Compass Instructions
To do an orienteering course you need to know several things. What your pace is and
how to read a compass. By using the Pace Line and its instructions you can figure out
your pace. Using a compass is not that difficult after you learn how. You will need to use
the bearing given at
each station to get
to the next station.
First you line up the
bearing given with
the line of travel
mark by turning the
dial. Next you turn
your whole body
until the red part of
the needle is in
North (Red) arrow.
Once that is done,
the direction of
travel arrow will be
on the correct
bearing. That is the
direction you need
to go. For example: If you need to go 250˚, you would turn the dial so that the 250˚ mark
is in line with the line of travel mark. Then you turn your whole body until the red part of
the needle is in the North (Red) arrow. The direction in which the Direction of Travel
Arrow is pointing is now at 250˚. That is the direction you need to go.
In Summary:
 Read the bearing at the station and turn the dial until that bearing lines up with the
Line of Travel Mark.
 Then turn your whole body until the red part of the needle is in the North (Red)
arrow.
 The direction that the Direction of Travel Arrow is facing is now the direction that
the bearing is, and as such is the direction you need to go.
 Good Luck!
In using the orienteering course you need to put the compass and pacing line instructions
together. You use the direction you get at each station with your compass and use your
pace to get from one station to the next. In traveling between stations you need to keep
the compass as flat as possible on your hand and keep the needle from moving out of the
North (Red) arrow as much as possible. Doing this will get you to the next station, or if
not, relatively close to it. Make sure that you don't just look around for the next station
because if you do you may end up at the totally wrong station and have to go back and try
again.