ECETE 1 - Navigation Ramon Cristopher M.

Calam BSECE 4 Land Navigation Reaction Paper Our navigation technical elective subject had given us the opportunity to have a much deeper understanding of so many things about navigation. In one of our classes, we have been given the chance to get to know more about Land Navigation. As a part of our class activity our teacher invited guest speakers to talk about what land navigation is all about. The speakers were members of the Air Force which makes us more privileged and honored to have them came over and spent some of their most precious time sharing skills and techniques fresh from where they come from --- the Philippine Air Force. To provide us with brief information about the topic, they have given us a concise definition of what land navigation is. Land navigation is the military term for the study of traversing through unfamiliar terrain by foot or in a land vehicle. Land navigation includes the ability to read maps, use a compass, and other navigational skills. Hearing that makes me so excited. Imagine, new learning, new skills and all other things that the Philippine Air Force is actually doing. It feels like I am actually training to be a soldier, reminds me that I have considered joining the army once, that was a long time ago, it brings back the feeling. Given that, you could feel how ready I am to hear whatever they will teach me. I think that this is an important lecture and it might have come handy when I go outside to face the real world. At first, I really thought that the entire thing will go to be pure lecture. So what I expected is that they will be going to teach us how to read maps, how to use a compass and other thing and then were done. Well, I could live with that. Besides, I am already used to studying theories alone and basically most of the time ignore the applications and save it for the later actual part. But, I was wrong, something else happened and it was fun. It was the best part of the whole thing and I am going to tell something about that later. There were two lecturers and both of them seem to truly know the topics they are going to discuss. Well, they should be because that is basically the reason why they are there. That is one thing I am so observant about whenever I encounter lecturers for the first time and knowing that the pass through my test makes me feel secured that my time will not be wasted. The lecture was good and I could actually see that they are very prepared. They have an amazing interactive PowerPoint presentation which impressed me because it was not the usual presentation that I am always seeing here at Xavier University (but I am not saying that I havent seen one before), it h as buttons that would let you choose which section of the topic you want to discuss and etc., it also has the feature to become an specific calculator (to calculate the azimuths). They taught us how to read a map and use compass as expected. Most of the ideas behind the topics were purely mathematical in nature and they are not that hard. I could even partly remember the remark that one of the lecturers has when he taught us how to calculate the azimuths and the different important angle and their relationship, it sounded like These calculations are very easy, even a grade school student could solve it. Although I believed him saying that but I think its much more of an exaggeration. I supposed it was meant that way but seriously, the calculations were easy its just some sort of arithmetic and trigonometry. Among the things they taught us, in my opinion the topic about map reading has a much deeper impact on me. Not only has that it covered most of the thing that they have discussed, (because it is basically the application of all of the calculations) but also it seems that it is the most useful of all and I could actually visualize its practical benefit. Moreover, I find it challenging and tricky because you have to think, you have to do some sort of analysis based on the information given and there are standard rules and October 3, 2012 Enrg. Lolit M. Villanueva

language that you have to be familiar with and follow. For example, if you are at a specific location and to have to go to another location, you have to know the coordinates of both locations and calculate the appropriate angle and distance using the protractor in order to have a successful journey but not only that, you also need to consider the calibrations on the map provided. By the way, the map that we used is not an ordinary map, I havent seen it before and it contains a lot of information. It is a map of I think the whole Northern Mindanao. As I was saying in the previous paragraphs, there is one part of the entire lecture that I did not expect and it happened in the later part. Just like I said, I thought it was just pure lecture but I was wrong. During the latter part of the lecture, we were given a test in which in my opinion is a good thing because, this would prove that we actually learned something. One more thing, there is a ranking which makes the test appear to much more exciting and great and the price you may ask, the winner will be able to have the privilege to be the first to receive the snacks. Not a pretty good impressive trophy but it was not that bad. So we are divided into groups and each group is provided with a map and a compass. We are given random problems that we need to answer correctly using the materials given. Everyone was trying to work and help the group. There are a total of eight questions. Our group answered all the questions correctly and we won. But, its not all about winning, its more than that. In conclusion, learning new things is fun and exciting. I could say that the entire activity that we have regarding land navigation fun and exciting which means that according to the principle of equivalence, I learned new things. The lecturers have done their job great and they didnt fail to teach us something about land navigation. They have taught me new skills and learning that in my opinion has an important impact on the on-going events of my life. Test would be given in our lives to test our learning and only those who learn survive but thats not everything. The activity has also taught us the importance of having and being in a team. The reminds us that do not have to live alone, we need someone else to fill the incomplete knowledge that we have and to learn how to work as one to prepare us of what the world will offer us in the future. Finally, its not about victory or defeat. Its not about being on the top or bottom. Its about showing the world that you are the number one or infinity. Its about the very unique experience that you gained along the way as you journey through the path that leads you to the way to success or failure. Its about how you play the game. Its about how you treat the people around you, allies or foe. Its all about yourself in the world of learning and tests and how you survived, its all about God.