The New Way to Stay Found
(Not Lost) Anywhere
Common Way to Get Around
 Requires a Map and Compass
 Requires Declination
 Locate your Position on a Map (often by Triangulation)
 Plot a Course to a New Location
 Requires checking terrain features as you move
 Requires comparing features with those on the map.
 Time consuming process-(misunderstood by many)
Never Get Lost
 The Long Established, Easy Way for Staying Found
and Returned to Base Anywhere, Anytime.
 Introduction- What this system will do for you in the
woods
 Overall, this method replaces all old methods of land
navigation which required the use of maps
 Better directional sense then a desert coyote
How it Works- This is what the
system is about
 First, from God’s or a satellite’s viewpoint- you’re a dot
on the face of the earth
 When we move, a camera’s snap shots would create a
series of dots, which by definition is a line.
 That (straight) line is a travel vector. This concept is
very important!
 A Travel Vector is a line on paper or the ground which
represents 1. A direction of travel; 2. a distance.
No more maps
 The Paul System’s Best
 You make a bee-line right back to your starting point
 No more having to Back Track
 Eliminates dangerous situations especially for military
 Helps conserve fuel
 Estimates time left for day light and
 Assists in making good decision making Should I make Camp or Press On (In the Dark)
Tools we use
 We use the sun and a shade stick
 A wrist watch with an hour hand
 A magnetized needle in a glass to name a few.
 However, the normal method for determining
directions is with a compass.
Direction-What is it, really!
 Direction means the (straight) way in which you move.
 Direction as we define it is by a number of degrees in
what we call an azimuth (also know as a heading or
compass bearing)
 Directions are noted by a number (of degrees) starting
with Magnetic North (or Zero).
Understanding A Back Azimuth
 Forward Azimuth
 Back Azimuth-means:
 go in the opposite direction –ie. 180 degrees
Simple Navigation
3.1 mile
71 degrees
4.6 miles
138 degrees
Return Line
 Note the two Travel Vectors above made by a vehicle in
the desert
 At the end of 138 degrees, you can plot your way to
where you started from to go back.
Circle Logic and Movement
 The number of degrees increase around a circle
(clockwise) back to 360.
 For example, 45 degrees is halfway between North and
East.
 Every time you change direction, you start a new Travel
Vector which is designated by a number of degrees.
 When you move, you go in a straight line for a distance
Travel Vectors
 For this system, you measure that distance by (A)
steps, or (B) elapsed time from the beginning of your
move to the end.
 In a vehicle or on a bicycle, you measure distance off
an odometer.
 In a boat, you measure engine RPM for a period of
time.
Formula for distance
 RXT=D
 Where R stands for rate of speed-(certain number of
miles per hour or feet per second)
 T means time.
 So, at a constant speed, you multiply any number of
miles per hour (R) times a portion of that hour (T)
 This is then the distance you traveled.
Paul Diagram
 Several travel vectors connected to one another in the
order in which you made them create a Positive
Azimuth Uniform Layout (PAUL) Diagram.
 That layout represents a complete history of your
travel from God’s or a bird’s-eye view.
Paul Journey Diagram
Start
Return
Finish
 With all the notes of each Travel Vector, we determine
the direction and measure the distance R X T =
distance of the last, missing leg that would close your
diagram.
 You discover the last (missing) leg, marked Return!
Return Leg
 The Return Leg is the distance and direction back to
your starting point.
 Perhaps you made sort of a circle, or you crossed your
own tracks several times; It Doesn’t Matter!
 That last, missing leg on your diagram will always
show you the way to go home!
 Please note you won’t be back tracking or “going back
the way you came in.”
Paul’s Method
 Takes the shorter route and enables you to bypass
obstacles, (like a lake or steep mountain)
 Paul’s Method saves time when you need it most to
avoid traveling in the dark and cold.
 Saves strength and energy.
 Safer-Outdoor Injuries often occur while traveling in
the dark!
 Other benefits to our military. Enemy tracking, mine
your past foot steps.
S.O.C.K.
 Sum of Components Known Navigation
 SOCKNAV
 Use of Basic Cartesian Coordinates
 There are four separate quadrants.
 Jacques Cartes defined these as: a, b, c, & d
 “X” axis is horizontal-(side to side)
 “Y” axis is up and down and crosses the “X”.
 These are the base lines from which all vectors move
and get value!
Graph a Travel Vector
 Your travel line (vector) starts where the Cartesian
lines cross (zero, zero)
 It extends out in a straight line to the arrow head on
the end.
 Note: The back azimuth (opposite way) from the arrow
head goes back to zero, zero.
 Drawing a travel vector in any direction on graph
paper, you see that it is represented by two
components: one vertical and the other horizontal
Your current position!
 When you add up (combine) all of those travel vector’s
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horizontal and vertical values.
Result- is a point! This is your present position.
Knowing where you are means little.
Knowing in which direction to go means everything!
By completing your Paul Diagram, you can determine
your azimuth-compass heading in degrees. This makes
night travel simple.
Just follow the compass heading back to your starting
point!
P.A.U.L. Travel System
 Layouts and Diagrams
 P.A.U.L. stands for: Positive Azimuth, Uniform Layout.
 It is the way you lay out several units of movement in the
woods, which we call a travel vector!
 Positive Azimuth means no math; just read the compass
and use only the degrees indicated.
 Uniform Layout means converting units of time to lengthand using the same conversion for the whole diagram.
 When you combine the compass direction with the
distance you traveled; you create a travel vector.
The P.A.U.L. System: Simple
 Record your directions and travel time in notes.
 When you want to return, you simply convert your
recorded notes into units of direction and length.
 This is a certain distance on a certain compass
heading- This is a travel vector!
 Join the travel vectors together in sequence to form a
journey, or travel diagram.
P.A.U.L. Notes
 In a series of columns of vertical lines;
 Include the following: Turn (R), right (L) left
 Compass Direction
 Start
 Stop
 Elapsed Time
 Inclines
 Speed Changes
 Terrain Features
Complete PAUL Notes
 In the azimuth, heading or direction column, write
down the number of degrees towards which you
walked .
 In the Start Column, record the time you started
walking.
 In the Stop Column, record the time you stopped
walking in that direction, or changed direction.
Remember to also record that time on the next line
down to begin a different travel vector.
 You determine Elapsed Time by subtracting your
starting time from your finished time.
Get in the P.A.U.L Notes Habit
 Note whether you made a “L” or “R” turn.(This can
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double check your P.A.U.L. Diagram later.
“Don’t forget; military time for 2:00PM is 1400.
Add the time your watch may show to 1200, or noon.
Learn good habits early!!!!!!!
Take the degree reading off your compass.
Write it Down; and Go!
For every new heading (compass bearing)
Record that direction and time when You Start
And when You Stop!
Additional Record Keeping
 Leave nothing to Memory for later on.
 Record overall stopping and starting time.
 Perform self-test on your notes.
 All your elapsed times should add up to one total
elapsed time. (or you forgot to include a journey leg!)
 Example: If you started at 0600 and turned back and
forth but finished at 0800, all the different directions
and elapsed times had better add up to two hours.
Otherwise, a part of your hike is missing in your
records.
Inclines
 Walk up a hill; your horizontal distance is less than the
actual distance you walk.
 If you are returning to your starting point, all the ups
and downs don’t matter; you finish at the same
elevation.
 If your using PAUL to go to a new location, then don’t
forget to hold your uphill travel time stick at the angle
of a hill.
 This way you get an accurate linear (flat) distance.
Inclines and Clinometer
 Build your complete journey diagram
 Create a clinometer for your knife using the 180 degree
protractor provided.
 Elevate your layout stick to the angle your recorded
when you measured the true horizontal angle of the
slope with your clinometer.
 Directly under the elevated end of that layout stick.
Mark a place on the ground which designates the
distance you traveled.
Speed Changes
 Not a big deal, but swimming running or crawling
through brush will change your forward speed.
 So, to improve your time accuracy; time your forward
speed progress in each of these modes, and express
them as a percentage of your walking speed.
 Example: you walk 100 yards in 40 seconds through the
brush, but you crawl the same distance in 160 seconds.
Your walk to crawl ratio is one to four. Make a note.
Speed Changes- Stops
 When you change speed without changing directions,
enter a Stop time. Then enter a new START and run
time for the new leg (PAUL Notes).
 The direction or azimuth will be the same.
 Your never changed direction; you only changed your
speed!
 When you reduce your notes to a diagram, you will cut
two different length sticks. (Perhaps for running and
one for walking) and lay them end to end, touching, in
a straight line.
Finding your way Home
 You head back home by converting your PAUL Notes
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to a travel diagram.
When your diagram is finished, the missing journey
leg closes the polygon, completes your trip and takes
you back to where you started.
Measure the compass degree line of the missing
journey leg. This is the direction to follow!
Simply use your compass to sight from the end of the
last leg of your journey back to the IP-initial point.
Also, the measured distance converts back to time
(UNIFORMLY); this tells how long to get back!
Training- I
 Think of a baseball diamond in the woods.
 Start at home plate, walk the bases and return.
 Practice in a large flat space, supermarket, mall parking lot
when empty.
 Drop a handkerchief, necktie or mark the ground at the
place you begin- your starting point.
 Begin to walk for exactly four minutes the heading of 90
degrees. The elapsed four minute time is critical-since you
will convert it to a diagram distance later.
 Record this move by noting it in your Paul notes. This will
allow you to build a travel vector later.
Training-II, (cont’d)
 Write down your compass direction.
 The time you STOP subtracted from the time you
START gives you the elapsed time you traveled.
 Important Note: Elapsed time converts to distance, IF
you travel at a constant speed (more or less).
 In a vehicle, you merely determine distance by using
STOP and START odometer readings. Either way, each
separate line of notes you take needs to tell you later
when you began and when you stopped on each
compass bearing or heading.
Training- III, (cont’d)
 Next, turn right (R) 90 degrees, walk at the same speed
 Four minutes on the new heading of 180 degrees.
 Stop. Likewise, record again.
 One more turn right (R) (now 270 degrees) Walk another precise four minutes.
 Stop. Make similar notes.
Training-IV
 That’s it, Now your notes should look like these:
 AZIMUTH START STOP ELAPSED TIME
 90
4 MIN.
 180
4 MIN.
 270
4 MIN.
 ?
?
Now pretend you don’t know where you are. Question: In
what compass direction will you walk to get back to
where you started?
Training V
 Compute the answer by building a diagram, or
miniature layout of your journey.
 To do this, we need three lengths of anything four
minutes long.
 Remember “UL” =UNIFORM LAYOUT.
 For outdoor persons on foot, time converts uniformly
to a distance. Therefore, whatever you use to
represent a unit of time on one travel vector must
be used on each and every travel vector
throughout the whole diagram!
Training VI
 All three of our travel vector times were the same, as
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the direction lengths will be equal.
Once we decide how to convert time to distance, don’t
change; use the same time to distance conversion for
the whole trip!
Example: Make the length of your boot equal to 30
seconds. So two, heel to toe boots = one minute.
Therefore, four minutes equal eight boots. Step it off
on the ground then mark it.
Another way: Cut a stick from a tree to represent four
minutes of time.
Training VII
 Layout all three vectors.
 Layout the first PAUL Note line; sighting a 90 degree
heading on the ground.
 At the end of the first (90 degree-four minute travel
vector, or leg of your journey)
 Lay down the second vector on a heading of 180
degrees.
 Lay down the third leg the same distance (four
minutes) on a direction of 270 degrees.
Training VIII
 Now lay your compass on the ground at the end of the
last leg of your diagram and sight back to the
beginning of your journey diagram.
 What compass heading will you follow to get back?
 Measure the distance, using your same measure: 8
boots = 4 minutes.
 Take a separate sighting from your START point to the
end of your last leg. You get 360 degrees or zero
degrees!
Training IX
 Base to Base when return direction crosses original
travel vectors.
 Nothing changes!
 The same principles apply.
 No matter how many legs or how many directions, the
same method brings you home.
PAUL System-Is Simple but always
brings you home
 Remember SOCKNAV
 Sum of Components Known Navigation
 Keep accurate PAUL Notes of Travel Vectors
 Build a Travel Vector Diagram by converting Paul Notes of
your journey on the ground
 The “missing leg” is from your last leg travel vector to your
starting point.
 Place your compass on the ground at the point of your last
leg…sight the degrees- heading back to your starting point.
 Follow this heading to go home!
Benefits of SOCKNAV
 Simple and accurate way to travel in the woods or
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desert, on land or at sea.
Simple recording of compass heading and time where
time converts to distance.
Uses a UNIFORM Layout
Gets your go home heading and tells the time-distance
to get home.
Allows you to determine if you have enough time to get
back before dark.
Allows safer night travel by just using the heading!
Scout Challenge
 Review the handout sheets
 Get your vehicles outfitted with a compass
 As a group, set up the compasses by comparing there
North Azimuths
 Adjust accordingly
 Test SOCKNAV with your vehicles by having to groups
set off in different directions
 Meet at prescribed location
 Don’t forget to build your travel vector layout diagram
Summary & Questions
 Recommend Sgt. Don Paul’s Books
 www.survival-books.com
 Talk to us (keep it short) dpaul002hawaii.rr.com
 Path Finder Publications, Box 550,
 Kalaheo, Kaua’l, HI 96741
The New Way to Stay Found
(Not Lost) Anywhere
Thanks to Sgt. Don Paul