Press g to check your map first, always a solid starting point. Best spots for getting your bearings are usually the big monuments like airfield and launch site, they're hard to miss and perfect reference points for triangulating position. Small monuments work too, just watch for gas stations and supermarkets dotting the landscape as backup markers. The road network's pretty reliable, looking like an hourglass pattern that'll guide you between locations, and keeping an eye on the sun helps with direction when you're lost.

Good to know: you shouldn't pull out your map near your base, since anyone who kills you could find that info pretty valuable. For better navigation results, try memorizing the general layout between key spots, especially the path from your base to important monuments. Large rad towns are particularly good landmarks but watch the radiation levels if you're getting close. Most servers let you place waypoints which can be a lifesaver, and some even have plugin maps for real time tracking if you're into that sort of thing.

Keep in mind that brown areas with black text on your map are always monuments, and they're usually visible from decent distances especially if you're up on a hill. Makes them perfect for finding your way around without constantly checking the map.