THIS is how to use a compass - very simple, by The Map Reading Company on YouTube. 18 min 31 s.
- Video length
- 18 min 31 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Lay the map flat and find your starting point and your target, such as a bridge or a trig point. Place the long edge of the compass baseplate so it runs from one to the other.
Check the direction of travel arrow on the baseplate points from your start towards your target, not backwards.
Turn the rotating bezel until the orienting arrow inside it lines up with the north lines printed on the map. Make sure the arrow points to map north.
Read the number on the bezel at the direction of travel arrow. That is your grid bearing from the map.
Adjust for magnetic declination. Check the declination figure in the map legend and add or subtract it to get the magnetic bearing your compass will follow.
Hold the compass flat in front of you and turn your whole body until the red magnetic needle sits inside the orienting arrow. The direction of travel arrow now points at your target.
Pick a landmark on that line, walk to it, then take the bearing again. Repeat until you reach the target.
To find your position, take a bearing to two or three landmarks you can identify on the map. Draw those lines back from each landmark and see where they cross.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the compass away from phones, magnets and metal objects, which pull the needle off course.
Hold the compass level and let the needle settle before you read it.
Write down your bearings so you do not lose them when the map is folded away.
In the northern hemisphere the declination is usually a few degrees west or east, so check the map legend every time.
Questions
What is magnetic declination?
It is the angle between true north and magnetic north at your location. Maps show it in the legend, and you add or subtract it so your compass bearing matches the map.
Do I need a special compass?
A baseplate compass with a rotating bezel and orienting arrow is enough. Avoid a simple pin-on compass, which cannot take a bearing from a map.
How do I know the bearing is right?
Line up the red needle with the orienting arrow and check the number under the direction of travel arrow. If the needle is not settled, the reading will be wrong.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
