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The compass has been used for hundreds of years. The
first compass was likely a needle on a cork, floating in
a pan of water. Our
modern compass has numbers, letters, and red pointer. |
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The needle on a compass always
points North. That is it points magnetic North. Magnetic
North isn't really north. Isn't it great, all this
time you thought the one thing you could count on is, the
needle points North. The drawing shows why.
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The heavy line points to true north. True North is where
the North Pole is. |
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All maps are made with true north at
the top. The difference between True North and
Magnetic North, is called the angle of declination. There
is a type of compass which has an adjustment for
declination. They are expensive so forget the angle of
declination for now. You will only need to understand
declination when using a map and compass together. Even
then it isn't necessary for hiking. |
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A
compass is a circle divided into 360 degrees. North is 0
or 360. East, 90 - South, 180 - West, 270. |
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No need to
memorize, it's on the compass. Half way between
each direction also have names, as well as numbers.
Northeast, 45 - Southeast, 135 - Southwest, 225
and Northwest, 315 degrees. They are divided
again. North Northeast, East Northeast, East
Southeast, South Southeast, South Southwest, West
Southwest, West Northwest, and North Northwest. The
illustration shows compass position. |
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Any place you stand, except North and South Pole, you
have a chose of any of these directions. If you stand on
the North Pole you can only go South, South Pole, only
North.
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You are always the center of the
compass. Going to the picnic table? 315 degrees is the
way to go. Now you want to go back? Of course you go the
opposite direction, but how many degrees is that? To go
the opposite direction, add or subtract 180 from the
original direction, less than 180, add, over 180,
subtract. |
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If you already know the
direction you want to go, turn the center dial until the
direction is at the top of the case.
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West or 270.
Then turn the entire compass until
needle points to 0 or North. If you don't
know which direction you want to go, you just want
to go "that way" then point the compass in the
direction of "that way", and turn
the center until the needle is pointing at North. The
reading at the top is the direction you are to go.
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NAVIGATION MAP AND
COMPASS |
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We already know maps are made so
North is at the top.
It really doesn't matter if your compass
has a setting to consider the angle of declination or
not. Map orientation to your compass is the goal.
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Orient Map
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To orient the map, lay it on a flat surface, put the compass on the edge
of the map, and turn the map and compass until the compass is lined up
on North.
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LOCATION AND NAVIGATION
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You know the general area, but you want to pin point it.
Look on the map and find a couple of landmarks you think
you should see. Sight in on B, 40, then C, 80. Reverse
direction, or azimuth, is needed to plot a position. Now
orient the map. knock off watches You are 220 from point B. Put the edge of
the compass on point B and pivot it until it reads 220.
Do the same with point C. Where they cross, A, is where
you are.
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END TOUR
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