compass use

I have used a map folded in large ziplock bag, protractor, and Silva Ranger since my discharge from the Army in 1976. I now have a GPS, but its hard not to take my old main stays, as batteries can go fast, even when new. I check and adjust for Declination every year, this changes too. And I check my GPS with compass and map just because. and I am at least 5 yards from anything that can pull my compass needle like a rifle.
 
ntsqd said:
Instructor said pretty much the same thing, that he'd never heard of or seen one go bad or be bad right from the start. Silva never would tell me anything. It worked correctly when I first got it because I used it in my first ever orienteering class. It did take about 20 years of mostly riding around in a truck's "Boy Scout Bag" before it showed up bad.

It was the rarity of this occurring that prompted me to post. We all assume that a compass will always work correctly because I'm quite probably the only case anyone has ever heard of one being bad. But what if yours went bad too? Check it, make sure.
Click to expand...

I had one go bad after a few checked bag flights but it only pushed the bubble off center, so it floated around.
 
A compass can be used to find an animal shot at long range with dense vegetation and terrain between you and the downed animal (like an opening across a large ravine). Shoot an azimuth on the compass and, with the distance known by rangefinder, simply pace the distance along the compass line until you reach your trophy.
 
It never ceases to astound me how GPS tech has lulled folks into letting a survival skill go away. I have had Pluggers (PLGRs) die in the middle of a mission. I have had Daggers (DAGRs) fail to return a grid while directing air support. I have NEVER had a compass and map fail me. I can usually eyeball a 6 digit grid, then extrapolate an 8 digit grid to my location, and I have used a compass and map in almost every type of land environment. I will use a GPS, but I will have a lensatic and a button compass on me when I head to the field. Look Ma...no batteries...:)
 
Have carried a compass all my life; now along with fancy electronic gadgets. My son is a captain who works for a major airline. He has the best avionics available— and a compass in the cockpit. There is a reason for that.
HOWEVER, one very cold afternoon I was deer hunting in some deep woods in the Appalachian Mtns of Virginia. There was a hollow @ 3 miles off that I wanted to hunt till dark. I took my "expensive" dive compass, set a heading, and took off to my evening stand. Just as shooting light ended, I took the reverse heading to return. West was North!! Talk about messing with your head! Try coming out of the woods at night without a moon when your head is telling you one thing and your instrument is telling you something different. Fortunately, the snow was on the ground and I eventually cut my son's track heading out... a very long walk; not the first time I've had to force my rational brain to take charge of my panic-stricken brain. When I got back to the truck at the top of the mtn, I realized that the temp was nearing single digits. My "expensive" liquid-filled compass was filled with — water; frozen water. It currently rests somewhere over the side of a Virginia mountain.
 
We learned Orienteering in Boy Scouts even had contests.
it's one of those things I don't use but I'm glad to know how to.
I told a girl one time I'm not lost I'm right here in the truck I just don't know where the truck is?
She lost it??
 
ntsqd said:
Word of warning: Check your compass against others if you've had it very long. I had a Silva that was ~30° off. Couldn't figure out why I kept ending up in the wrong place in a college orienteering class. On the day of the final I was way off the mark. So far off that the instructor after reviewing my technique thought to check it against several school compass' and found the error. Said that in 15 years of teaching that class that he'd never seen a compass that far off. I don't know if it slowly changed or something it was exposed to changed it. Silva replaced it for the shipping.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Two years ago my beloved Silva that I had for over 20 years somehow became almost 75* off. Discovered this while taking a bearing that should've been almost dead east into the rising sun, instead it was pointing almost dead north. I ALWAYS carry two compasses and pulled out my back up and sure enough my tried and trusted Silva was now no longer usable. Sure am glad this didn't happen on a 100% cloud cover day or I'd been really screwed.

I have no idea what happened, or what could have caused this. I am absolutely careful in storing all my compasses well away from all electrical or magnetic sources. The compass showed no signs of damage anywhere and still had all it's liquid.
I don't even allow my compasses to get anywhere near a flashlight or head light or any other battery powered device for more than a few moments.

I won a Garmin GPSMAP 64 in a raffle and it's still in its unopened box as I mostly use my compass with AP's and or maps or Goggle Earth app on my phone.
 

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