This 2.5 hour online course is part 1 of Navigation Sports' Introduction to Orienteering Mapping course. In it, you will learn what you need to know to set up your first mapping project to modern mapping standards.

This module is mix of learning about foundational topics and tutorial-style practice. You will learn about a variety of topics that will make your first project (and all future projects) better, easier, and more rewarding while assembling your first project! Topics include:

• Basic mapping concepts: Working with data, drawing maps, fieldwork, base map layers / templates, etc.
• Common orienteering mapping software; OCAD or Open Orienteering Mapper (OOM)*
• Georeferencing
• Declination
• Sourceing and using Open Data
• How to get aerial photos using SAS Planet

* Instances of this course will focus either on OCAD or OOM.

The Using Open Orienteering Mapper or Using OCAD, Introduction to Fieldwork, and Laying out Your Map modules will allow you to take the project you start in this course to completion. See our course catalogue for more.

Upcoming dates:
Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | Zoom
Thursday, January 23, 2025 | Zoom

Just want to thank you for the workshop last night. I feel much more confident about maybe being able to make some local park maps.

This 2.5 hour online course is part 2 of Navigation Sports' introdction to Orienteering Mapping course. In it, you will learn how to use the Open Orienteering Mapper drawing tools. Participants will spend the majority of the class practicing using the software.

In this module you will practice the following:

• Using basic drawing tools
• Using shape manipulation tools
• Tracing base material

Upcoming dates:
Tuesday, January 28, 2025 | Zoom

This 2.5 hour online course is part 2 of Navigation Sports' Introduction to Orienteering Mapping course. In it, you will learn how to use OCAD's drawing tools. Participants will spend the majority of the class practicing using the software.

In this module you will practice the following:

• Using basic drawing tools
• Using shape manipulation tools
• Tracing base material

Upcoming dates:
Thursday, January 30, 2025 | Zoom

This 6 hour module will teach participants the basics of fieldwork. This module has both classroom and field components.

In this module you will practice the following:

• Preparing your project for fieldwork
• Using the software and hardware for fieldwork
• Making decisions in the field:
  • Generalisation
  • Classification of features
  • Locating features
• Post-fieldwork drawing

Upcoming classes: There are no scheduled classes. If you would like to request a class, email jeff@navigationsports.ca

Every mapper has struggled with a map that for some reason doesn't align properly. Your different layers of base data aren't anywhere close to each other or you've shown up to do your fieldwork but your gps is several km from where it should be. This 2.5 hr course has been specifically designed to give you the knowledge to avoid these issues or troubleshoot them when they do arise. In the course you will learn all about coordinate reference systems, the earths magnetic field, declination, grid convergence, and grivation, and more.

Upcoming classes: There are no scheduled classes. If you would like to request a class, email jeff@navigationsports.ca

This 2.5 hour online course is part 4 of Navigation Sports' Introduction to Orienteering Mapping course. In it, you will practice adding new colours and symbols in the mapping software while adding key map elements to prepare your map for printing.

This module is set-up as a tutorial-style practice. Participants will also be provided with a take-away reference to use in future projects.

* Instances of this course will use either OCAD or OOM.

Upcoming dates:
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | Zoom
Thursday, February 6, 2025 | Zoom

This course takes place over four 3-hour sessions in the classroom. Each session covers a different aspect of drawing contours:

• Bezier curves – learn the elusive tricks of drawing smoothly curved contours in the shape you want
• Interpreting lidar base material – learn how to translate in your mind what you’re seeing on the screen to what the terrain will look like
• What contours show – learn how to draw contours that show a balanced representation of different terrain elements such as high and low points, relative elevation, steepness, and shapes
• Contours and the rest of the map – learn how to draw contours in harmony with other prominent features such as trails, lakes, and streams cliffs.

Upcoming classes: There are no scheduled classes. If you would like to request a class, email jeff@navigationsports.ca

This 6 hour outdoor class will show participants some timps and strategies to use when doing fieldwork in large areas of forest/wilderness.

In this class you will learn about the following:

• Managing fieldwork
• Reading the lidar
• Minimum areas and gaps
• Classification of objects
• Concepts of priority and prominence
• Correcting contours in the field

Upcoming classes: There are no scheduled classes. If you would like to request a class, email jeff@navigationsports.ca

In this 2.5-hour course you will learn how to use Karttapullautin (KP) to generate smoothed contours which you can import and use directly in your map projects. In addition to contours you will also learn about other KP outputs such as vegetation and cliffs.

In the class will talk about the pros and cons of this method – namely that they are a great way to get started but are just that – a starting point if you’re willing to put the time in.

This course uses free software so is easily accessible to new mappers.

Upcoming dates:
Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | Zoom

This 3-hour course is all about using OCAD’s lidar processing wizard to turn raw lidar files into highly detailed base materials for orienteering mapping. Students will get a walk through of the tool and a chance to practice using it. The second half of the class will focus on learning how to interpret the various base material output by the lidar wizard.

Upcoming dates:
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 | Zoom