Old School Compass Navigation

[HillSlick]

Hello all,

Hope all is well! I recently graduated from UW and my uncle as a grad present got me a compass. Made by Thos J Evans. It’s so damn cool. I’ve used simple compasses plenty of times. But never one this intricate. Does anyone by chance know how to effectively use all the functions of this thing?
Please and thank you!




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[Fl0und3rz]

That is pretty cool.

I highly recommend this book, although there are probably plenty of free videos or other electronic resources out there.

https://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Navigation-Finding-Altimeter-Mountaineers/dp/0898869536

Covers declination, orienting, taking and following a bearing, triangulation IIRC, and more.

Grab a topo map of your favorite area, the compass and book, and get out there.  It is pretty fun.

I like green trails maps.

https://www.greentrailsmaps.com

[NW SURVEYOR]

That looks like a really nice gift, I'm envious.

It looks to me like the outside graduations are for your azimuth.

The semi-circle inside that is Percent of Slope which would be used in conjunction with the vial level.
The interior semi-circle is Degree of Slope, also used with the vial level.
You will notice that 100% is equal to 45° of slope.
These two features are referrred to a (in)clinometers or a sort of Abny Level.
They are used by flipping the compass on edge vertically and finding the proper site plane.

The Bulls-Eye bubble is to assist in holding the compass level in order to obtain an accurate azimuth reading.

The little button on the rim looks like a dampening mechanism to settle the needle

A good Orienteering book will greatly assist you.
I have used a compass for years and to this day, rarely find a need for GPS.

Bring a map and use the two often and you will never get lost.
Have fun and good luck!!

Rob.

[branches]

Very nice 

[kselkhunter]

I'm jealous.  That is a really nice compass.  Great gift.  Congrats. 

[Machias]

VERY cool

[Knocker of rocks]

That looks like a really nice gift, I'm envious.

It looks to me like the outside graduations are for your azimuth.

The semi-circle inside that is Percent of Slope which would be used in conjunction with the vial level.
The interior semi-circle is Degree of Slope, also used with the vial level.
You will notice that 100% is equal to 45° of slope.
These two features are referrred to a (in)clinometers or a sort of Abny Level.
They are used by flipping the compass on edge vertically and finding the proper site plane.

The Bulls-Eye bubble is to assist in holding the compass level in order to obtain an accurate azimuth reading.

The little button on the rim looks like a dampening mechanism to settle the needle

A good Orienteering book will greatly assist you.
I have used a compass for years and to this day, rarely find a need for GPS.

Bring a map and use the two often and you will never get lost.
Have fun and good luck!!

Rob.

Looks like a Brunton Pocket Transit, as far as I know used primarily by geologists for field measurements of strike and dip, but I'm sure NW Surveyor knows many other uses.

https://www.brunton.com/products/conventional-pocket-transit-0-90?variant=36245970258

Like him I prefer a piece of paper, an altimeter watch and a compass.  And given the terrain andd the ability to fix your elevation, a compass can be optional.

[Special T]

Anymore the hardest part of using a compass is acquiring a good map!

[NRA4LIFE]

If you're going to use this for navigation in the woods, look up "magnetic declination".  In WA, it will throw you're compass off 15 degrees or better.  On a 2 mile hike, you'll miss you're target by over a half mile.  That is really cool though.  I would cherish that until I died.

[James]

REI has a orienteering class that will teach you how to use a compass. Lots of hands on learning, I highly recommend it.

https://www.rei.com/events/a/navigation

[Fl0und3rz]

Anymore the hardest part of using a compass is acquiring a good map!

Or being in the deep dark holes, where there are no useful landmarks.

[Fl0und3rz]

REI has a orienteering class that will teach you how to use a compass. Lots of hands on learning, I highly recommend it.

https://www.rei.com/events/a/navigation

IIRC, that book I recommended is what REI uses to teach its class.

[Knocker of rocks]

I highly recommend this book, although there are probably plenty of free videos or other electronic resources out there.

https://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Navigation-Finding-Altimeter-Mountaineers/dp/0898869536

Covers declination, orienting, taking and following a bearing, triangulation IIRC, and more.

Bob is a friend of mine,  and I used to work with his son Mike. Somewhere I have this book, cira a 1970 reprint of the 1955 classic

“Be an expert with map and compass” by Bjorn Kjellstrom

https://www.amazon.com/Expert-Map-Compass-Bjorn-Kjellstrom/dp/0470407654

[Fl0und3rz]

Small world.

[HillSlick]

If you're going to use this for navigation in the woods, look up "magnetic declination".  In WA, it will throw you're compass off 15 degrees or better.  On a 2 mile hike, you'll miss you're target by over a half mile.  That is really cool though.  I would cherish that until I died.

Thank you! It is one of the best gifts I’ve ever been given. I intend to have my initials or name engraved on the back and then pass it down someday and have my child/grandchild do the same.


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