Basic Map Reading: Marginal Data

The information contained in the margins of your map are the instructions for using your map effectively. Learn what you need to know about this information here.
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I'm Joshua Enyart, former Army Ranger (Bco 1/75; Ranger Class 10-96), and Green Beret (18B, 7th SFG). To see my upcoming courses and in-person training, visit: graybeardedgreenberet.com/collections/live-training-events
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[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

The civilian maps that I use are from mytopo.com. They are fully customizable wit the location, scale, grid reference system, type of paper, size of paper, etc. Great resource

[@adrianjagmag]

Wish my part of the world had such accurate maps 😪

[@jacobkonkel6793]

The one question I've been meaning to ask you is, "Where do you get your maps from?", but I figured the answer was in your videos or comments somewhere. Lo and behold, here we are. I work in the GIS and cartography industry. I could potentially make my own custom topo maps but getting them already made is almost preferable because it saves time. That, and just because I'm in the industry, doesn't make me the expert.

[@ScottyM1959]

Thanks for the tip! If I wanted to get the military maps do you know where I could go to find them?

[@MWoodslore]

Its amazing how alot of people pay zero attention to the maps Margins. Another good vid Brother.🌲

[@thomasjanos2030]

Nice review as it has been over 30 years since my military training

[@lenin4095]

Awesome information would be awesome to see the rest of the series😀👌

[@Raphaelo325]

Great video. Short, sweet, and to the point. I like how you kept it a "basic" map reading video and you are splitting up the information into a couple of videos, much more digestible. It's been decades since I had land nav and map reading. I forgot how important marginal data was. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!

[@matthewberg9626]

Thanks for these videos Josh, I'm going back to school in March to become an Environmental Technician, and these videos have been super helpful in my preparation. Also, thank you for your service sir.

[@scotthancock6764]

Great information. Thanks for taking the time to put this together. Can’t wait for the series.

[@akrealestatebroker]

Interesting video. Last time I was taught map reading was in Army basic training back in '72. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!

[@anthonysmith6766]

This is really good, can’t wait for the rest of the series

[@ThePartyWreckers]

Thank you. This really helped me understand so much. In the day we’re in it’s so easy to depend on GPS and although I remembered some of what you taught, using a map is definitely a perishable skill that I need to practice. Looking forward to the next videos in this series. Thanks again,

[@QuantumPyrite_88.9]

Matt Brown - Great comment Mr.Brown and a Silva Ranger compass doesn't need batteries . ATB

[@RetrieverTrainingAlone]

Excellent points...especially the date of aerial imagery...I live in Alaska and boating channels are now up to a mile from where they are located on the map because the map date of imagery is decades ago.

[@Wolf2Poet]

Great video. Always good to refresh what I learned in the 70's and haven't used musch of it since. Be blessed.

[@bradwilliams4835]

I've been looking for another you tube channel like yours after watching all of Dave's...like 5 times lol and Sarge's. So I was happy to run across yours. Like others, I like your clear and concise style and that you prescribe to Dave's systems. Which make a whole lot of sense to me. Always good to see and hear new perspectives on tried and true systems. I know it's hard to find new ways to show the same things, but know that when you do, even if a lot of the information may seem redundant, there are always kernels in there that show new ideas or help us to better understand systems and ideas we've already been presented with. I subscribed and am looking forward to more videos. Keep up the good work.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Thanks Brad! Dave and I are cut from the same cloth, no question.

[@RobFomenko]

Looking forward to more of these. Great resource and refresher.

[@nagasamuraigoichi4860]

The education you have provided and the time to do so it's much appreciated. Shalom

[@thespiritofsauntering]

Thank you. Well organized and direct. So easy to listen and learn from you.

[@mittenstatebushcraft6381]

Excellent, Josh. I've seen literally a hundred land nav vids over the years, but I've never seen anyone get into even this much detail on maps. Kinda important if/when stuff goes sideways, huh? Thank you.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Its a slow process to get it all out on the channel, but this and knots I feel are worth isolating and building a library for people to be able to come back to later

[@geraldwest3428]

Excellent introduction to topos. Its been to long I'm going to thoroughly enjoys this! Thanks!

[@agnosjr]

For sure I want videos like this! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

[@LGSkywalker82]

Thank you for making this series! Totally new to map reading and navigation so PLEASE keep these coming and talk to me like I’m a 3 yr old lol... thank you!!

[@paulwilliams4483]

After watching this I know I need more information about maps and orienteering

[@adrianjagmag]

Takes me back to the scouts, and hiking with my late dad. Nice 🙂

[@MBraun-gr8ye]

Great intro to map reading. I hope you continue with series. If you do, It would be great to see putting a compass to the map and trekking through the woods a bit.Cheers!

[@jamesbekurs4683]

Hey Josh, awesome refresher on Land Nav, which is just what I was looking for! Any plans to finish up the series, including things like resection/intersection and factoring declination into your azimuth? Thanks for all the schoolin’ you’re putting out for us man.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

It doesn’t really get enough interest so I’m working on getting some better training aids and will have it all on my distance learning center, at a minimum

[@joesjunkgarage3313]

Thank you for your knowledge on map reading. Looking forward to further videos on this subject!

[@johnqpublic2718]

Really enjoying your channel, sir.

[@Jp-ft5mr]

Great info, looking forward to learn more!

[@ssteinschreiber]

Cartography is amazing!

[@SuburbanPreparedness]

Great video. I'm looking forward to more! Thank you.

[@williamneal7210]

Good stuff brother! Thanks a bunch!

[@franksmith7501]

Plain and simple, Thanks!!

[@tpowfjb]

I love this stuff, thanks!

[@rexteb1705]

I liked this video. You are not a fake.

[@johnbock3711]

Looking forward to the series. Could you provide suggestions for who's maps to use and where to get them?

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I get most of mine from mytopo.com, fully customizable

[@ErinCHealy]

Out of curiosity, what do you like or not like about using the USGS site for maps?

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I love the USGS maps, especially for popular areas like State and National Parks. I believe the USGS also sells military maps from the Defense Mapping Agency, but am not sure. The only advantage I see with mytopo.com maps is that I can dial down on a particular area up to a 1:10k, super detailed, and only has the area I need on it for my school when I am teaching nav, and the USGS maps are already set and not customizable like that.

[@stinkydroolface]

Kudos to another great video.

[@Hurdle11C]

FM 21-26 is stored in a dry-bag in my pack. I don't do enough land nav these days to be proficient so it seems like a good idea to have that info with me when/if I need it.

[@markcummings6856]

Great stuff, very informative. Thank you very much. Down the road, anything on night time navigation would be very interesting. Best regards.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Will do

[@MichaelR58]

Joshua, thanks for sharing, excellent content !

[@Jbaines]

Excited for the series abandoned three years ago

[@RomeoEdward]

very interested in map and compass. Hope you do more videos on the subject.

[@QuantumPyrite_88.9]

Very very well done & Respect sent .

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Thanks, Master Tracker!

[@gringo3009]

Good, clear info. Thanks.

[@johnnybushman651]

Thanks for this video and thank you for your service 💯🇺🇸🦅

[@John-zh6ld]

Excellent!

[@281covfefe5]

👍🏻👍🏻 Nxt time !

[@ChristianOutdoorLife]

Hi Josh. Just found your channel and have been enjoying it. Was wondering if you have any videos on how to actually use a compass and declination and how to take a bearing? Haven't seen any yet and that is a weakness of mine that I would like to learn how to do.

[@davebearman3114]

Would you be able to show us your EDC first aid kit, as well as a Bug out first aid kit - assuming it would be bigger for trauma etc. Thankyou for all your work, you have a great channel

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

There is one in the Ultralight Bug Out Bag video, I didn't spend a lot of time on it because of the varying degrees of experience a person may have. What is in my kit is based on my training and experience and without that, many items would be useless or even harmful in untrained hands. I also hav a smaller one that mimics my EDC that is on my belt kit which is a video on the works.

[@aksalaman4689]

Well done.

[@cmliphone]

Really good stuff! Josh where do you buy your maps? I’m mostly looking at USGS maps. Thanks!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I use mytopo.com, you can choose the location to highlight, scale, name it what you want, choose the finish and size. They have been good. I also have a lot from USGS

[@DonaldLAvery]

Thank you, new to your channel but have watched everything ... tried to shop at what I thought was your Amazon store for things I have seen you use but $ seemed to go to other people. Help?

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I appreciate the support, yes the items and money are all still handled by Amazon and they send me a small commission. If you went through my store first to shop anywhere on Amazon it supports me and my family.

[@MiClLC]

Is this series going to continue? Land nav is my favorite subject

[@hellsbellspreparedness2722]

Do u live in Columbus,Ga.? My folks live there for years and that’s where I was born. We left in 85 but we have always wanted to go back. My mother had a beautiful brick house built there years ago and it’s still there. She built that house just the way she wanted it and misses it today. I tell her one day we’ll buy it back.😁 She knows the owners who live there now. With all the pine trees in the videos I figure Georgia or Florida where your at.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I am in NC right now, I haven't lived in Columbus GA since Basic Training back in '93. My first duty station was Savannah, GA which was pretty nice.

[@hellsbellspreparedness2722]

Oh ok. That’s funny my fathers from NC. I lived up in Maggie valley for a lil and Asheville area. Beautiful country up there.

[@robertw1081]

Map reading can be a life saving skill, especially when you're in the military and you accidentally stray into a active impact area and you suddenly realise something isn't right when incoming artillery hits nearby , been there done that 💥😢

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Thats a story I would like to hear!

[@robertw1081]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Robert white here, I'll tell you about my incident, I was at ft sill with my army reserve unit b battery, 92nd FA, we were scouting out the next gun position in our gamma goat , our section chef had the map and compass and was guiding us when BOOM ! we felt and seen the blast we did a 180 for a while and checked our position and found out we were in the impact area we finally got to right place and guided the howitzer in place and layed the gun , ate some c rations and we were good to go , 8 " SP HOWITZER .

[@truthseeker104]

Great video, as far as I am aware due to the way grids are made there is a slight variation on each edge of the map between true north and grid north. Which would mean that there would also be a variation between magnetic north and grid north although the angle between magnetic north and true north would be more or less the same all over the map (for that particular point in time)?

[@raboosh17]

Would like a more detailed in depth video really like what your doing. Making some big changes in my life an its scary seeing how much i dont know its sad that info like this has been lost thank you for passing on knowledge.

[@bullrun44]

un video bien hecho, soldado!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Gracias, hermano! Que tenga un buen fin de semana.

[@bullrun44]

The Gray Bearded Green Beret, likewise Bro’, Merry Christmas and a Great New Year....👍

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well

[@Nade375]

Have you ever ordered maps from mytopo.com? They are my go to map company when on the move. Fully customizable maps so you can select whatever section you want. Also you can select whatever marginal info you want printed on your map. Prices are very reasonable, I think I paid $15 bucks for a map that was 24"x36" on rip proof water proof paper of the exact section of land I wanted so there was no possibility of needing two or three maps. Whatever scale you want and whatever format or layer you want as well. Lol you would think I worked for them with the way I'm rambling but I don't I just swear by there maps! God speed out there!

[@Nade375]

Guess I should have read the pinned comment before typing my comment but glad to see we are on the same page.

[@etnrutledge8461]

Can you talk about where to get decent maps? USGS maps don’t cover a lot of area for 15 bucks a pop and the National Geographic maps are too large to be of much use.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I get mine from mytopo.com. Fully customizable.

[@QuantumPyrite_88.9]

The Gray Bearded Green Beret - Excellent link for maps and thanks . AMFR Guitar - Contact your local fish and game commission and you might be surprised at maps you can get for free . Many hunting /fishing / outfitters have state books of maps which are FREE . Try Bass Pro and Gander Mountain stores .

[@deltadogification]

Hey gray beard, have you heard of Glens Falls, ny

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Yes, I know Glenns Falls. Right up along the Northway headed towards Lake George

[@deltadogification]

I grew up there, hiked prospect mtn

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

My wife and I along with my two sons hiked up Prospect one day, feasted on berries all the way up. We got to the top and sat in the biggest patch of wild blueberries I had ever seen. We probably sat in the middle of that for two hours eating blueberries while all the tour busses came and went. Awesome place. That is close to where I am currently relocating my physical school.

[@deltadogification]

Wow awesome, I hope to get up that way next year, my family has only been there once, but my brother still lives there. I moved away when I was 21 and now live in Alabama but going to retire up in the mountains of Tennessee. I'm gonna try like hell to get one of your classes, I'm way behind the learning curve.

[@Kicker-ns9yf]

I hope that there is a 2nd Lt watching somewhere!

[@jamesparker6383]

I was at FT. Benning in 69 , I recognize the map

[@ScottyM1959]

How and where can you get Military maps?

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I don’t get military maps, these are all leftovers from when I was in. Anything I buy now is from the civilian market since that’s who I teach mostly now

[@thecontendingforthefaith]

I got a map from the USGS, and evidently grid north (mercator projection) is not the same as true north on this map. It's showing Magnetic north at a 10 degree west declination from true north, and grid north 1 degree east of true north. Does that mean when I adjust the declination on my compass I have to subtract the 1 degree difference of grid to true from the 10 degree magnetic declination (so in other words adjust the declination on the compass only 9 degrees west), in order to be able to use the vertical grid lines as "north", and have it actually correspond with an accurate compass reading? I don't understand why they would give the magnetic declination on the map from true north if it differs from the gridlines. To me that means when I route plan from map, the angles are going to be off the difference between grid and true north.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I wouldn't worry about that at all. Most compasses only have two-degree increments to begin with, and nobody is walking so accurate that they will not fluctuate 1-degree or more left and right as they are walking and negotiating terrain. What you are really concerned with is the GM-Angle, the difference between Grid as calculated on your map, and the angular difference between that and Magnetic which you can measure with your compass. True North isn't even part fo the calculation. Your map says one thing, the compass measures Magnetic, the GM angle is the difference. That is what matters. You aren't using True North as a reference point, your using the Grid Reference system on your map as the reference point. You only need consider Grid and Magnetic.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

As I tell students and Instructor Candidates in classes: You can't even walk that straight anyway, don't worry about one degree 😂

[@thecontendingforthefaith]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret haha oh okay, gotcha.. so as far as GM angle, it sounds like you just mean the degree indicated with the dashed line on the map between north and Magetic north? I was trying to measure the angles of streets in town on my map with a protractor, then go and shoot azimuths to see if I have the declination adjusted correctly on my compass, and kept getting inconsistent readings on straight streets without changing direction... so after doing a little more research figured perhaps it was due to power lines and or iron in sewage system below roads.. but today I went out in the country and one azimuth I shot was dead on, but the next which was a 90 degree turn in the road, was about 10 degrees off, so now I'm wondering if my compass is bad... or maybe there's a just ton of buried magnetite in Western NY lol

[@thecontendingforthefaith]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret thanks for the response by the way

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Could be a number of factors making it seem like it was off. Without being able to watch you closely and be where you are I couldn't diagnose it. A lot of interference possible, not holding the baseplate level, etc

[@robertamundson3324]

What is the red divided circle for?

[@13All31V]

👍

[@jodyfree953]

👍🏻💯

[@MikeRyu2]

Um... :)