How to Plot 8 Digit Grid Coordinates

In this video, I'll walk you through how to plot an eight-digit grid coordinate on a topographical map. I'll be using a military map, a standard military protractor, and a mechanical pencil.
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I'll demonstrate a few errors I've seen people make when it comes to plotting points so you can understand the consequence of these errors and help prevent you from making the same mistakes. I'll also leave off with how to determine a grid azimuth as well. The process to plot an 8 digit coordinate is an easy step that can help ensure you can determine distance and direction correctly before setting out on your land navigation or orienteering course.
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Hey - yes you! If you enjoy the content of the video, make sure you subscribe so you can stay up to date on future endeavors. And don't forget to leave a comment below so we can continue the conversation.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks for watching friends! Make sure you hit the like button and subscribe to stay up to date on future content. You can find gear on my Amazon Influencer Page Check out this page from www.amazon.com/shop/stokermatic

[@nelsnoelse3816]

Hallo sir..just want to ask...what is the different between MGRS and WGS84 UTM...is it same?..thank you sir

[@silas_soule5294]

I retired from the Army in 2012 and had a dream where I had to plot coordinates and forgot how to use my protractor on a map. Here it is 0243 hrs waking up from that dream looking at your video. Keep in mind I was doubting what I remembered in my head....I was correct after watching your video. Now I am awake making a cup of coffee.

[@bayutasjulesandrewc.8364]

Yata botbota sa boang

[@taliapitts1962]

Very easy to understand! Great video. I’m a drill sergeant and I try to look up different videos to see how I can teach it differently for kids with a hard time. This helped!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Glad it helped and all the best you!

[@nontraditionaltech2073]

Same!

[@carlcolvin8320]

I'm surprised that the kids can read a read compass in today's brucy Army. 78-92 Army

[@HEYHAZE29]

My soldier got notified two days in advanced for a warrior competition and this helped him tremendously with the land nav portion! Thank you brother!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Glad it helped! Hope your trooper does well!!

[@ronhanish]

if you orient a map in the field to mag North why would you need to compensate for declination??

[@jackhammer0925]

Wish we had you to teach this in the Corps when I was in. Super easy to understand this way. Awesome video, best one I’ve seen. Barney enough for us chimps to understand and apply.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Damn! Thanks Steve! And thank you for your service. When we’re you in? 95-03 - spent most of my time in FAST Co.

[@jackhammer0925]

STOKERMATIC heck yea man, thank you for yours as well. I was in from 2011-2015. Spent my time with 3rd Bn 5th Mar kilo Co. awesome bunch

[@tko0988]

You are single handedly helping me pass land nav. Thank you

[@STOKERMATIC]

CONGRATS!

[@brandonliao408]

Everyone here watching for military purposes and I'm just trying to learn to play Arma 3

[@STOKERMATIC]

Hope it was helpful!

[@157dixon]

What is arma 3?

[@B_Duck]

@@157dixon Its a military simulation game. Amazing game.

[@shazadkhan121]

Haaa haaaa haaaa

[@shazadkhan121]

Gandolf 😩😩😩😩😩

[@codywaters4565]

I was having a conversation about eight digit grid coordinates yesterday and I thought “you know, I completely forgot how to read those.” So I watched this video and within three minutes, it snapped right back into my head! Thanks a lot. Always good to have a refresher course.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Awesome Cody! Glad it was helpful!

[@jamesmeans6558]

From an old Field Artillery SSG.... this brings back memories. All the way back to PLDC and the night land nav test we had to pass. Very good job breaking down something that can be hard for some to get the hang of. Keep up the good work!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks James - for your service and kind words. Glad it brought back some good memories for you. Stoker.

[@nicholaschristiansen5860]

Now I just gotta find myself a lime green mechanical pencil.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Only the best! Lol

[@jamesashford6111]

LOL. Most important!!! 😂

[@raymondsellitto6838]

Thanks. I am preparing for cadet summer training as an active duty green to gold Army cadet, and I have been a bit rusty on land nav so here I am trying to get educated as much as possible. Thanks!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Right on! All the best to you brother!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

[@johnnyutah1895]

Sadly we rely so heavily on Garmin wrist gps's. This has been such a massive help to get the old brain working again. Appreciate your videos and knowledge!

[@taylorschmidt6993]

This video once again got me through another course with land nav. Thank you !!

[@NobodyOwesYouAnythin]

I've been watching Many different How To videos. They all helped, but we can actually Hear what you're saying with this one. Very easy to understand and straight to the point. Thank you.

[@scottsummers6357]

It's great to see how to do this, the low tech way. I was in the Air Force, and didn't even know what a map protractor was, until after I got out and started learning stuff.

[@annikkirahko6714]

Where have you been my entire career! You made it so simple and this shot finally makes sense now! Thank you 🙏

[@STOKERMATIC]

Awesome! 👊🇺🇸👊🇺🇸

[@steveolsen7804]

Nice demo! Very straight forward and to the point.

[@caborico0677]

Stoker! As per usual, your "LandNav" videos are instructive and useful. I appreciate the effort and quality you put into them. Next I'm taking notes into a journal for future reference!

[@157dixon]

Just watched a 1 hr vid on land nav. Brain was scrambled. In just 7 minutes you unscrambled. Awesome

[@STOKERMATIC]

Gandolf, glad we got a little of it unscrambled!

[@mryan2010]

really great presentation! I understood how and why you did that. Thanks Stoke.

[@robertcostales9037]

Thanks for the info, it brings back memories of my time spent in the US Army. 😎👍🏼SFC Costales, Robert US Army Retired

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks f or your service Robert! Thanks for hanging out on the channel!

[@popatop75]

that was fun retired 12B combat engineer haven't done that in years, you could've mentioned grid to mag is general to major you minus the dectlnation and mag to grid is major to general you add it. thats the way i learned it. you did great thanks

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks for your service brother!

[@cowetareserve]

I’ve just learned how to accurately do land nav in a matter of minutes. This video alongside some terrain association, that hiking path maps for places near you can help teach you, is pretty much priceless knowledge. Thank you for giving us the how to on grid plotting chief, we appreciate it.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Glad it helped!

[@cowetareserve]

@@STOKERMATIC thank you soooooo much! I can’t believe I never said thanks in my initial reply. This is amazing content!

[@jacobisking1250]

Just a refresher for EIB and was not disappointed. Preciate

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks Jacob, plenty of related content in my FieldCraft Playlist as well. Hope the eval goes good! You got it!! If you think the channel would help out some of your battle buddies please share it with them. Best of luck!!

[@robertbernhard6017]

Watching videos like this helped me learn a lot more about land nav when my NCOs barely know what they’re talking about♥️

[@oddcosmonaut8283]

You're still a boot don't worry. I know they've told you that if you don't study it or prac. app. it every now and then you'll forget it or be rusty.

[@trentharlan9884]

Man talk about a perishable skill. Its been a minute since Ive done this. Once seeing this video though it all started coming back to me. My son is leaving in July to start his military Journey, Option 40 ,so im trying to give him some pre training/pointers on things like this. Now if I can just remember how to gauge distance across a obstacle like Valley's or streams etc...

[@STOKERMATIC]

Plenty of vids here! Will be doing some in future for widths too!

[@markbenn1907]

Really good job sir. That was explained perfectly!

[@davebilger1606]

The zoom in really helped see. Great example and demonstration.

[@QCCSPEEDSTER43]

Thank you so much. I was all jacked-up in the BWC (SC) 2 months ago. This month I’ll be in the BWC (MD). Good looking out again! 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽💯💯💯‼️‼️‼️

[@STOKERMATIC]

Get it!

[@jeffstull2534]

Thanks again, always helpful to brush up.

[@jacerist8932]

This helped more then you think you made it really straightforward

[@stephenlindsey9233]

God bless you Stoker. Love the video

[@reverendsaltine6852]

Beyond me technically because i don’t use a military protractor or procedures, but extremely interesting and should be learned by everyone. Did not seem really hard, but without the tools and BG, it’s harder to learn. I like this guy. No drama. He could do better for us and himself, by “playing” to a potentially even larger audience: namely, us, the backpack crowd :) CARRY ON STOKERMATIC! :)

[@STOKERMATIC]

Your words are kind, thank you! It’s not a difficult process, but it is one I see people make a lot of mistakes with. As to the larger audience, I suppose I’m still figuring all of this out. Lol. I’ll keep grinding with content and we’ll see. Any suggestions? Thanks again and have a great day!

[@johnfaramelli8138]

AWESOME!!! I'm learning much, thanks!!!👊

[@jacobpuckett9075]

This will save my butt in my map test in JROTC

[@crackedblock2264]

It's a perishable trait. Practice it or you'll lose it

[@jlohman572]

This really helps, I go to OCS soon and I had been rather confused beforehand on land nav, but this helped me get a grasp on it thank you.

[@STOKERMATIC]

So glad it helped brother - check out my landnav playlist for more content! Or start with my top 10!

[@oddcosmonaut8283]

OCS? marine corps? if so dont be that boot LT that acts like he knows more than the guys who are still in that have seen combat, ive seen a salty combat experienced SSGT go tf off this 23 yr old boot ass LT because the LT told him that he didnt know anything about combat. Officers have an anomaly in their heads that any enlisted is just stupid and has to be babied. Don't be that guy, will make for an easier career I promise. be humble and lead well.

[@44musher]

Thanks First Sgt. Sure brought back memories. Send em !

[@STOKERMATIC]

Right on!

[@plumpyfishr6s475]

Cpls course land nav in the morning......little refresher never hurt.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Right on brother! Semper Fi!

[@healingleafwave6963]

Thanks brother i used to be a 19-Delta Cav Scout. Just brushing up on this long lost art of mine lol. Is amazing on how much i have forgotten.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Right on! Man I'm glad you enjoyed the content!

[@AbigailRoseify]

Thank you so much for putting this teaching on KZbin!!!!!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nightwolf7317]

Thank you again for the helpful video Sir 🙋‍♂️🇺🇸

[@steventhomas729]

Simple and understandable. Good job!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks Steven!

[@isaiahrasmussen8998]

Had to know land nab NOW. Helped a lot thank!

[@MrYosef12]

Perfect done my brother 🙏🏾

[@humbledayz4129]

This was so helpful thank you so much I have a competition coming up and had no clue how to do this.. now I do🙌🏾

[@STOKERMATIC]

Kill it!

[@HaasGrotesk]

Best explanation on youtube! Thank you sir!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Awesome, thank you! Very kind.

[@terryc47]

Great so simply explained, thankyou

[@STOKERMATIC]

Glad it was helpful Terry!

[@hpgdawnpatrol9456]

One of the best channels on YT.

[@maggiealena]

Yeah Stoggy Stoker keep up the good work! I hope kids will caught on. This is. Valueble skill. I wish we had YT back when i was a kid, especially going to a foreign land. It was scarry at forst but then most of use got muscle memory. A skill that will last until we get a face full..

[@jessicamendoza6876]

I actually understood this! Thank you. I’m going to the field tomorrow.

[@STOKERMATIC]

You got this!

[@Michael-ut7vj]

Now let's throw on some cammo, a K-pod, raise the temperature about 40 degrees, get some mosquitos buzzing around for effect, lay in the prone behind some trees, and plot our points without the benefits of AC and nice hard, flat surface....it'll bring me right back to EIB - ahh the memories! Thanks for sharing!

[@patricksomaine3700]

Thanks for your service sir. I seen the Audie Murphy awards thats amazing.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks Patrick! I appreciate it!

[@BlessedApe556]

Good refresher.

[@jordanjorge959]

Great refresher!!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks Jordan!

[@joseduenez4582]

Going to do a land nav course here in germany this is a great refresher

[@STOKERMATIC]

Hope it goes well!

[@Rocky-kx4vo]

Wow this was super simple wish I learned it this way

[@Milky44]

Thank you very much, much respect

[@donaro]

omg! Thank You my friend. It is so easy. Cant understand it in the field. It was told too fast out there.

[@buckcherry2564]

I dont know why this video was suggested to me, but it hit me with some serious nostalgia. Great video!

[@STOKERMATIC]

🥃. YT knows.

[@gabriela9935]

Ty! Just in time for my SCWs board 😅

[@smoothambition]

Very helpful thank you

[@STOKERMATIC]

You're welcome!

[@shivam.mandhotra]

That was cool sir! Please also make a video about: communication through hand gestures during combat.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Shivam, always great to hear from you. Sure I can do that. Will add it to the list. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Syphong]

I'm just watching it cause it seems it might be useful in the future considering the situation we have nowadays.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Can't disagree with that!

[@martyblack13]

Thx Ranger! My Italian family say hello! My cousin who is in 5th group is Keith Pace! My last name is Pace but I go by Black! I'm a famous Musician! Hope to play for some Vets one day! If I'm in town....we gotta hang like Rock's stars! You always family! I train at the academi I'm private military! Best to you!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Outstanding!

[@Konvicted17]

Thx mate, all the best!

[@STOKERMATIC]

😎

[@AbsoluteyAmerican]

This is really good stuff. I am planning to go up to Maine and Montana to do some hunting, but I have never been in a large open environment before where I had to use a compass and map. Figured I should learn and practice just incase. Even though I am a civilian, this video and your other videos are pretty straight forward to understand. Subscribed.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Daniel, I’m stoked the content has been helpful. I hope your trip goes well, and look forward to hearing about it went. Stoker

[@AbsoluteyAmerican]

STOKERMATIC I meant to ask, where can you get a protractor like the one you use? Last question. I got a cammenga phosphorescent compass, is there any difference than the tritium other than the “night glow”?

[@STOKERMATIC]

I’ve got a navigation list here www.amazon.com/shop/stokermatic And no real difference other than one needs light to work (phosphorus) and the other doesn’t.

[@peterszuminsky8186]

Great vid, very useful

[@STOKERMATIC]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!

[@stamm2366]

You put a lot of work in your navigation Videos and it came out very well. I learned a lot an I was practicing everything you put out there. Tahnk you very much fot charing your skill. From Germany DeinStamm PS: super performance on the SERE Challange, great job.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Glad you’ve found it all helpful. 🥃

[@KarresseMe]

Good job! I'm a little rusty but wanted to look like I know a little bit for our training tomorrow :)

[@STOKERMATIC]

Hope the training went well!!

[@thomasroblee]

I would like that Protractor.. I was in the Military in the 80's and that's what I learned on and I am re teaching my self

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks for your service Thomas! Glad to have ya, and best of luck to you! Stoker

[@healingleafwave6963]

Same

[@wadeo_0]

Thanks man. This is one of those things where if you don't use it you lose it. Have to stay sharp for my course

[@STOKERMATIC]

Keep at it!

[@flacomarino69]

Good info!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks amigo and Semper Fi!

[@musafa101]

Awesome man

[@r.g.o3879]

I was a chief of fire direction ssg back in the eighties before they brought in the "new" battery computer system and tacfire, we had been trained to go to a 8 digit grid coordinate but i always went to a 10 digit. We used a pin in a map instead of a pencil. They were happy with the 8 digit because a 155mm he shell had a 50mm radius of burst which meant they didn't need to try and go to 10 digits. I then called down to the guns and gave them the deflection and quadrant to adjust the gun plus the shell and fuze type and powder. You had to be fast because the enemy wasn't going to be standing still while you computed your firing data.(of course sometimes they were still but you couldn't count on that). When the bcs was brought in i hated it because it was too slow! I was always able to beat the computer speed and just as accurate. We even fired just using a TFT (tabular firing tables) and a chart with an rdp. The observer called in on the radio with the grid coordinate, his observer target direction and i stuck a pin in the chart, read the range got deflection off the rdp and converted target elevation to quadrant. All that in a few seconds, faster than the bcs. Of course this was before PCs and cell phones! I got out in 89 just before the first gulf war so that shows how old i am but you never quite forget everything no matter how senile you get! Did enjoy the video!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Oh man that's good stuff! Thanks for sharing that - and for your service too!

[@Shocktr00p31]

USMC INFANTRY MACHINE GUN VETERAN loved the video watched it for a quick refresher gave me a back to the future style flashbacks of how many times I did this I loved it so well done you know what you're doing oorah.

[@STOKERMATIC]

SEMPER FI!!

[@searchmanager9372]

Great video, thank you. Do you need a different protractor for the Natioal Grid system?

[@shazadkhan121]

It's bit late but I've learnt my 8D G R Thank you You are wonderful

[@STOKERMATIC]

Right on!

[@healingleafwave6963]

Fantastic your pro when you learn the 12 digit grid

[@STOKERMATIC]

😂

[@user-oe2tb9pu1o]

Thank you kind sir

[@STOKERMATIC]

Right on.

[@tylerwood2802]

Need to learn this for basic training and the training video I got wasn’t doing it for me thank you!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Tyler! Man I wish you the best of luck. I have a ton of knowledge in my Army Playlist for you - and you can check out my new channel at kzbin.info/door/76WnGz_DkqzDc7f-KEjTLQ

[@tylerwood2802]

STOKERMATIC Thank you! I will definitely check them out.

[@Ramon-du7jv]

Lol I was waiting for him to say! “ You don’t have to use a lime green pencil! A red one will work just as well lol! Good video!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thanks Ramon!

[@cvcoco]

No no! Use green! Why take unnecessary chances??

[@Xx-le9mx]

Thank you

[@STOKERMATIC]

Thank you for watching Ruben!

[@ramiahcooper791]

hi I've been struggling with land nav for so long and I need it for ROTC. Thank you for helping me finally understand!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Glad the content was helpful!

[@Ishmail762]

I go to SOAR 160th selection in a 2 months. I have plenty of time to study and get ready but i am starting now. Do you have any videos on how to shoot azimuth and orienting a map? i get the basic grasp of land nav but i blank out when i get put on a test. I just want to be confident when i show up with boots and ruck. Awesome video btw.

[@STOKERMATIC]

You got this. In the meantime check out my landnav playlist.

[@mobilemechmantim773]

That's a clear explanation. How do you come up with the grid coordinates to locate where you are on a map if you don't know them? Say you are somewhere exploring and you want to mark a spot on a map, how would you do that accurately?

[@STOKERMATIC]

By using resection. Find a point in the area you can ID on your map - shoot an azimuth to it. Convert to grid and plot that line. Repeat with another object. X marks the spot. I’ve a video on it but plan on doing another. Hope that gives you something to work from.

[@flaka13lks]

I didnt like this video, I loved it! I haven't shipped off to basic yet, nor have I even been taught/told/briefed about land navigation but this video helped me understand it easily. Thank you!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Glad it was helpful! Best of luck to you!! Make sure you check out my Army playlist here as well as other map/compass vids Don't forget to go to kzbin.info for additional leader development content as well

[@AM-sx4in]

amazing

[@Big_Glizzy.]

I was 1 month into the fleet and two weeks assigned to my final unit. I had a long night with a female friend and I ended being late to the armory because we were doing training at the range. My NCO was pissed and waited until we got to the range to rip my ass a new one in front of everyone. Well he did and my pride was hurt a little, but no biggie, shortly after that a mortar explodes at the edge of the ridge above the range, raining hot dirt down on us. What happened was on the other side of that ridge is the mortar range, and students at the school of infantry made a slight mistake in their ranging and launched that mortar well past their range limits and if it was any further out. It would have landed on my platoon. I thought to myself, maybe it's ok to be late sometimes lol

[@thomasanderson3785]

Just wanted to ask if you set your grid declination and orient the map for grid north do you leave it set for all ur azimuths

[@oSmokeEm]

Here's to hoping this will help me in basic!

[@STOKERMATIC]

I hope so too! What’s your MOS going to be? Make sure you check out my fieldcraft playlist if you want some more map and compass ones and I also have an Army Playlist that may be helpful too. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to let me know. Best of luck to you! Stoker

[@oSmokeEm]

@@STOKERMATIC 42A! And thanks I was planning on checking out the rest of your videos.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Awesome! Stay motivated and keep your eye on your goals. Make the most of each day, and when you report to your first unit listen and trust your NCOs. Know what is in your control, and that which isn’t. Work each day to develop yourself personally and professionally. Again, don’t hesitate at anytime to hit me up. Stoker.

[@oSmokeEm]

@@STOKERMATIC Absolutely! Thanks for the reply.

[@Growmechanic]

A little piece of fine grit sand paper can help make a tiny point for the lead. I used too draw blueprints.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Great tip!

[@mr.light7979]

After you get the grid azimuth, is that when you would subtract the declination diagram to get the magnetic azimuth which is the actual direction that you will orient yourself?

[@STOKERMATIC]

If using a compass, yes.

[@emanuelagostonieves3660]

Hello nice video do you have a part 2 of this video?

[@STOKERMATIC]

Have a whole land nav playlist.

[@MikeH0311]

I miss land navigation in the Marine Corps I always loved doing that and when I couldn’t find it I’d just put it in the garmin watch and go right to it

[@STOKERMATIC]

Lol there you go!

[@simaoduarte6861]

Great video! But I have a question: that triangle that you are using to mesure , is it to maps with scale 1/50 000 only? If it is, does the protractor have a 1/25 000 triangle?

[@STOKERMATIC]

The protractor has both so it can be used on a variety of scales!

[@simaoduarte6861]

@@STOKERMATIC alright, thank you so much!

[@Louie92801]

Roger that Brotha!

[@austinhorne7365]

Measure twice, cut once... he knows what he's talking about

[@STOKERMATIC]

I do what I can Austin.

[@benloaded3765]

Used to be really good at plotting points, shooting azimuths/ back azimuths. He failed to mention this but learn your steps before you before you go walking out in the wild. You might miss your point by walking too far or too short depending on your count

[@juromaru777]

I see that its been a while since this was uploaded but if you see this could you explain how to extract an altitude?

[@STOKERMATIC]

Great question! It’s on the list!!

[@Therealmortard]

does anyone know if there is a program i can use to make my own mrgs map of my area with the yellow dot quick refrence guide? i really liked having them on maps in the army and want to try to make one for my area. great vid though, really brought back memories of when i got lost in land nav as a boot lol.

[@kevinm.n.5158]

Is that protractor from your amazon affiliate link?