What is the essence of azimuth movement and what is its order? Let's figure it out. If you have to move on foot in the daytime in an open area, while focusing on the azimuth, you should start the operation by determining the specified direction and calculating the distance in order to accurately exit to the designated point. Preliminary preparation of data for azimuth movement consists in calculating the route on a large-scale topographic map.
Preparation stages
First of all, you should carefully study the terrain, then choose a route and staked out intermediate landmarks on its individual sections. The next step is to calculate the length of the segments of the path between them and determine the azimuth of movement in each of the directions. In conclusion, you should fill out the data directly on the map or draw up a separate diagram of the upcoming route.
When plotting the direction on the map, they indicate all the turns with the measurement of the directional angle on each of them. The length of all straight sections is also calculated, then everything is transferred to other units. Directional angle lead to magnetic azimuth, the distance in the case of upcoming foot traffic is counted in pairs of steps, if you have to move on cars - the speedometer readings are taken into account.
How to move according to the scheme drawn up in advance
The sequence of actions here is as follows: being at the initial reference point, the azimuth of the direction in which you have to move to the next is calculated using the compass. Reaching the second of the landmarks and specifying the location by coordinates, again using the same compass, they correct the direction of the upcoming movement to the next, third landmark.
At all other points, actions are repeated in the same way. The turning points of the route are determined the easier, the better the visibility conditions and the easier the terrain. Much, moreover, depends on the accuracy of the calculations. Normally, the deviation lies within 1/10 of the distance traveled. This means that it is possible to 100 meters within each kilometer traveled. In the event of a loss of the intended landmark, thus, searches for it should begin within a circle with a radius of one tenth of the last distance traveled.
In certain cases, for example, when skiing in the snow, segments of the path are measured approximately, focusing on the speed of the skiers and the time taken. To compensate for inaccuracies, you should use clearly distinguishable reference points when cornering. As such, the moon or the sun may come up. The azimuth should be updated approximately every quarter hour. If such control is not carried out, a significant discrepancy with the intended route is possible.
How to get around obstacles
It depends on the nature of the barrier and its size. If it is possible to distinguish the opposite side of an obstacle, then before the start it is noted the number of pairs of steps taken and, having outlined the next landmark on its far side, the distance between them is calculated, transferred to pairs of steps and added to the route. Then an obstacle is bypassed, moving to its farthest designated point, where they restore the desired direction of motion in azimuth and continue the path. If it is not possible to distinguish the opposite side of the obstacle, then, when approaching the obstacle, they study the terrain, use the compass to calculate the azimuth in the direction along its border, from where they begin to move along the bypass, counting pairs of steps and observing the straightness of the route.
How to navigate the area at night
This task is an order of magnitude more complicated than orientation during daylight hours. The review in the dark is limited, objects are hardly distinguishable, all distances are seen in a distorted form. For a confident orientation at night, you should carefully prepare. The frequency of reference points along the route should be increased and be segments from 3 to 6 km.
The reference points at night should be objects that are clearly distinguishable from a heavenly background. These include tall towers, factory chimneys, church domes, etc., as well as landmarks lying directly on the route — railroad crossings, bridges, etc. The route should also be divided into sections in straight sections. At all, the magnetic azimuth is calculated alternately, the suitability of the compass for work and the accuracy of the data of the automobile speedometer are pre-controlled.
Night orientation: azimuth movement in the dark
Before starting the movement, the planned route should be carefully studied and, if possible, remembered so that there are as few calls to the map as possible. When acting on the route at night, the car driver is warned of upcoming landmarks in advance, to illuminate the map's path, you will need a reliable flashlight equipped with a blue filter. This light does not blind your eyes and allows you to simultaneously observe the surroundings.
Off road, the azimuth is driven by compass (as for direction), while the length of the distance traveled allows you to determine the speedometer of the car. Difficulties are the need to greatly strain your eyesight and problems with the recognition of local objects. Often at night you have to navigate through celestial bodies - stars or the moon. It is necessary to make an obligatory correction for the fact that all of them, apart from the North Star, have the ability to move around the horizon.
How to navigate if visibility is limited
This term refers to conditions in which the optical visibility of objects is reduced due to smoke, fog, snow, rain or blizzard, as well as increased dustiness of the air. Often, limited visibility is compared with night darkness, but there are a number of differences - at night it is possible to use radio communications and backlight devices, the same adverse conditions that create limited visibility often reduce the capabilities of such devices to nothing. As a result, azimuthal movement in such circumstances is often practically impossible.
Radio communication suffers from particles of sand, dust or snow flying at high speed. Limited visibility can be an unpleasant reality at almost any moment - in case of fire or the use of nuclear weapons. Given the possibility of its occurrence, the route is prepared similarly to the coming night - in the case of movement on paved roads. Moving through the rest of the terrain is carried out according to the azimuths previously calculated on the map. Each such route should be carefully studied and remembered as best as possible. Moving graphically should be fixed on the map, noting all the data on the azimuth movement and intermediate points of their own location.
How to navigate in the forest
In this case, the difficulty lies in the limited visibility and the meager number of landmarks. The route is usually laid along a dirt road or clearing. Most of them are not recorded on any cards and are purely temporary. When studying the upcoming route, special attention should be paid to the nature of the relief and water bodies. In the directions along the sides of the horizon in a forest it’s quite easy to navigate according to local signs - the color and roughness of the bark, moss on stumps and trees. As auxiliary reference points, the sun, moon and constellations continue to act.
Orientation in the city
Azimuth movement in a large settlement is complicated by the limited visibility. The route is laid along the main thoroughfares, trying to minimize the number of turns. They focus on prominent buildings, bridges, pipes of industrial enterprises.
If you are in the area of destruction, the task of orientation is greatly complicated. The reason is the mismatch of the area with a pre-compiled map. In this case, you should rely on the basic landforms indicated in the form of contour lines. It should be borne in mind that the contours of cliffs, recesses and various gaps after the explosion are likely to be significantly changed, and it will be impossible to identify them by comparing with the map.
The river channels are practically not subject to change, but if there was a destruction of a large hydraulic structure, vast sections of the terrain may be temporarily flooded. Under these conditions, the most stable of the guidelines will be railways, as well as automobiles with a hard surface, even in conditions of partially destroyed canvas.
How to navigate in the winter
Snow drifts smooth the shape of the relief. Small ravines, pits, dirt roads lose their meaning in this sense. Under the deep snow cover it is almost impossible to make out small lakes, beams and streams. In winter, many temporary roads that are not displayed on the map are often laid.
In connection with all of the above, the difficulties of orientation in the winter increase by an order of magnitude. It’s possible to lay a route in winter, focusing on large objects, railways or column roads. If the azimuth movement is to be skied without any roads, you should use a compass with an eye to settlements and large bridges.