2. MAP READING AND LAND NAVIGATION
FM 21-26

3. DEFINITION OF A MAP A MAP IS A GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF
A PORTION OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE DRAWN
TO SCALE, AS SEEN FROM ABOVE.
IT’S USES COLORS, SYMBOLS AND LABELS TO REPRESENT FEATURES FOUND ON THE GROUND.

4. PURPOSE OF A MAP
A MAP PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THE EXSISTENCE OF, THE LOCATION OF, AND THE DISTANCES BETWEEN GROUND FEATURES.
SUCH AS
POPULATED PLACES
ROUTES OF TRAVEL
VARIATIONS IN TERRAIN
HEIGHTS OF NATURAL FEATURES
THE EXTENTOF VEGETATION COVER.

5. MAP SCALES
LARGE: 1:50,000
MEDIUM: 1: 100,000
SMALL: 1: 250,000

6. COLORS OF THE MAP BLACK: MAN-MADE FEATURES, SUCH AS
BUILDINGS AND ROADS.
RED-BROWN: RELIEF FEATURES AND ELEVATION
(CONTOUR LINES ON RED-LIGHT READABLE MAPS).
BROWN: RELIEF FEATURES & ELEVATION
(CONTOUR LINES ON OLDER MAPS).
GREEN: VEGETATION (WOODS, ORCHARDS, VEGITATION).
BLUE: DRAINAGE (WATER).
RED: POPULATED AREAS, MAIN ROADS AND BOUNDARIES
ON OLDER MAPS.

7. TERRAIN FEATURES Five Major Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing
Three Minor
Two Supplementary
Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing
Hilltop, Valley, Ridge, Saddle, Depression
Draw, Spur, Cliff
Cut, Fill

8. FM 21-26: PAGE 10-9 (FIGURE 10-17) HILL: AN AREA OF HIGH GROUND. FROM
A HILLTOP, THE GROUND SLOPE DOWN IN
ALL DIRECTIONS.
FM 21-26: PAGE 10-9 (FIGURE 10-17)
Contour lines forming concentric circles.

9. VALLEY: A STRETCHED-OUT GROOVE IN THE LAND, USUALLY FORMED BY
STREAMS OR RIVERS.
FM 21-26: PAGE (FIGURE 10-19)
Contour lines form U lines tend to parallel stream before crossing.
Contour line crossing streams ALWAYS point up stream.
Usually plenty of room to maneuver

10. RIDGE: A SLOPING LINE OF HIGH GROUND.
FM 21-26: PAGE (FIGURE 10-20)
Contour lines forming a U or V; always point to high ground.

11. SADDLE: A DIP OR LOW POINT BETWEEN TWO AREAS OF HIGHER GROUND.
FM PAGE (FIGURE 10-18)
Between 2 hilltops or a break in the level crest of a ridge.
Saddle usually appear as an hourglass

12. DEPRESSION: A LOW PO INT IN THE GROUND
OR SINKHOLE. THEY ARE REPRESENTED BY CLOSE
CONTOUR LINES THAT HAVE TICK MARKS POINTING
TOWARD LOW GROUND.
FM 21-26: PAGE (FIGURE 10-21)
In a depression there is higher ground on ALL sides

13. DRAW: A LESS DEVELOPED STEAM COURSE THAN A VALLEY.
THERE IS ESSENTIALLY NO LEVEL GROUND AND, THEREFORE,
LITTLE OR NO MANEUVER ROOM WITHIN ITS CONFINES.
FM 21-26: PAGE (FIGURE 10-22)
Contour lines are V Shaped with the points of the V POINTING UPHILL and UPSTREAM

14. SPUR: A SHORT, CONTINUOUS SLOPING LINE OF
HIGHER GROUND, NORMALLY JUTTING OUT FROM
THE SIDE OF A RIDGE.
FM 21-26: PAGE (FIGURE 10-23)
ususally formed by parrallel streams cutting down the side of a ridge
Contour lines shaped like U or Vs point AWAY From HIGH GROUND

15. FM 21-26: PAGE 10-13 (FIGURE 10-24A & B)
CLIFF: A VERTICAL OR NEAR VERTICAL FEATURE; IT IS AN ABRUPT
CHANGE OF THE LAND. THE SLOPE IS SO STEEP THAT THE
CONTOUR LINES CONVERGE INTO ONE CONTOUR LINE OR THE LAST
CONTOUR LINE HAS TICK MARKS POINTING TO LOW GROUND.
FM 21-26: PAGE (FIGURE 10-24A & B)

16. CUT: A MAN-MADE FEATURE RESULTIING FROM CUTTING
THROUGH RAISED GROUND, USUALLY TO FROM A LEVEL BED
FOR A ROAD OR RAILROAD TRACK.
FILL: A MAN-MADE FEATURE RESULTING FROM FILLING A LOW
AREA, USUALLY TO FORM A LEVEL BED FOR A ROAD OR RAIL-
ROAD TRACK.

17. STP21-1-SMCT PAGE 30 -31 (FIGURE4-5)

18. CONTOUR LINES 200 Three types of contour lines
ELEVATION IN METERS
Three types of contour lines
Intermediate: Are contour lines located between two index lines.
Supplementary: Are contour lines placed to specify half of
the contour interval.
Index: Are major elevation points and have the
elevation number written withing the contour.
(ex.100m,200m,300m)
EXAMPLE:
CONTOUR INTERVAL 20 meters
100m 120m 130m and 140m
SUPPLEMENTARY CONTOURS 10meters
200

19. FINDING POINTS (Orient the map) (Compass Technique) (Grid Coordinates)
Compass or Terrain Association
(Compass Technique)
Cheek and Center hold methods
(Grid Coordinates)
Grid Zone Designator (RP) and Number sequence
FOUR DIGIT, SIX DIGIT or EIGHT DIGIT
Remember RIGHT then UP
DEAD RECKONING
GRID ZN DESIG.... is the sheet ID

21. 2 scales DEGREES which coorespond to the 360 deg of a compass and Mils 6400
1 degree = 17.7 mil

22. Compass Technique COMPASS TO CHEEK METHOD CENTER HOLD METHOD
The compass to cheek technique is used almost exclusively for sighting and is the best technique for this purpose.
The Center hold method is much faster but is also less precise.
METAL EFFECTS YOUR AZIMUTH UP TO 1 Meter away
Advantages over CHEEK TECH
Faster and easier
Poor visibility
Any type of terrain
Do not need to put down your weapon
Do not need to remove eyeglasses

23. ORIENTING THE MAP
A MAP IS ORIENTED WHEN IT IS IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION WITH ITS NORTH/SOUTH CORESPONDING TO
THE NORTH/ SOUTH
ON THE GROUND
1. look for the 5 major terrain features
2. Compare the vegetation depicted on the map
3. Use the inland bodies of water
4. Use man made features
5.use anything on the map
that will assist you in navigation
This is the preferred method for
orienteering

24. COMMONLY USED PROTRACTOR
MILITARY PROTRACTOR
BASE LINE
DEGREES
Baseline
2 scales DEGREES which coorespond to the 360 deg of a compass and Mils 6400
1 degree = 17.7 mil
MILS
THE GTA IS THE MOST
COMMONLY USED PROTRACTOR
FOR MAP READING.
FM 21-26: PAGE 6-4 & 6-5
(FIGURE 6-6 & 6-7)
INDEX

25. GRID COORDINATES To locate any coordinate: Must go RIGHT then UP
Four Digit Coordinate
Location Within 1000m
(RP5904)

26. Eight Digit Coordinates
GRID PRECISION
Six Digit Coordinates
Locate a point within
100 meters
Eight Digit Coordinates
Locate a point within
10 meters

27. RP

28. VGT 5

30. VGT 7

32. TERRAIN IDENTIFICATION TEST
Stations:
Shoot two azimuths, either in MILS or DEGS
using both methods.
a) Given a known point ID its 4-Digit or
8-Digit coordinate.
3) a) Find Pace Count.
b) Given a 4 digit and an 8 digit coordinate
plot both points and ID the Feature or structure.
TERRAIN IDENTIFICATION TEST

33. TERRAIN FEATURES Five Major Three Minor
Two Supplementary
Hilltop, Valley, Ridge, Saddle, Depression
Draw, Spur, Cliff
Cut, Fill