

Prior to this lesson, students have been introduced to the following concepts:

• map datums
  • know the difference between NAD27 and WGS84/NAD83 and can determine which one a topographic map uses
  • are able to set the map datum on their GPS

• UTM
  • can set their GPS to display UTM
  • can read the 3 components of a UTM from it: Zone, Easting, Northing
  • can convert a 13 digit UTM to a 6 digit UTM

• can identify the failure modes of a GPS

[edit] Objectives

At the conclusion of this lesson Students will

• know how to read their current location on a specific model of GPS
• choose how long to wait for their current GPS location to settle
• build a visual/spacial sense of how the UTM grid overlays real land
• choose appropriate direction to walk to achieve intended changes to their current UTM

Advanced students will

• know how to enter waypoints into their GPS
• know how to get distance and bearing from their GPS
• for GPS's without magnetic sensors, get a sense of how far they need to travel for the GPS to know their current heading

[edit] Time Plan

Total Time: 75 minutes

Time	Material
00:00 3 min	Introduce topic title Introduce Instructor Present Objectives
	Break students up into small groups (often best for instructor to chose groups to give students opportunities to work with others)
	Have each groups sign-out a radio, and one or more GPS (one per student if possible) Assign each group a call sign Do a radio test
	Distribute GPS instructions Review how to set up GPS Map Datum: NAD27 vs WGS84 Grid system: UTM (Canada)
	Review how to read UTM (Zone, Easting, Northing)
	Review how to determine accuracy (e.g. 11m) waiting makes more accurate
	Distribute maps (may have been given at start of course) Establish a return to class time
	Using the answer sheet, the instructor chooses a nearby Target Letter for row ii. All the students fill it in. Each group randomly chooses letters for rows iii to vi. They write them in and the instructor records them on his sheet.
	go outside the classroom and record the Zone, Easting, Northing and Accuracy Review how to compare Eastings and Northings to compare relative distance and direction
	as a class, walk to the UTM for the Target Letter of row ii. locate and go to the nearest feature. record the Feature Number, Zone, Easting, Northing and Accuracy for the feature. Compare accuracy of exercise sheet with current accuracy. How do the 2 errors combine?
	break up into assigned groups and proceed to the remaining 5 Target Letters they have chosen, find the nearest feature and record the Zone, Easting, Northing and Accuracy for the feature. Some groups will complete early, have them do additional targets

[edit] Aids

What materials are needed or useful in presenting this lesson.

• PCSAR Doc-16 SAR Equipment Sign-Out List
• PCSAR DOC-69 GPS Set Up and Maintenance
• GPS exercise sheet with answer key
  • Pincher Creek: (download/print: .pdf; edit: .odt)
    • town of pincher creek map
    • Pincher Creek Street Map (with features highlighted)
  • Lethbridge (odt) (pdf)

more material. See ~/sar/pc/training/subject/sar-fundamentals/components/subject/19-navigation-GPS

[edit] Question bank

List of questions suitable for an review/exam of this section.

See Question bank

[edit] Frequently Asked Questions

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[edit] Feedback

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[edit] License

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Copyright © 2011, Brett Wuth. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 Canada License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA.

[edit] Reference Material

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[1]

[edit] Notes

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