When you point your compass towards true north, the needle will point a bit to the west. The big bang. Find out more atwww.alexfoxfield.com (opens in new tab). The Lensatic compass is used to determine 'azimuths' or 'compass bearings' (horizontal angles). Hold compass up to eye level and view larger side card for "direction-of-travel" compass. If your local declination is east of the agonic line, youll need to add the declination to the bearing on your compass; if your local declination is west of the agonic line, youll subtract the declination from the bearing on your compass. Step 1. Keep it in a case, or wrapped up in a thick cloth to prevent those damages. Take your compass and line up the edges with the north-south gridlines on your map. 1. Shows how to use the USGI issue lensatic compass to orient the map, plot a course based on two well-defined. It will be clearer why we need to compensate for declination in the first place. Enroll in my personalized step-by-step video-based online course. Look through the sighting slot and find some target (a tree, boulder, whatever) that lines up with your sighting wire. $8.77. Easy-to-Read Thermometer - Cushion-mounted thermometer provides an "at-a-glance . Youll see that it shows two arrows when you turn your headset or controllers around to show the new orientation of a map."}}]}. A map, by definition, is a small-scale representation of the real world or a section thereof. The edge of the compass baseplate is now pointing in the direction of the visible landmark from which you took your bearing. Point position. My 159-page, fully illustrated book is yours for the asking. Alex is a qualified Mountain Leader, adventure writer and content creator with an insatiable passion for the mountains. In this situation, you can use your compass to work out which direction magnetic north is and orientate from there. Center the compass on the map, with one of the baseplates long edges running between the two places of interest. Turn the map and compass together until the azimuth sighted lies under the Index Line. The angle between true north and magnetic north is declination. Come to think of it, I dont even know if he had a compass. Now it's time to take out the map. Orient the map to the terrain. Were going to use the back bearing of that to plot a line from Saddle Mountain towards our general direction on the map. Make sure the degrees of the dial are readable. For bearings of one to 179 degrees, rotate the bezel counter-clockwise. So, how are you going to acquire your point position? Learn Land Navigation Now. As we can see, the area Im in has a declination of 4E. Turn the compass and the map as a unit until the luminous magnetic arrow is directly under the fixed black line. The housing lines should be parallel with the maps vertical grid lines. But not to you, I trust. Open the cover completely and pull back the rear sight. This can be done either by (1) rotating the map the requisite number of degrees east or west or (2) holding the baseplate firmly, rotate the compass housing to the correct number of degrees west or east to account for the declination. Your cheek should be resting on the base of your thumb. Because most of the components are housed in a casing, moisture can wreak havoc once its in there. When you return from using your lensatic compass, take it apart as much as possible to detect any moisture. When orienting a map, our aim is to position it so that the north-south grid lines on the map (eastings) are aligned north-south. Hand placement: Insert your thumb through the thumb loop and the index finger along the compass. This is sometimes referred to as putting red in the shed. 2. It has its advantages and disadvantages over the orienteering compass. Overview. 3. Gently pull the lid down until the sighting line is visible through the lens. You see that the mountain is 24 in relation to you. The big idea normally is to have your map more or less line up with the terrain so you can make sense of where things are around you. If you have already adjusted your compass for magnetic declination, your map is now oriented and youre good to go. Of course, ignore all of this if youre hiking through the Netherlands or Florida, where hills and, by extension, contour lines are somewhat rare. How To Get Your Map and Compass To Face the Same Direction. The first step of orienting with our map and compass is to make sure north on the map lines up with north in our terrain. Line your lensatic compasss base plate up with the maps north-south lines. Here's an example from an older map of the Grand Canyon. With the thumb loop all the way down under the compass, put the thumb of one hand all the way inside the loop, and place the index finger of that same hand along one side of the compass. If not, recalibrate before continuing. north. If we didnt adjust for declination and were getting bearings for our destination from our map, well find ourselves off by 14 or more when we start walking. You can use it to find your bearings in any direction you need to go. Once you are physically at your starting location, it's time to put your compass to good use. Lensatic compasses are used by the United States military for a reason. The Art of Manliness participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links. If youre in the Adirondacks, youll want to add 14 so your true bearing would be 194. Lay your map out in front of you on a relatively flat and smooth (and dry!) Let's have a look at the sources that constantly give favorable points. Read the azimuth: Lastly, ensuring the dial is floating, look down on it and read the azimuth. To do so accurately, however, we must first adjust our compass for magnetic declination so the reading taken from the compass arrow . 4. Set your compass dial to 000 degrees. Lets break down the individual parts of a lensatic compass so you can understand every element behind how it works. Through his hiking, mountaineering, climbing and trail running adventures, Alex aims to inspire others to get outdoors. Lensatic compasses are seasoned or experienced navigator tools. Mt. You are missing your point location. ), you just dont know exactly where. So in this episode, well go through the abilities youll need. More or less, where the second line meets the first is where you are on the map. There you go. Were going to figure out where we are on that line now. Now hold the compass on the map and rotate yourself and the map/compass together until the orienting arrow and the compass needle are aligned to magnetic north. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Pull the lens holder up so that it is at a 90-degree angle to the base of the compass. Take a compass bearing on the peak to your southwest. Travel to that landmark. The reason contours are king is that they are fixed, at least in the timescales were talking about here. 2. Adjust the compass bezel so that north on the compass corresponds to north on the map. Open the cover completely and pull back the rear sight. Lets return to Muir Woods as an example. Read your compass (Figures 5-25 and 5-26). Turn the map and compass until the needle on the compass aligns with the north-south grid lines on the map. How to Use a Compass to Get Your Bearings. Assume youre going on a short trek from one location to another. You can use this feature to set your compass in the dark. If the contour interval is 10 meters, then what is the change in elevation of each intermediate contour . There are step-by-step to use a compass. So, don't sweat too much the minute details of getting your map finely oriented to the last degree with your compass. Next, turn the compass housing so that the index pointer corresponds to the number of degrees of the magnetic declination. He has climbed a handful of 6000ers in the Himalayas, 4000ers in the Alps, 14ers in the US, and loves nothing more than a good long-distance wander in the wilderness. The map is now oriented to the terrain. As previously stated, orientating your map using visual features is only as good as the visibility on any given day. 3. To obtain a heading from our map, we may use our compass as a protractor. Turn the bezel on your compass so that north on the compass points to north on the map. With your bezel ring set, stand at your starting point and . With solid land-navigation skills, you'll be more confident and "at home" in the wilderness. Shoot the reverse bearing you got with your compass from the top of Saddle Mountain on your map. Turn your map so that north on the map corresponds to the needles orientation. While this doesnt technically register as an electronic, were going to treat it like one. Lets say youre planning a short hike from one point to another. Customize the template with smart fillable areas. Put that hand up to the compass, steadying the compass by placing your index finger along the compass's side, and wrapping your thumb between the bezel ring and the rear sight. You can see that the mountain is 24 degrees away from you. Fog or dense forest may mean you cant see but a few feet around you in any direction. Lensatic compasses are made up of three parts: cover, base, and reading lens. This latter option is a cheat since grid lines have their own declination value. But heres where things get tricky: the angle of declination changes depending where you are on the earth. We need to compensate for the compass now that weve placed it on the map so that we can appropriately orient and travel. Line up your map with what you see around you. How Should I Set My GPS and Compass? Place the three remaining fingers below as if you are holding a gun. Whether or not you participate in orienteering, I'm confident you'll find that a properly oriented map is a huge help in finding your way. Once you master using a lensatic compass, it becomes the only way youll ever navigate around the wilderness moving forward. Well say the declination value is 10 degrees. Ethan Allan, the peak you observed, is cut through by the plotted line. Tilt it forwards until you can see your sighting arrow. Open it up using the cloud-based editor and begin editing. See that little black outline of an arrow? Brett May 23, 2016 Last updated: June 2, 2021. This was developed for the Center for Initial Military Training, FT Eustis, Va. Assume youre in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. But lets say youre in the Muir Woods near San Francisco and youre facing true north. So there you have it. To get among the sources, you can discover the fascinating point to acquire. A lensatic compass features a small pop-out area for your thumb, and a lid on top of the main compass body. Navigation has taken on many forms over the years. Youre on that line, so you know where youre standing. In Part I, we covered how to properly use a compass, how to shootyour bearings, and the best map for navigating: the topo map. Well use the rear bearing of it to draw a line on the map from Saddle Mountain to our approximate direction. There was a problem. A lightweight, well-engineered orienteering compass from the Finnish company that helped set the gold standard in navigation. Youll want to turn it until that black arrow outline is lined up with the 4E hash mark. He did this for ten days, taking us across numerous waterways and lakes. Turn your entire body as a unit until your predetermined azimuth falls under the fixed black index line. Make a mark with your pencil at the notch on the end furthest from the sighting wire. 2. The lensatic compass must always be held level and firm when sighting on an object and reading an azimuth. There is nothing better than being at the heart of your navigation as a prepper, and truly knowing where youre headed without the need for technological input. This is because it is prepped to point instead to magnetic north once its lined up with your compass needle. You want to know how to use a lensatic compass? Now its time to store your compass. 1. 6. Note that we will be moving and adjusting the compass on the map. To prevent this issue, well tweak our compass to account for declination. A Beginners Guide. Magnetic north lines up exactly when youre on this line and facing true north. One disadvantage is, unlike the orienteering compass, it's not easy to make it double as a protractor, meaning you'll have to carry a protractor with you. Place map on flat surface (not metal) 2. Sounds like a lot more than a regular compass, doesnt it? Pull your elbows firmly into your sides; this will place the compass between your chin and your belt. Looking at the map is an easy way of finding which direction north or east are relative to your current position. (Be sure you understand magnetic declination. Housing lines should be parallel to the vertical grid lines on the map. When your compass cant adjust for declination, you may make your own declination arrow out of masking tape and attach it below your compass under the right declination degree hash (This will only work if your compass has a clear base). for Faith in Humanity, how to orient a map using a lensatic compass, orient a map using a lensatic compass powerpoint. 3. Well, that is, unless you're doing something silly like holding the compass backwards. Your action from here depends on the value and direction of your declinationeast or west. Youre in the right place! Turn the compass cover more or less perpendicular to the base. Hold the compass with your thumb fully in the thumb ring, and your index finger wrapped around and gripping the circular part of the underneath of the compass's base. Next, ensure youre happy with your judgment by matching other physical features in the landscape to the map, such as crags, glaciers, waterfalls, lakes and rivers. Thankfully, its notwhether orienting your map with a compass or without, this is a skill that can be learned in minutes and which can be done in a matter of seconds out in the field. Before we can start actually navigating, which well get to in Part IIIof this series, we still need to learnwhere we are in relation to our maphow to orient ourselves. You don't want to hold it crooked, cockeyed, or off level. In my. Great article! B. USING A COMPASS Magnetic azimuths are determined with the use of magnetic instruments, such as lensatic and M2 compasses. Hey, it happens! You can figure this out with a little compass work. Wrap your middle, ring and pinky finger around your thumb for support. The term lensatic comes from the fact that there is a lens on the rear side of the compass that aids in the orienteering process. Take your compass and turn the compass housing (bezel) until the red orientating arrow is in line with the direction of travel arrow. Reserve! Don't worry that your red orientating arrow doesn't point exactly map north. True north is represented by a star. Steady the compass by allowing the hand holding the compass to rest in the cupped palm of your other hand. Program, Strengthen Your Tribe: A Report on the Atomic Athlete Vanguard, The Best Riddles for Kids (With Answers! ), Set Your Compass for Your Intended Azimuth. Double-check by making sure the map title or legend text is the correct way up, or find the maps north arrow. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & More: A Manual On Food Storage and Survival: 2nd Edition Revised and Updated. What if you dont have access to a compass that can compensate for declination? Method #2. This may arise when you don't know your current position but have taken a back bearing from a visible landmark (1) you can identify on the map. What's that? It's important to hold your compass stable, squarely in front of you, and level. Start with contour features, such as what the ground is doing in front of you and around you, what happens to the terrain in the middle distance and then whats going on in terms of distant mountain peaks, ridges, hills and escarpments. When orienting a map, our aim is to position it so that the north-south grid lines on the map (eastings) are aligned north-south. When map reading, there are two ways to orient a mapby eye and with a compass. Note: This procedure places the fixed black index line of the compass parallel to north-south grid lines of the map. For bearings of 181 to 359 degrees, rotate the bezel clockwise. What if you dont have a compass that allows you to adjust for declination? The U.S. military M-1950 lensatic compass shown in this video is still in use today. 3. You look out into the distance and you see another mountain peak, but you dont know the name of it. Now were going to find out where exactly we are on that line. Sometimes we may use GPS technology or navigational apps to find our way, but we will always have the option of a map and compass stashed safely in our hiking backpack. The keys to successfully navigating the wilderness are being able to determine your position, know where youre going and understand how terrain affects your movement abilities.