Not sure about where to buy the maps, but we always used 1:100,000 maps AFAIR, 1:25,000/1:50,000 were better but the 1:25,000 requires you to make a special protractor in order to navigate. I'm sure there are oodles of guides on the internet but there are several ways to navigate. First you must understand the map and its key in full. Pretty simple stuff, blue is water, green is vegetation, dotted black lines are small roads (dirt/gravel), solid black lines is hardball roads, and black squares indicate man-made structure. After that, it gets a bit lengthy. I will give you the most brief possible explanation according to me, but I'm no expert as my experience is limited to navigation in the Kahukus of Hawaii, the Sierra Nevadas in CA, Eastern Afghanistan and Al Anbar, Iraq (But we had SAT maps there so I don't really count it much.) There's probably a lot of die hard back to the basics guys, but I'm a big fan of "if SHTF hopefully my Rhino will still work
" mindset.
When utilizing a map, you'll need the aid of a protractor, map pens (non permanent and very handy,) a lensatic compass (most surplus stores will carry both,) and a known point -- preferably your location :goof: . With these items you will plot the destination you wish to go to on the map utilizing map pens from your known point to your destination. Once you have the point you wish to reach, you'll draw a line from your location to the point of your destination and measure it with the protractor. After you have the degree, you'll subtract the GM angle (all maps will have it somewhere on the map... right hand cornerish?) from the degree you wish to go. This is to add in the fact that the earth is spherical and the map is 2D. With this new number (somewhere between 0 and 360 degrees) you'll be then find it on your compass by pointing it and watching the inner ring move. Once it's lined up, there is a sighting system involved which looks like a rudimentary gun sight and subtract the GM angle which helps you "shoot an azimuth" with the compass. Now you have the direction you are going basically, but if you have to travel 1600 meters, it's best to shoot an azimuth to something more manageable and noticeable. For instance if you're trying to reach a peak (which is an obvious feature you can find both in the terrain and on the map) you might first wish to shoot your azimuth to a bush or something on the way. Be sure to plot it on your map.
Now comes the most fun part, which is the pace count. I walk 67 paces with basically no load per every 100 yards/meters whatever. This is done by counting every left step until you hit 67 (or your pace count.) Once you do, you got yourself 100 yds/meters (whatever your measuring by.) It's not exact because when you figure your pace count it should be done on something you know for sure is exactly 100 yards. Well... football and soccer fields don't have streams you can fall in, bush thats so unmanageable you have to go around, or critters that may scare you away and alter your pace count. Not to mention, if your carrying a kitchen sink on your back or hearing your loved ones complain -- these also alter your pace count. I guess you just kind of guestimate it and I never try to overestimate. People have fancy ways of measuring yardage with the use of super tactical ranger bead systems and other silliness, but I was always a big fan of having a foot long piece of string and just tying a knot in it every 67 paces. Ten knots is a thousand yards or a klick depending on you, then you start over. This is so you can chart where you have gone in terrain that doesn't have easily usable terrain features available. It's a good skill to have though, because then you can always figure out how far stuff is away.
To test this out, I would do it in a national park with easily accessible trails, noticeable terrain features (streams, fingers, hills, peaks, etc) and cell phone coverage (that way if you get eaten by an animal or lost you can call the wife) and utilize the terrain features to aid you in your quest in map reading/compass mastery. Be sure to fold the map down to the section you're actually using and tape the edges to where it can fit in a cargo pocket.
There's three other things that I'm not going to cover unless specifically requested because this thing got way out of hand and it's about 1ish AM here. There is intersection, which is a method of determining a point on a map according to terrain features (helpful for locating yourself or other points not specifically noticeable on the map) and drawing lines from them to intersect on the point which you wish to find. Resection which is reversing azimuth AFAIR and then dead reckoning which is point the compass in the azimuth you shoot and keep going till you find it hopefully (used at night from what I learned.) Also there are methods to maintaining your course while having to circumvent an object (such as a lake or crazed flock of chickens) by adding and subtracting 180 degrees in a U shape to get around it.
http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival-downloads/map-reading-and-navigation-US-Army-FM-21-26.pdf
There's plenty of manuals online, the stuff I have refers to this (FM 21-26) on map reading which may help. I find both Army and Marine manuals as interesting as eating cardboard so I don't recommend them. It's a skill that should be taught person to person because it's kind of boring to learn just by yourself.. If you know an eagle scout, they should know how to do this as well. Most grunts these days don't excell at this due to the heavy use of GPS and compressed classes due to the war, but there are a few of us out there! Old salts should have this down but remember to have them demonstrate it first because everyone is a master navigator until you're lost in the wilderness... :goof: Remember, half the fun is getting your friends lost!
Sorry for the book, GL in your quest! And if I didn't meet the standards of land navigation masters who lurk in the shadows of this post, so sorry :neutral:
