Navigation/Coordinate systems lesson

00:00

3 min

Introduce topic title

Introduce Instructor

Present Objectives

00:03

Distribute maps, pencils, erasers

• safe pencils to use on maps
• safe eraser to use on maps

coordinates systems

A coordinate system is a way of specifying a location on map

3 systems you're likely to use in SAR.

• UTM - Universal Transverse Mercator
• Geographic Coordinate System - Latitude/Longitute
• Legal Land Description - Section, Township. Roads and Approaches

UTM

• SAR uses mostly
• taught in SAR fundamentals

• 3 parts: ZEN
  • Zone
  • Easting
  • Northing

Zones

• Each zone is a grid system that stretches from near the antarctic to the far north
• different strips necessary because laying a square grid on a round world
• Each zone is 6 degrees wide
• Pincher Creek is right at the boundary between zone 11U (on west) and zone 12U (on east)
• Each map shows it's zone

Northing

• how far north of the equator (in meters)
• written on left and right edge of map
• horizontal blue lines have same northing
• only 2 of the digits are shown for most blue lines

Easting

• relative to the center of the Zone
• center of Zone is 500,000m
• bigger number the further east you go
• smaller number as you fo west
• written on the bottom and top edge of the map
• vertical blue lines have same easting
• sometimes starts over from 99 to 00 (with carry)

Stating a UTM

• order: Z - E - N
• e.g. 12U 710000 5477000
• find this location: middle of Beauvais Lake