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The Compass thread

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    • The Compass thread

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I've been reading through the info everyone provided...thanks! I still don't understand much but want to buy a compass. I'm looking at several Brunton's...the O.S.S. 20B, 30B, and 40B. The 40 B is probably more advanced than I need but it has a 1" resolution and the others are 2". Does that matter for basic navigating? They're pretty cheap but I still don't want to waste my money so any thoughts?

      http://www.brunton.com/products/brunton-oss-20b

      http://www.brunton.com/products/brunton-oss-30b

      http://www.brunton.com/collections/navigation/products/brunton-oss-40b
      TJ, it is my feeling that the perfect compass does not exist yet for me, if it did it would likely look like my knife....So until they make my perfect compass, I'll just have to deal with the 7 or so I have (could probably scare up a few more if I cleaned out the garage.





      ...it is my feeling that not carrying a compass on the AT probably won't get ya in trouble...but why take a chance. That said, most any compass will work, and like backpacks, they aren't one size fits all. Have fun buying your first compass, It's quite exciting, I get butterfly's every time I even think about buying a new compass.


      Artist conception of socks perfect Compass...

    • The Compass thread

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I've been reading through the info everyone provided...thanks! I still don't understand much but want to buy a compass. I'm looking at several Brunton's...the O.S.S. 20B, 30B, and 40B. The 40 B is probably more advanced than I need but it has a 1" resolution and the others are 2". Does that matter for basic navigating? They're pretty cheap but I still don't want to waste my money so any thoughts?

      http://www.brunton.com/products/brunton-oss-20b

      http://www.brunton.com/products/brunton-oss-30b

      http://www.brunton.com/collections/navigation/products/brunton-oss-40b
      TJ, it is my feeling that the perfect compass does not exist yet for me, if it did it would likely look like my knife....So until they make my perfect compass, I'll just have to deal with the 7 or so I have (could probably scare up a few more if I cleaned out the garage.





      ...it is my feeling that not carrying a compass on the AT probably won't get ya in trouble...but why take a chance. That said, most any compass will work, and like backpacks, they aren't one size fits all. Have fun buying your first compass, It's quite exciting, I get butterfly's every time I even think about buying a new compass.


      Artist conception of socks perfect Compass...



      Now ur just bein' silly...
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • The Compass thread

      [/quote]

      ...it is my feeling that not carrying a compass on the AT probably won't get ya in trouble...but why take a chance. That said, most any compass will work, and like backpacks, they aren't one size fits all. Have fun buying your first compass, It's quite exciting, I get butterfly's every time I even think about buying a new compass.][/quote]

      Thanks RS but honestly, buying a compass doesn't excite me. Having to buy one means there exists the probability that I'll get lost. That scares the youknowwhat out of me. It's for the BMT, not the AT.
      Lost in the right direction.

    • The Compass thread

      TrafficJam wrote:



      ...it is my feeling that not carrying a compass on the AT probably won't get ya in trouble...but why take a chance. That said, most any compass will work, and like backpacks, they aren't one size fits all. Have fun buying your first compass, It's quite exciting, I get butterfly's every time I even think about buying a new compass.][/quote]

      Thanks RS but honestly, buying a compass doesn't excite me. Having to buy one means there exists the probability that I'll get lost. That scares the youknowwhat out of me. It's for the BMT, not the AT.[/quote]

      I have Thru Hiked the BMT, been on it more than a few times and ALWAYS took my compass and maps, its nothing at all like the AT... To get lost on the AT, ESPECIALLY during Thru season, well ur just :silly:
      Check out 10-K's BMT Trail Journal, even he got turned around a couple of times and was using GPS...
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • The Compass thread

      The key to not getting lost and using a map and compass to navigate is that you must orient the map & compass & yourself at all times. Meaning, you used a map to get to the spot where you are starting from. You get out of the car....already have set the compass declination for your particular local (it will be on the map). Put your pack on.....ORIENT yourself to the map and the land, with the compass....BEFORE you even step on the trail. Set the compass pointing to your general direction of travel.......enjoy your walk. Every once in a while the trail will turn, or you notice the sun over the other shoulder, or maybe you don't see blazes.........take your compass out and check your line of travel......take the map out and orient yourself again if your need.
      What you can not do is walk along for a ways and find yourself bewildered. Dig down in your pack for that compass thing, throw the map down on the ground and do a jig around it waving your compass three times over your left shoulder and ..."oh, there is my car!"
      You must always keep yourself oriented and knowing where you are, so you always end up where you want to be.....to steal a bit from AK :)
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:

    • The Compass thread

      Toli wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:



      ...it is my feeling that not carrying a compass on the AT probably won't get ya in trouble...but why take a chance. That said, most any compass will work, and like backpacks, they aren't one size fits all. Have fun buying your first compass, It's quite exciting, I get butterfly's every time I even think about buying a new compass.]


      Thanks RS but honestly, buying a compass doesn't excite me. Having to buy one means there exists the probability that I'll get lost. That scares the youknowwhat out of me. It's for the BMT, not the AT.[/quote]

      I have Thru Hiked the BMT, been on it more than a few times and ALWAYS took my compass and maps, its nothing at all like the AT... To get lost on the AT, ESPECIALLY during Thru season, well ur just :silly:
      Check out 10-K's BMT Trail Journal, even he got turned around a couple of times and was using GPS...[/quote]

      I've read it.

      The good news is I'm sectioning it so can study each part thoroughly...and hopefully I'll be an adequate compass user by then. And I'll keep in mind what RS said, you're not lost just temporarily misplaced.
      Lost in the right direction.

    • The Compass thread

      One other important thing, and having a decent compass puts that worry out of your head..............Believe the compass......you will be turned around and question where this thing is pointing...........................believe the compass.....the odd iron deposit will be a fluke and many times marked on a good map. Believe the compass
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:

    • The Compass thread

      CoachLou wrote:

      One other important thing, and having a decent compass puts that worry out of your head..............Believe the compass......you will be turned around and question where this thing is pointing...........................believe the compass.....the odd iron deposit will be a fluke and many times marked on a good map. Believe the compass


      I will etch that in my brain, just like Marta's DON'T PANIC.
      Lost in the right direction.

    • The Compass thread

      Toli wrote:

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I've been reading through the info everyone provided...thanks! I still don't understand much but want to buy a compass. I'm looking at several Brunton's...the O.S.S. 20B, 30B, and 40B. The 40 B is probably more advanced than I need but it has a 1" resolution and the others are 2". Does that matter for basic navigating? They're pretty cheap but I still don't want to waste my money so any thoughts?

      http://www.brunton.com/products/brunton-oss-20b

      http://www.brunton.com/products/brunton-oss-30b

      http://www.brunton.com/collections/navigation/products/brunton-oss-40b
      TJ, it is my feeling that the perfect compass does not exist yet for me, if it did it would likely look like my knife....So until they make my perfect compass, I'll just have to deal with the 7 or so I have (could probably scare up a few more if I cleaned out the garage.





      ...it is my feeling that not carrying a compass on the AT probably won't get ya in trouble...but why take a chance. That said, most any compass will work, and like backpacks, they aren't one size fits all. Have fun buying your first compass, It's quite exciting, I get butterfly's every time I even think about buying a new compass.


      Artist conception of socks perfect Compass...



      Now ur just bein' silly...
      happens when my fever spikes.

    • The Compass thread

      TrafficJam wrote:



      ...it is my feeling that not carrying a compass on the AT probably won't get ya in trouble...but why take a chance. That said, most any compass will work, and like backpacks, they aren't one size fits all. Have fun buying your first compass, It's quite exciting, I get butterfly's every time I even think about buying a new compass.][/quote]

      Thanks RS but honestly, buying a compass doesn't excite me. Having to buy one means there exists the probability that I'll get lost. That scares the youknowwhat out of me. It's for the BMT, not the AT.[/quote]

      oh in that case, buy a good one and learn how to use 6 ways to Sunday.

    • The Compass thread

      I gotta echo what Coach said. The best way to navigate is to not be lost in the first place, and that requires constant contact with the features around you. it may seem silly hanging a map around your neck, but if you do your more likely to look at it more often, there by staying oriented. or just keep it in your pocket, but if you were to look at it every 500 yards, that wouldn't be to much.

      One way of forcing yourself to do this is to write on your map the time when you pass certain features...like stream crossings, high banked cliffs, or what ever.

    • The Compass thread

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      I gotta echo what Coach said. The best way to navigate is to not be lost in the first place, and that requires constant contact with the features around you. it may seem silly hanging a map around your neck, but if you do your more likely to look at it more often, there by staying oriented. or just keep it in your pocket, but if you were to look at it every 500 yards, that wouldn't be to much.

      One way of forcing yourself to do this is to write on your map the time when you pass certain features...like stream crossings, high banked cliffs, or what ever.


      I don't have a problem with hanging a map around my neck. I often ride my bike on unfamiliar roads out in the country and always keep a map visible.
      Lost in the right direction.

    • The Compass thread

      TrafficJam wrote:

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      I gotta echo what Coach said. The best way to navigate is to not be lost in the first place, and that requires constant contact with the features around you. it may seem silly hanging a map around your neck, but if you do your more likely to look at it more often, there by staying oriented. or just keep it in your pocket, but if you were to look at it every 500 yards, that wouldn't be to much.

      One way of forcing yourself to do this is to write on your map the time when you pass certain features...like stream crossings, high banked cliffs, or what ever.


      I don't have a problem with hanging a map around my neck. I often ride my bike on unfamiliar roads out in the country and always keep a map visible.
      nor do I, but it inevitably begs the question...yo, you lost.

      Why, what ever gave you that idea Mr.Day walker? hehe

    • The Compass thread

      TrafficJam wrote:

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      I gotta echo what Coach said. The best way to navigate is to not be lost in the first place, and that requires constant contact with the features around you. it may seem silly hanging a map around your neck, but if you do your more likely to look at it more often, there by staying oriented. or just keep it in your pocket, but if you were to look at it every 500 yards, that wouldn't be to much.

      One way of forcing yourself to do this is to write on your map the time when you pass certain features...like stream crossings, high banked cliffs, or what ever.


      I don't have a problem with hanging a map around my neck. I often ride my bike on unfamiliar roads out in the country and always keep a map visible.
      Somewhere I saw something being sold like a little clip board for bicycle handlebars to put a map on...pretty neat.

    • The Compass thread

      Mountain-Mike wrote:

      I learned to read topos in scouts pretty young. By high school I could pretty much walk & glance at a topo from time to time & know where I was. I never was really lost. There were just some times that where pointing out where I was on a map went from a specific point to a circle. Sometimes a bigger circle :ohmy:
      ha ha, In Orienteering circles (pun intended) they's call that "The circle of confidence" and many compasses have confidence circles on them....namely one that TJ was looking at...which I like too, but don't have.

      http://www.thecompassstore.com/fboss40b.html

      I like having the 5 different "Romer scales" on there too...nice compass!

    • The Compass thread

      I learnt to read maps with something similar to this.
      It was essentially easy but made more difficult by being in the passenger seat of a rally car speeding down forestry tracks I now hike on.

      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.

    • The Compass thread

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      Mountain-Mike wrote:

      I learned to read topos in scouts pretty young. By high school I could pretty much walk & glance at a topo from time to time & know where I was. I never was really lost. There were just some times that where pointing out where I was on a map went from a specific point to a circle. Sometimes a bigger circle :ohmy:
      ha ha, In Orienteering circles (pun intended) they's call that "The circle of confidence" and many compasses have confidence circles on them....namely one that TJ was looking at...which I like too, but don't have.

      http://www.thecompassstore.com/fboss40b.html

      I like having the 5 different "Romer scales" on there too...nice compass!


      I think we need a bigger circle! :woohoo:

    • The Compass thread

      Mountain-Mike wrote:

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      Mountain-Mike wrote:

      I learned to read topos in scouts pretty young. By high school I could pretty much walk & glance at a topo from time to time & know where I was. I never was really lost. There were just some times that where pointing out where I was on a map went from a specific point to a circle. Sometimes a bigger circle :ohmy:
      ha ha, In Orienteering circles (pun intended) they's call that "The circle of confidence" and many compasses have confidence circles on them....namely one that TJ was looking at...which I like too, but don't have.

      http://www.thecompassstore.com/fboss40b.html

      I like having the 5 different "Romer scales" on there too...nice compass!


      I think we need a bigger circle! :woohoo:
      I always go with the shot glass rule....the big end. And slamming it down while proclaiming "yep, were freakin lost" is a big part of it.

    • The Compass thread

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      OzJacko wrote:

      I learnt to read maps with something similar to this.
      It was essentially easy but made more difficult by being in the passenger seat of a rally car speeding down forestry tracks I now hike on.

      ...and now I see I schspeeled "roamer" wrong. I have a few map tools, but nothing like that.

      I used a few different types.
      We would be given grid references, need to plot destinations down mapped roads and then need to give the driver directions.
      Typical trick would be they would give you 15 minutes to do 15 miles, on tracks and roads you could probably average 6o miles per hour on, but your 15 minutes included the time it took you to work out which way to go and they might give you a dozen grid references to plot. Throw in some unmapped roads and drivers who just want to go fast before you're ready and it was very stressful. My older brother was one of the country's best at it, and many sought my services in the early days until they realised I wasn't in the same class. I was OK but not great.
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.

    • The Compass thread

      OzJacko wrote:

      rocksNsocks wrote:

      OzJacko wrote:

      I learnt to read maps with something similar to this.
      It was essentially easy but made more difficult by being in the passenger seat of a rally car speeding down forestry tracks I now hike on.

      ...and now I see I schspeeled "roamer" wrong. I have a few map tools, but nothing like that.

      I used a few different types.
      We would be given grid references, need to plot destinations down mapped roads and then need to give the driver directions.
      Typical trick would be they would give you 15 minutes to do 15 miles, on tracks and roads you could probably average 6o miles per hour on, but your 15 minutes included the time it took you to work out which way to go and they might give you a dozen grid references to plot. Throw in some unmapped roads and drivers who just want to go fast before you're ready and it was very stressful. My older brother was one of the country's best at it, and many sought my services in the early days until they realised I wasn't in the same class. I was OK but not great.
      oh I would make a terrible navigator, I can do the math...just not quickly, and if ya rush me, i gotta start all over, each time...just like Ed Norton would do.

    • The Compass thread

      Map Reading and Navigation
      Department of the Army
      FM 3-25.26
      an in depth book, paid for by your tax dollars
      PDF

      https://archive.org/details/milmanual-fm-3-25.26-map-reading-and-land-navigation


      I've also pasted this in the first few posts of this thread for easy finding later.

    • The Compass thread

      jimmyjam wrote:

      somewhere I've got link to a web site that gives pretty instructions on how to use a compass. When I find it I'll post it here.



      After a few months I finally figured out how to use this in the woods.... works well in fall and spring not so much in the summer... well it took some doing and I got it just right. Then someone told me that all I had to do was shove a stick in the ground at noon without a shadow and use a damn protractor to measure the latitude... it was so disappointing - so now I am back to plastic... vs Paper and Metal. Here is what I was using...

      [IMG:http://www.paradoxplace.com/Insights/Exploration/Images/Astrolabe-BR.jpg]
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:

    • The Compass thread

      Toli wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:



      ...it is my feeling that not carrying a compass on the AT probably won't get ya in trouble...but why take a chance. That said, most any compass will work, and like backpacks, they aren't one size fits all. Have fun buying your first compass, It's quite exciting, I get butterfly's every time I even think about buying a new compass.]


      Thanks RS but honestly, buying a compass doesn't excite me. Having to buy one means there exists the probability that I'll get lost. That scares the youknowwhat out of me. It's for the BMT, not the AT.[/quote]

      I have Thru Hiked the BMT, been on it more than a few times and ALWAYS took my compass and maps, its nothing at all like the AT... To get lost on the AT, ESPECIALLY during Thru season, well ur just :silly:
      Check out 10-K's BMT Trail Journal, even he got turned around a couple of times and was using GPS...[/quote]


      I agree then we all have a good laugh when the guy gets up in the morn and walks back to the beginning...
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:

    • The Compass thread

      WiseOldOwl wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      somewhere I've got link to a web site that gives pretty instructions on how to use a compass. When I find it I'll post it here.



      After a few months I finally figured out how to use this in the woods.... works well in fall and spring not so much in the summer... well it took some doing and I got it just right. Then someone told me that all I had to do was shove a stick in the ground at noon without a shadow and use a damn protractor to measure the latitude... it was so disappointing - so now I am back to plastic... vs Paper and Metal. Here is what I was using...

      [IMG:http://www.paradoxplace.com/Insights/Exploration/Images/Astrolabe-BR.jpg]
      astrolabe??? cool looking one, looks like Sandskrit?

      lemme barrow this for a minute.

      Thanks Woo, sorry I got it a little dirty, should wear off in time though.


    • hikerboy wrote:

      BirdBrain wrote:

      Hey ATM, I made some progress over here:

      Sawyer Squeeze

      Just helping you find it. I expected a comment last night. I saw you looking at it. It is rev 1 of the mini system. It will likely be improved... especially if people criticize it.


      how do you use the sawyer squeeze to navigate?


      I hang it from a tree. Mark where the bottom of the shadow strikes the ground. Wait 15 minutes and make another mark. This gives you the east west line. Bisect that line and you have north south. Carefully dig up your creation and carry it on a flat surface as you hike out.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.