Cross Bearings Stage 2 To identify the feature on the map:a) Place the long edge of the compass on your position on the map.
Cross bearings If you are not sure of your exact location you can use bearings to pin point your position. Identify at least two features which you can locate on the map. Using your compass take a magnetic bearing on each feature. Convert these to grid bearings by subtracting the magnetic variation. (Mag to Grid get Rid). Plot both bearings on the map and where they cross should be your location. More accuracy is obtained by taking three bearings and plotting the three lines on the map. Then your position is somewhere in the triangle where the three lines almost meet. If the triangle is large check the features and bearings.
b) Pivot the whole compass around this point until the orienting lines in the compass dial are parallel to the northsouth grid lines on the map, making sure that north on the compass dial points to north on the map.
If you are along a line feature such as a stream or ridge but do not know exactly how far along it you are, you can pinpoint your position by taking a single bearing on an identified feature and then plotting this on your map. Your position is where the plotted pencil line crosses the line feature
c) The same edge of your compass should pass through the feature you are trying to identify. Tips Some compasses have long parallel lines in the base plate. These maybe easier to use than the edge of the compass. 114
