No One Can Use A Wrist Compass - I'll Show You How, by The Map Reading Company on YouTube. 39 min 49 s.
- Video length
- 39 min 49 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Check the parts of your compass. A wrist compass has a rotating bezel with degree marks, a north arrow on the baseplate, and a direction of travel line. The Suunto M-9 has a small sighting notch.
Hold the compass flat in your hand at waist height, away from metal, phones and magnets. Let the needle settle before you read anything.
To take a bearing to a ground feature, point the direction of travel line at the feature. Turn the bezel until the north arrow lines up with the red end of the needle. Read the degrees at the index mark.
To set a bearing, turn the bezel until the degree you want sits at the index mark. Hold the compass flat and turn your body until the needle aligns with the north arrow.
To follow the bearing, pick a landmark on that line, walk to it, then check the compass again. Repeat this to stay on course.
To take a bearing from a map, lay the compass edge along the line from your position to the target. Turn the bezel until the north arrow points to map north, then read the grid bearing.
Adjust for declination. Add or subtract your local declination to convert between grid and magnetic bearings, and write the value on your map.
To identify a feature on the map, take a bearing to it, convert it to a grid bearing, then draw that line back from your known position on the map.
To find your position, take bearings to two or three clear features. Convert each to a grid bearing and draw the lines on the map. Where they cross is your location.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the compass flat and still while reading. A tilted compass gives a wrong bearing.
Wrist compasses are small and give a rough direction, so use them with a map rather than alone.
Always apply declination before drawing lines on a map, or your position will be off.
Take bearings to features that are far apart and easy to see, not close together.
Questions
Can I use a wrist compass without a map?
Yes, but only for a rough direction. A compass tells you which way north is. The map is what you actually navigate with.
What is magnetic declination and why does it matter?
It is the angle between magnetic north and grid north on your map. If you skip it, your bearings and plotted position will be wrong by that amount.
How many bearings do I need to find my position?
Two clear bearings that cross at a wide angle will give a rough fix. Three bearings give a better check on your position.
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.
