How To: Read A Compass
Mobile devices with global-positioning applications may exude status and technological coolness when you’re trying to meet up with friends in the big city; however, you’re sure to look out of touch navigating national parks with an iPhone. Additional downsides of digital compasses include higher cost, reliance on satellite signals and limited battery life. Since no man should risk being in the midst of a forest, desert or mountain range without the ability to orient himself, it is unlikely GPS will ever fully replace the utility of a magnetic compass. Being able to properly read a compass will continue to be an outdoor skill every man should possess.
Understand the basic compassOrienteering compasses range in quality from plastic cereal-box trinkets to military grade designs; however, most share a few basic features necessary for determining directions accurately. A body or housing encases the movable parts, primarily a rotating magnetic needle. The north-pointing end of the needle is typically distinguished by red paint or a larger, more ornate design than the opposite end. The compass housing sits on a rectangular baseplate marked with a direction-of-travel arrow and scales, in both inches and millimeters, for taking measurements on maps.
To correctly read a compass, you must first familiarise yourself with its layout. On the bottom of the housing, or marked around the perimeter on a rotating dial, are the directional indicators. The four cardinal directions are north, south, east, and west. These directions split the compass into four quadrants, which can then be divided again by the four ordinal directions: northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest. While additional marks may be indicated, it can quickly become confusing to maintain the same naming convention as you try to become more specific, lest you want to begin thinking in terms of north-northwest, east-southeast and so on. Instead, the circle is broken into 360 degrees, thereby allowing for more precise readings and communication of direction. The cardinal points are easily referenced in 90-degree increments. North equates to 0 or 360 degrees, while east is 90 degrees, south is 180 degrees, and west is 270 degrees. In addition, an orienting arrow is marked on the bottom, underneath the needle.
Reading a compass is a basic skill every man should possess…