Road Scholar B

[dxu46]

Hey, this is my first year doing Road Scholar, what type of notes should I bring to the competition? Currently, I just have a topographic symbol sheet.

All our team brought was a topo symbol sheet, a ruler, an azimuth, a calculator, string, and writing utensils. We didn't have any info sheets except for the symbol key, and it worked out great (well, obviously).

[Pettywap]

Hey, this is my first year doing Road Scholar, what type of notes should I bring to the competition? Currently, I just have a topographic symbol sheet.

If you don't know how to do stream gradients, a sheet on that would be helpful too.

[Fanglin]

Hey, this is my first year doing Road Scholar, what type of notes should I bring to the competition? Currently, I just have a topographic symbol sheet.

The only proper way to prepare is to just practice. Have a database of maps/tests, and complete practice tests both at home (alone) and with your partner. Time yourself, and limit your partner practices to 50 minutes.
Make sure you are able to do all three sections of the event (Topo, Road, and Profile/drawing), but be able to divide and conquer with your partner (the only way to actually finish the test in time). The tests are usually 50% topo, 25% road and 25% profile/drawing. Split up the work by section with your partner as described earlier.
Make sure you have proper map tools on hand. I can suggest the following, but others work.
24:000 topo ruler: (meters, miles, minutes, seconds)
https://www.maptools.com/product/Ruler24
24:000 UTM grid tool
https://www.maptools.com/product/UTMGrid24
Good map compass (with arm):
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/produ ... 22&redir=Y
The best topo map key online:
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/TopographicMa ... ymbols.pdf
I would also suggest you bring in 2 meter/yard rulers primarily to have a dependable straight edge for measuring longitude. A piece of string is useful for measuring winding lengths such as a road or stream. (measure length with string, and place string up against scale chart).
I used all of these at Nationals two years back, and I highly recommend these. Other than the obvious (binder, pencils, calculator), these are all you really need.
Good luck!

[karanbe123]

How do you guys practice for satellite maps because, I am having some trouble with that section?

[dxu46]

How do you guys practice for satellite maps because, I am having some trouble with that section?

Satellite maps are like topo maps, but without lines. Distance (with a scale) is the same, and you can figure out the features. Road travel is fairly easy, it's just travelling on roads from here to there, and you can basically reason things out. Time of day is easy, you just need a north. The sun rises on the east and sets on the west, so if the shadows are on the left, it is most likely the morning.

[rainbowunicorns]

This is a weird question, but apart from the PLSS, is there a POSS? Does is stand for something such as the Public Ocean Survey System (just a wild guess), or does it not exist?

[dxu46]

This is a weird question, but apart from the PLSS, is there a POSS? Does is stand for something such as the Public Ocean Survey System (just a wild guess), or does it not exist?

Not that I've heard of, and not that I can find on Google.
also not many people live out on/in the water...

[rainbowunicorns]

This is a weird question, but apart from the PLSS, is there a POSS? Does is stand for something such as the Public Ocean Survey System (just a wild guess), or does it not exist?

Not that I've heard of, and not that I can find on Google.
also not many people live out on/in the water...

Okay, thank you so much! I saw it somewhere and wasn't sure if it was a thing or not.

[raytay]

I love how this changed from Rocks and Minerals to Road Scholar because of one question XD

[lamppost]

Just got this event assigned to me yesterday and regionals is in two days...best way to cram-study in the next 48 hours?