Activity Instructions

Activity : Make and use an alidade

Instructions

TO MAKE YOUR ALIDADE - using a woodworking saw, cut a length of 5cm x 10cm timber, at least 30cm (but at most 60 cm) long - the longer the better - sand the ends smooth with fine sandpaper - use a straight edge to mark a pencil line down the exact centre of one of the broader (10 cm) sides, exactly parallel to the two long edges - measure in 5cm from each end, marking it with a pencil cross on the centre line - cut two 10 cm lengths of dowelling or similar (pencils work, too) - use a drill bit of the same size as the dowelling to drill through the crosses marked on the centre line; try to drill not quite all the way through, thought this is not disastrous; it is important that the holes are drilled exactly vertical and exactly in line with each other and the central line - use strong wood glue to secure one piece of dowelling in each hole, exactly vertical, and allow to dry

TO USE YOUR ALIDADE - tape or clip a sheet of paper to a light board - it needs to be portable but firm enough to draw on - choose one edge of the paper to represent one edge of the area to be mapped, and use a fine marker pen to draw a straight line about 1cm in from the edge of the paper, starting and stopping about 2cm from the top and bottom of the paper - one end of this line is your starting point - one of the boundary corners; stand there, hold your board horizontally, and align the line you have drawn with the boundary it represents - place your alidade on the board, with one long edge passing through the point that represents where you are, and the other pointing in the general direction of one of the other visible boundary corners - raise the board to eye level, if possible, and sight along the alidade, moving it so that BOTH pices of dowelling are exactly in line with the boundary corner, but keeping the edge going through the point on the paper that represents your current position and the original line aligned with the boundary it represents - when you are sure that everything is correctly lined up, use a soft, sharp pencil to draw a faint line on the paper, along the whole of the long edge of the alidade - repeat this for all visible boundary corners - now go to the other end of your original boundary, and repeat the process for all visible boundary corners - you should now have several pencil lines crossing each other, with two lines crossing at each boundary corner; use a straight edge and a fine marker pen to draw in the boundary lines by connecting up the pencil crosses with the original line and with each other - once the boundary is marked in, you are ready to map other landmarks; you may find it less confusing to rub out the pencil lines gently - stand at any boundary corner, and align the boundary drawn on the paper correctly with it - look around for all visible landmarks - building corners, either edge of gateways, doors, windows, campsite flagpoles - pick a landmark, line the alidade up with it, check that the boundary line is correctly aligned, the long edge of the alidade is passing through your current location, and both dowellings are lined up with the landmark, then draw a faint pencil line along the long edge of the alidade - repeat this with all the other landmarks visible from this point - move to the next boundary corner, and repeat (NOTE: you may be looing at different landmarks - the other side of the building for instance) - move to the next boundary corner, and repeat - as soon as you have two corners of a landmark pinpointed (each corner being represented by two pencil lines crossing), use a straight edge and a fine marker pen to draw in that side of it on the paper - keep Programmes Online - www.scouts.org.uk/polgoing , until all your landmarks are fully marked out in pen on your map Page 1 of 2

- if you have a landmark visible only from one boundary corner, use another established landmark (eg the corner of a building) to pinpoint it's position Equipment Erasers Pencils Ruler White paper 1 x 30-60 cm length of smooth-sawn 5cm x 10cm timber per aldiade 2 x 10 cm of dowelling per alidade Woodworking saw(s) Fine sandpaper Electric/hand drill and bits Strong wood glue Workbench/vices Board (eg clipboards, hardboard sheets) Masking tape, bulldog clips or paper clips Pencil sharpener Fine-tip marker pens Squared paper You may be able to purchase some of this equipment by visiting www.scouts.org.uk/waystohelp. Suggested duration Additional Information From 30 minutes to 3 hours When first using the alidades, choose an area with a simple boundary - square or rectangular. For more complicated boundary shapes, it will be necessary to establish a third boundary corner, and use that to pinpoint other boundary corners that cannot be established using only two origins. Although the process sounds complicated, do it once or twice and it becomes obvious. Honest! The Scouts may find it easier to completely map the location of one landmark (eg all four corners of a building), draw it in in pen, rub out the pencil lines, then move on to a different landmark - less confusing than trying to remember which pencil line crossing at which point represents which landmark. To draw a map to scale, you will need to use 1cm squared paper, to accurately measure the length of your original boundary, and to draw the original line to a known scale (eg 1cm = 1 m). Once the Scouts have their maps, they can use them to set and complete simple orienteering exercises. Programme Zones Outdoor and Adventure Skills Outdoor activities Themes and projects

Methods

Resources

Programmes Online - www.scouts.org.uk/pol

Page 2 of 2