Orienteering
Boy Scout Troop Meeting Troop 39
September Skills Sessions:
• Sept. 17 – Orienteering Rank Req.
• Sept. 24 – Merit Badge Req.
• Sept. 26-28 – Merit Badge Req.
Orienteering
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Introduction
A Brief History of Orienteering
Review of Scout Rank Requirements
Orienteering Merit Badge
Requirements
Troop Orienteering at Schiff Camp
What is Orienteering?
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Explorers like Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Lewis and Clark have used rough
maps of the earth and simple compasses to guide them. Often, their skills with map and
compass were all that kept them from disaster.
What has been a vital skill for thousands of years is now a sport – orienteering. In
1919, a Swedish Scout leader decided that compass and maps could be used for fun as
well as survival and navigation. Orienteering is now a recognized sport in the Olympic
games.
By definition, orienteering is a cross-country race in which participants use a highly
detailed map and a compass to navigate their way between checkpoints along an
unfamiliar course.
Orienteering
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Magnetic compasses are among the oldest instruments used for navigation on land and
water. The exact origin is not known but several theories exist.
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It is believed the Chinese were first to discover the magnetic properties of lodestone
somewhere around 2300 B.C. This ore when suspended freely, aligned itself in a northsouth position and could transfer its magnetic properties to pieces of some other
metals. It is believed that a simple compass was developed by suspending a
magnetized piece of iron (the needle) on light wood on the surface of a bowl of water.
Yet another theory says the Arabs discovered the magnetism of lodestone.
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Hannibal (247 B.C. - 181 B.C.), a great military general and leader who commanded
the Carthaginian forces against Rome, was believed to have used a magnetic compass
when he sailed from Italy in 203 B.C.
Orienteering
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Compass History
Compass Parts
Declination
Map Features
Map Symbols
Compass History
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The Vikings used a basic form of compass in the eleventh century A.D. When Marco
Polo visited China in the thirteenth century A.D. he brought a compass back to Europe.
It was in this same century that the typical magnetic compass, as we know it, was
developed.
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A liquid-filled (damped) compass was perfected in 1862 and adopted for use by the
U.S. Navy. This type of compass was more stable in rough conditions. In 1876 a drycard compass was invented and used by the British Navy until 1906, after which they
changed to a liquid-filled compass.
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Gyrocompasses came into being in the first decade of the twentieth century and soon
became standard equipment on large ships.
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Today, digital compasses are being developed that use satellite signals to provide
accurate, non-magnetic alignment.
Compass Types
heavy-duty sighting
baseplate
specialty
sighting
novelty
digital
Compass Parts
scales
alignment
marks
direction of travel arrow
index line
north alignment arrow
rotating housing
needle
lanyard
holes
baseplate
Declination – WMM View
A magnetic compass points to magnetic north, not geographic north. The difference between true north
and magnetic north, measured in degrees, is declination.
Declination – US View
Topographic
Map Features
contours (represent elevation)
contour heights
topographic
features
scale
contour data
declination diagram
and data
USGS Map Symbols-Examples
Scout Rank Requirements
Break into patrols to work on the following skills:
(Scouts who have earned Orienteering badge meet with Harrison to review teaching requirements.)
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Tenderfoot
1.
Explain the rules of safe hiking, both on the highway and cross-country, during
the day and at night. Explain what to do if you are lost.
Second Class
1a.
Demonstrate how a compass works and how to orient a map. Explain what map
symbols mean.
1b.
Using a compass and map together, take a five-mile hike (or 10 miles by bike)
approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian. (Schiff Campout)
First Class
1.
Demonstrate how to find directions during the day and at night without using a
compass.
2.
Using a compass, complete an orienteering course that covers at least one mile
and requires measuring the height and/or width of designated items (tree, tower,
canyon, ditch, etc.). (Schiff Campout)
Orienteering Merit Badge
1.
2.
3.
Show that you know first aid for the types of injuries that could occur while
orienteering, including cuts, scratches, blisters, snakebite, insect stings, tick
bites, heat and cold reactions (sunburn, heatstroke, heat exhaustion,
hypothermia), and dehydration. Explain to your counselor why you should
be able to identify poisonous plants and poisonous animals that are found in
your area.
Explain what orienteering is.
Do the following:
a.
Explain how a compass works. Describe the features of an orienteering
compass.
b.
In the field, show how to take a compass bearing and follow it.
Orienteering Merit Badge
4.
5.
Do the following:
a.
Explain how a topographic map shows terrain features. Point out and
name five terrain features on a map and in the field.
b.
Point out and name 10 symbols on a topographic map.
c.
Explain the meaning of declination. Tell why you must consider
declination when using map and compass together.
d.
Show a topographic map with magnetic north-south lines.
e.
Show how to measure distances using an orienteering compass.
f.
Show how to orient a map using a compass.
Set up a 100-meter pace course. Determine your walking and running pace
for 100 meters. Tell why it is important to pace-count.
Orienteering Merit Badge
6.
Do the following:
a.
Identify 20 international control description symbols. Tell the meaning
of each symbol.
b.
Show a control description sheet and explain the information provided.
c.
Explain the following terms and tell when you would use them: attack
point, collecting feature, aiming off, contouring, reading ahead,
handrail, relocation, rough versus fine orienteering.
Orienteering Merit Badge
At Schiff Campout:
7.
8.
Do the following:
a.
Take part in three orienteering events. One of these must be a crosscountry course.
b.
After each event, write a report with
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a copy of the master map and control description sheet ,
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a copy of the route you took on the course,
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a discussion of how you could improve your time between control
points, and
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a list of your major weaknesses on this course . Describe what you
could do to improve.
Do ONE of the following:
a.
Set up a cross-country course of at least 2,000 meters long with at least
five control markers. Prepare the master map and control description
sheet.
b.
Set up a score-orienteering course with 12 control points and a time
limit of at least 60 minutes. Prepare the master map and control
description sheet.
Orienteering Merit Badge
9.
10.
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Act as an official during an orientation. This may be during the running of
the course you set up for requirement 8.
Teach orienteering techniques to your patrol, troop or crew.
Note to the Counselor:
While orienteering is primarily an individual sport, BSA Youth Protection
procedures call for using the buddy system. Requirement 7a can be
completed by pairs or groups of Scouts.