Grease your Compass Bearing

[N.E. CHARTERS]

"If you don't know how to get where you are going, or how to return from where you came: YOU ARE LOST!!! STAY PUT!!!!"



How many of you carry a compass with you every time you go into the woods or on the water?

How many of you rely on one of those silly Tom-Toms to beat your way through manhatten traffic (help-On Star? Im lost I cant find Starbucks)


The number 4 item to have in your survival kit is a Good old reliable mechanical Compass. and the know how to use it.

This is the one that I carry in my "Day Pack" (The Daypack is carried with you, not left in camp or in the car)


here are some simple instructions
http://www.silvacompass.com/pdf/silva123.pdf


The mirror is a great signal device and has other uses. think Semiphore.


How about a Orienteering Challenge for NES members..

Each week a diffent location posted with navigational information. Lat,Long Compass Heading etc. with a prize at the destination.



Can be anything anywhere. maybe indoors in a public building or outdoors on public/non posted land

Ill start it off. with a prize of the #1 item that you should carry for survival.

Stay tuned and Ill post some compass headings.

 

[sksguns]

http://www.thecompassstore.com/military3h.html

 

[Tiktock]

I carry a GPS while hiking, but ALWAYS have a paper map and compass backup. Im always shocked at how many people carry a compass but wouldnt know how to use it if they needed to.

 

[Chris]

Last weekend while camping, my friend brought his GPS to look for a Geocache. We found it in short order. Then we took another trail out. I was watching the blazes and had looked at the map before we left camp. He lost his sat fix. I knew where I was and kept walking. I use a GPS, but I never rely on it any more than I rely on a car alarm.

I have been in situations where I couldn't tell you EXACTLY where I was, but never in a situation where I couldn't figure out how to get to someplace I know. A basic map and knowing some basics about nature can get you to a prominent feature.

That said, map and compass skills are quite useful. I've looked for Geocaches where you can't get a reliable signal near the cache. So, you triangulate.

You'd think I was using dark magic by the way people looked at me.

 

[FPrice]

You'd think I was using dark magic by the way people looked at me.

We used to call that the "stubby pencil" method. That is, can you solve a problem with the old-fashioned methods when all the fancy electronic devices you relied on go "tits-up"?

 

[sksguns]

never be soley dependant on electrinic devices. Too many things can go wrong....as was mentione concerning the GPS losing it's signal....batteries can die....component can burn out.....you can drop it and it can smash on a rock....or wade through a stream and soak it....see ya later gps....

Compass with lanyard and a map and some land nav course can go a long way to saving your life.

 

[n1zfg]

I have a simple engineering principle that goes well beyond the compass:

If you bet your life on it, keep at least one backup system handy (if not two).

A couple of examples:
Skydivers always have a reserve chute.
Cops often carry a concealed "backup gun".
Your car's brakes are split into front and rear systems, even before involving that "emergency brake".
You usually have to violate at least two gun safety rules to get to the
point where someone gets hurt.
Instrument rated aircraft usually have at least two independant navigation systems, before adding the GPS receiver.

Besides, the DOD still reserves the right to shut down the transmitting satellites AT ANY TIME.