Compass

[copper_head]

What I actually want is to get out and practice right away.

Do you have a book shop or Outdoor store near you? Either should stock an OS of your area if you haven't already ordered it.

 

[Headshed]

Then how about downloading Mapyx Quo, its free and the maps are cheap. Order the area you want, print and go as it were. I find mapyx Quo excellent, there used to be a minimum (£5) tile order quantity, but last time I used it, it seemed that they had waived that. Each tile covers a considerable area and was costing £1 each.

 

[rik_uk3]

Yep, just buy an OS map of your area and get out. I'm teaching my five year old grandson map and compass, it ain't rocket science.

 

[wingstoo]

Mils isn't more accurate - yes it does break the increments down into small units but a Mils compass uses 6400 mils (or 6000 is Russian etc) per circle to make it easier for field use and a degrees compass uses 360degrees - there in lies a problem with Mils compasses. There are 6283 Milradians in a circles not 6400 so an error is introduced even before you start. For rough navigation you'd do with a hand held device it doesn't mean much but once you start using trigonometry you've got errors.

This doesn't happen with degrees.

Of course if you wanted to do it very accurately and mathematically correct - degrees and minutes works. Much finer increments as 60 seconds per degree, you can even add on seconds. Not that you'd be able to mark a compass up in degrees and seconds.

Mils are handy in that you only use one unit for compass and for use in recticles - they where orginally adopted by the military for artillery ranging ie distances rather than compass use.


Or you could use Gradians - probably the most accuarte

Sounds like BBB to me fella...

As a colleague used to say to me..."Close enough for government work"

 

[Bowlander]

If you get a digi map that won't print, just maximise the screen and print screen. I have paper maps for most areas I explore but still print off to save the proper ones from wear and tear.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2

 

[wingstoo]

If you get a digi map that won't print, just maximise the screen and print screen. I have paper maps for most areas I explore but still print off to save the proper ones from wear and tear.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2

I use Memory Map, I just print the bit I want, but it is more for ability to enlarge an area than anything else, compass still works okay, but scale is a bit dodgy, but then again it is metric so a square is 1000mtrs by 1000mtrs so no matter how big the print out is it is still the same 1000 X 1000.

 

[forrestdweller]

i just came across this thread and i'm after a (small) back-up compass myself (my main compass is a RECTA (DP65 i think- the one you can use worldwide). can anyone recommend one which could be used worldwide?! i heard some rumors about SILVA having some issues with QC in recent times...

 

[santaman2000]

i just came across this thread and i'm after a (small) back-up compass myself (my main compass is a RECTA (DP65 i think- the one you can use worldwide). can anyone recommend one which could be used worldwide?! i heard some rumors about SILVA having some issues with QC in recent times...

The questionable QC with Silva is for the ones in the US; They're no longer real Silvas but the name (here) is now owned by another company that has them made in China. As far as I know, the ones sold in Europe and the UK are still Swedish made real Silvas.

Ironically, the Brunton compasses sold here are now made by Silva in Sweden.

 

[rik_uk3]

If you get a digi map that won't print, just maximise the screen and print screen. I have paper maps for most areas I explore but still print off to save the proper ones from wear and tear.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2

If your using Windows 7 there is a built in extra called snipping tool which lets you crop any image on the screen and save as a .jpg file.

Just click start and search snipping.

 

[redandshane]

"Edit: For some reason I just can't imagine walking through the woods when all there really is a blob of green on the map called Stansted Forest. It doesn't seem at the moment that it could possibly get you to the chosen destination.[/QUOTE]"

Apologies if I am a bit late here but the map you showed as an example quite clearly has tracks and paths on it.The skill at that level is micro navigation.Forget the rest of the map focus in on the area you are in A compass while useful would not really be essential as long as you have the map orientated correctly
I think OS maps are something we in UK should be very proud of indeed(Off Topic I know)

 

[copper_head]

I think OS maps are something we in UK should be very proud of indeed(Off Topic I know)

Agree 100% it always astounds me how good os maps are. We're lucky to have such detailed mapping.

 

[mrcharly]

This is where I show that I'm finding it a little hard to grasp. I don't see how a map at this scale can tell you where to go because once you're in the woods it's a completely different thing all together.

Yes, you are correct. No paths to follow in the forest and you can't walk in a 'straight' line because of the trees.

There are a few techniques to overcome this:

Contouring. Find destination on the map. trace contour line from destination to identifiable point near you. Walk to that point, then 'walk on the contour'. That is, walk at the same height towards your destination. Usually the long way round but it also works in fog on rain. Doesn't work on gently sloping ground.

Aiming off Find a linear feature such as a fence, waterway, road, line of trees that goes in sight of your destination. Now take a compass bearing from your current position to your destination, intersecting with the linear feature. Adjust compass bearing to a point left or right of the destination. Now walk on that bearing. It's not really possible to walk absolutely precisely on a bearing, but this doesn't matter now. When you reach the linear feature, you know which way to turn - if you aimed off to the right of your destination, you'll turn left when you get to the linear feature and follow it to your destination.

Invisible features These are things like peaks of hills (but possibly covered in trees), or maybe a point where you will get sight of a significant feature. For example, walking on a whaleback moor, you'll get sight of a town when you've crested the moor top. That gives you an approximate line on the map that defines your location. Walking in a forest, the invisible feature might be a defined change in foliage, a ridgeline or a stream. I call them 'invisible features' because they can't be located from a distance, only when you reach them.

Also, another thing I don't quite understand is how you line up the blue grid lines on the map with those on the compass housing as they are different scales entirely..

Not actually a simple subject. On a 1:25000 map you can assume that the grid lines are orientated north south. So you would align the compass base plate with your direction of travel, then rotate the bezel until the lines in the bezel are orientated with the grid lines.

With larger scales and longer journeys you need to work out 'compass north' on the map. Usually the true north and compass north offsets are give near the map scale.

Shame you don't live near me. I love this subject (did a lot of orienteering when I was young) and it is much easier to show someone that explain in text.

 

[yeha]

Dash4it sell Explorer maps for £5.19 delivered.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Do you have a book shop or Outdoor store near you? Either should stock an OS of your area if you haven't already ordered it.

I have found a lot of the Petrol Stations around our way also stock them......

 

[ozzy1977]

Got a new os map of the Rendlesham area posted for £5 off ebay.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Got a new os map of the Rendlesham area posted for £5 off ebay.

Result ........

 

[sandbender]

"...I think OS maps are something we in UK should be very proud of indeed..."

+1 to this.

In quite a few parts of the world where I have walked (even in Europe) the maps leave much to be desired, however where they exist it can be handy to be able identify permanent features on a map when you are looking at them in the real world, that will only really come with experience, ie how high hills are, is the spur in front of you the one you are looking at on a map, has this forest been thinned out recently and is that why the edge is a different shape on the map etc. etc.

In Hungary where I mostly live, the biggest problem is that it is often very flat and I'm often walking in forest. There are marked trails but there are many other paths that may seem to follow the same route so I find it quite handy to have a good idea of how far I have walked in a certain period, so that when I arrive at an unmarked fork to the left I can know that it cannot be the one I want because I have arrived either too early or to late.

Have fun with you maps and compass.

 

[Joonsy]

i would suggest that you study the ordnance survey map symbols on your OS map and get familiar with them, the symbols and understanding them is an immense source of useful information, for instance the symbol for a church will even tell you wether it has a spire or tower which is very useful as they can often be seen from miles away. Navigation is a combination of understanding the map, understanding compass techniques, and combining those two with common sense, for instance there is a map symbol for 'building' but in reality that 'building' may just be an old disused barn, one common mistake for beginners to spot a building on the map and think it is a house when it may just be a barn or something, that is where common sense comes in. The map example given in an earleir post has an absolute abundance of information, study the map symbols shown in that area, you will find there are a number of tracks through stansted forest, public footpaths and a named public long distance walking route as well, and if you look inside the green area on map you will see little symbols of trees so study those and they will even tell you which area has deciduous or coniferous trees and even if they are coppiced, also you will note in that map example that there are different shades of green areas as well and this relates as to wether the the area has public access or not. Finding your way with map and compass is a combination of using both, so it is vital to understand the map symbols as they show you what you have walked past or are walking towards.

 

[santaman2000]

.....Not actually a simple subject. On a 1:25000 map you can assume that the grid lines are orientated north south. So you would align the compass base plate with your direction of travel, then rotate the bezel until the lines in the bezel are orientated with the grid lines.

With larger scales and longer journeys you need to work out 'compass north' on the map. Usually the true north and compass north offsets are give near the map scale.

Shame you don't live near me. I love this subject (did a lot of orienteering when I was young) and it is much easier to show someone that explain in text.

Here's a short tutorial from Silva that shoild help, the bit about lining up the compass begins at about 2:58 but the first part is also well worth the watch http://youtu.be/4O8DmkAC2wI

 

[wingstoo]

They did a TV programme a few years back on how the Ordnance survey was done some 200+ years ago. Fascinating stuff using lanterns and steel tapes...