What is the backup for GPS?

[DirectDrive]

Its crazy how many people would be SOL without electronic stuff.

It's also amazing how platoon leaders and fire support teams, pre-GPS, could drop artillery right into the enemy's kitchen.

 

[titsonritz]

Thanks ....
Its my Blackjack model #5
5 1/2 inch carbon steel blade , stacked leather handle and brass guard...the scabbard shown is a current replacement.
I carried it all though my Army days and on every combat deployment...it still does duty today as a hunting , camping and kitchen knife...
Andy

I always like the Blackjack, reminds, too, of the Randall just without the insane price tag.

 

[slimmer13]

The hard part will be figuring out the current declination of your location without looking it up, since magnetic north is moving about 55 km a year.

Something you should probably stay current on.

 

[P7M13]

And you will need to know how to navigate using the s.

Stars and a watch. Taught my kids how to pick out the constellations and where they are in the night sky at different times.
They can all readily identify Polaris.

 

[Cigarlvr313]

And you will need to know how to navigate using the s.

There is a bit of study involved in using a sextant........its more involved than buying one and reading the owners manual.......I have a very nice C Plath that I've taken to sea the last 40 years if anyone would like to purchase it....

 

[thereddog]

Delorme topo map books. I got the entire pnw bc and ak
.

 

[E4mafia]

View attachment 539171
Since I don't have a GPS...I'll just use these...and be just fine...
Andy

Shoot me an azimuth and lets count them ranger beads.

 

[KKG]

• Many moons ago, I used to belonged the an organization called Explorer Search and Rescue. And I was very good with a map and compass. In fact, I taught them to both our group and several Troops of Boy Scouts and other Explorer Posts in the area. Later, when I went into the Army where I aced the Map & Compass, of course I did use my much better civilian Compass. Then they had me demonstrate the use of that Compass to the entire Platoon. Again, after I had been stationed in the CZ I became the Scoutmaster for a Troop there as well as when I went hiking. I even used it a few times while I was SCUBA and Skin diving.
• There were a few times I used it in Vietnam to align a couple of Artillery pieces. I'm

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Shoot me an azimuth and lets count them ranger beads.

Sing to the tune of "Strangers in the Night..."
Rangers in the night...
Exchanging azimuths , wondering which is right...
What are their chances , of making the Firefight....
Andy

 

[E4mafia]

Sing to the tune of "Strangers in the Night..."
Rangers in the night...
Exchanging azimuths , wondering which is right...
What are their chances , of making the Firefight....
Andy

That guy who scumbag'd with a GPS device during land nav....

 

[Andy54Hawken]

That guy who scumbag'd with a GPS device during land nav....

When I went to Ranger School...GPS just wasn't a thing...we were "Old School" , 'cause it was the only school...
But yeah , later I was amazed that guys would rely on a GPS during Land Nav or while on patrol...
Andy

 

[E4mafia]

This comes in "handy" too

Just remember hidden valley ranch dressing.

Oh and the legend of your map is your friend for not only telling you what symbols/lines mean but also helping you measure distance from you to your point.

Rest is operator error from forgetting to read RIGHT and UP or having the map upside down (nice work leftenant) and get used to those wait a minute/ gdamn it vines.

 

[osprey]

Lewis and Clark dead reckoned across this continent with remarkable accuracy. As Anthony Hopkins character said in The Edge "What one man can do, another can do".

 

[jbett98]

Aren't we overdue for the magnetic poles to flip sometime soon?

 

[slimmer13]

Aren't we overdue for the magnetic poles to flip sometime soon?

The shift is certainly accelerating. From a few kms a year in the 90s, to 55 a yr now.

Right now magnetic north is up above Hudson Bay.

 

[jbett98]

I'm talking about the poles abruptly reversing polarity. It's happened in the past.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...flip-or-not/&usg=AOvVaw0Otvh4iRQEVE-hXfQkkwqq

 

[slimmer13]

I'm talking about the poles abruptly reversing polarity. It's happened in the past.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiD5v-i7fjfAhUrw1QKHZmqCQcQFjAMegQIAxAB&url=https://www.iflscience.com/environment/so-are-earths-magnetic-poles-about-to-flip-or-not/&usg=AOvVaw0Otvh4iRQEVE-hXfQkkwqq

t. "

Paleomagnetic evidence suggests reversals take around 1,000-5,000 years or so," Associate Professor Phil Livermore, an expert on Earth's geomagnetic field at the University of Leeds, told IFLScience.

I suppose that's pretty abrupt when talking geology.

 

[CamoDeafie]

I'm talking about the poles abruptly reversing polarity. It's happened in the past.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiD5v-i7fjfAhUrw1QKHZmqCQcQFjAMegQIAxAB&url=https://www.iflscience.com/environment/so-are-earths-magnetic-poles-about-to-flip-or-not/&usg=AOvVaw0Otvh4iRQEVE-hXfQkkwqq

Context needed. As mentioned, 1,000-5,000 years is pretty abrupt in terms of geologic scales... but its not like our human lives in which abrupt is within seconds

Edit; such an instanteous change would surely mess with many animals' magentic field sensitivity... a gradual change in terms of living beings makes more sense, and still is a brief period in geologic scales.. but for migratory animals.. it takes generations to basically "update" magnetic sensitivity mental maps, much of which is not quite understood by science. Consider this, several species have been around for millions of years... withstanding climate changes, ice ages, hot periods, and magnetic field reversals...

 

[RicInOR]

What the article mentions, but no posters, is how many devices depend upon the time sync from the GPS satellites. Relative time - ie Noon the sun is directly overhead, is problematic. But OK for local use. Trains moved fast enough to prove this problem.

I had no idea of all of the devices which use GPS just for time.

 

[HB of CJ]

Personal Observation And Rant ...

Los Angeles CA 55 years ago had just about any possible youth activity imaginable including SEA SCOUTS. I dropped out just before learning celestial navigation. Concentrated on High School grades. Hundreds of years ago various navies of the world taught ordinary snotty kids how to correctly and accurately use a good chronometer and sextant to figure out where they were. Required some high math. No electronics back then. If your sums were off you got physically punished? Seemed to work OK. Can we do such today? Dunno. We have gotten very stupid. Just me.