How to Use a Lightweight Compass

Compasses point to magnetic north, not to the North Pole.

An old-fashioned magnetic compass remains an essential when venturing into the wilderness. A light-weight compass has a base, a needle that seeks magnetic north and a bezel ring that rotates. The ring is marked with lines indicating the magnetic directions -- usually in degrees -- and has a painted arrow which aligns with the needle to find north. Invest in a quality compass that indicates directional degrees, rather than just north, south, east and west.

Instructions

1. Familiarize yourself with the design of your compass. Some bezel rings have marks for every directional degree; others only mark every third degree. Know what the marks on your compass indicate.

2. Stand with your feet at shoulder width, and hold the compass parallel to the ground. To keep the base level, hold your index fingers along its sides. Adjust its angle from your wrists, and wait for the needle to settle.

3. Rotate the bezel ring so that the arrow indicating north -- painted on the compass -- aligns with the needle. Find the reference line at the top of the compass base, pointing straight ahead of you. Look at the marking on the bezel ring -- aligned with the reference line -- to find the direction you are facing.

Tips & Warnings

• If you doubt the readings your compass is giving, there may be a magnetic anomaly in the area. Look around for something metal nearby, and walk slowly toward any object you find. If the compass needle veers to face it, the object is pulling the compass away from magnetic north. Move several hundred yards away from the object, and try the compass again.

• Do not follow the needle unless you want to go toward magnetic north. Follow the bearing mark on the bezel ring that matches your intended direction.

References

• GORP; Your Compass; September 2010

Resources

• W Company, Northumbria Army Cadet Force: Map Reading -- The Lightweight Compass