Map & Compass – so easy a
caveman can do it!
Compass Basics
•Opening Comments
•Terms of a compass
•Boxing a needle
•Get a bearing (you to a point)
•Get a bearing (a point to you)
•Orienting a map
•Get a bearing on a map (from you to a point)
•Get a bearing on a map (from a point to you)
Note: We will do practice exercises very slowly
Opening Comments
• Demonstrate effects of metal on compass
• Note: There are many ways to teach map and compass. For the
purpose of this course, there is only one way (as given in your
course handout).
• Every person in this course needs to learn Map & Compass. People
have become separated from friends and loved ones in the
wilderness. Everyone who goes out in the wilderness needs to have
basic Map & Compass skills.
• Do not think that a GPS will save you in the wilderness. Good GPS
skills and great mapping skill go together hand-in hand.
• Bring compass that the course provides !!!
• Do not jump ahead during the lecture – let me walk you through
each slide!
Terms of a Compass
Direction of Travel
Bearing Index Point
(white line under
number)
Needle Box
Compass Needle
Red end points
Magnetic North
Dial
Base plate
Map & Compass Terms
• Bearing – The direction of a point relative to your
position.
• Declination – The angular difference between
True North and Magnetic North on the surface of
the earth (once you orient your map, you don’t
have to worry about declination again).
• True North - Your map is based on True North
(or Grid North). Envision a north axis (top) of the
earth as it spins, or North Pole. See next slide.
• Magnetic North – The red end of your compass
needle points to Magnetic North. See slide after
next.
Super-imposed Grid Lines showing
Grid North or True North
Grid North here
Magnetic North - “…determined that the average position of the North Magnetic Pole in 1994
was located on the Noice Peninsula, southwest Ellef Ringnes Island, at 78.3 degrees North,
104.0 minutes West. The yearly motion of the pole has increased, and is now 15 kilometers
per year.” Geological Survey of Canada
True North
grid line
Boxing a needle
(This displays a needle not boxed)
Needle
(red end)
outside of
box
Boxing a Needle - (This displays a boxed needle)
Big note – Sometimes you will box the needle by moving your feet,
sometimes by moving the compass dial, and sometimes by moving the
map.
Your bearing is
read here: 320° (note the white line
under the number)
Needle
(red end)
boxed
Big Concept – How to box a needle !!!
I will demo first, then the next slides will walk you thru it.
• A. Demo how to hold compass and view a
distant object
– Demo how to hold a compass at waist level and
adjust dial to box compass (used when getting a
bearing from you to a distant point).
• B. Demo how to hold a compass at waist level
and box needle by moving feet (used when
setting a bearing on a compass and determining
a direction of travel).
• (give me a bearing (1° thru 360 °)
1st Exercise – Find the bearing from you to a mountain peak in the
distance.
1. Hold compass up and point Direction of Travel arrow at (area
to be named):
This is the Direction of Travel arrow.
Note the small triangle on the tip –
center this on the peak !!!
2. Bring compass down to waist level. Make sure compass is
level so that the needle floats freely. Box arrow by moving the
dial:
Move dial to
box as shown
3. Example of “not boxed” :
Not boxed
4. Read your bearing at the Bearing Index Point
Bearing Index Point
(White line under “N”)
2nd Exercise – someone tells you to follow a
bearing of 90° or 270° from your current position.
1. Stand up.
2. Hold compass at waist level and keep compass level.
3. Move the dial on your compass until 90° (or E) appears at
the Bearing Index Point.
4. Box the needle by moving your feet to the left or right.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Stand up.
Hold compass at waist level and keep compass level.
Move the dial to 270 ° (or W) at the Bearing Index Point
Box the needle by moving your feet to the left or right.
Orienting a map
(Student Exercise)
Step 1. Align Direction
of Travel Arrow and
Arrow Box on
compass.
Align Direction of
Travel arrow and
Arrow Box to be
point in same
direction by moving
the compass dial.
Orienting a map cont.
Step 2.
Align
compass
on side of
map as
shown
(side is
highlighted
in green
on your
map).
Note: Needle is
not boxed at this
time.
Step 3. Grab
corner of map
and move left
or right to box
needle.
Orienting a Map cont.
Note: Needle is
boxed.
1st Big Visual Check
– all 3 arrows are
pointing in same
direction
Step 4.
Grab corner
of map and
move until
magnetic
needle of
compass is
about 13° to
the right of
the Arrow
Box. The
map is now
oriented.
Important
2nd Big Visual
check: the
magnetic arrow
should be to the
right of the box
arrow in the same
manner as the
diagram below
Your Map is now
oriented for declination
Obtain a bear from you to a peak
(on a map)
• Orient your map as per previous exercise.
• Important – after you orient your map,
do not move your map !!! We orient the
map to adjust for magnetic declination.
Features on the map are now oriented to
you as they are on the ground. Do not
pick up the map and walk around with it
trying to find things.
• Follow next slides.
Obtain a bear from you to a peak (on a map)
Point of interest
Direction Arrow always points
towards Point of Interest
Note: needle is
not boxed yet
1. Draw a line from your
position to your Point of
Interest # 1 on map 2. Align
compass on line as shown
with Direction of Travel
arrow pointing at Point of
Interest.
You are here
Obtain a bear from you to a peak (on a map) cont.
3. Rotate dial to box needle
4. Read your Bearing at your
Bearing Index Point – the
bearing is 290° from you to
the peak. (a little inaccurate
as pictured).
Last concept
- Obtain a bear from a peak to you
(on a map)
3. Rotate dial to box
needle, as shown
1. Draw a line from your
Point of Interest to your
position. 2. Align compass
on line as shown with
Direction of Travel arrow
pointing at your position
4. Read your Bearing at
your Bearing Index Point –
the bearing is 110° from
the peak to you.
Bonus – Based on the reading from the previous slide, how can you
determine the 2nd bearing without putting the compass on the map?
Questions
Question: If the bearing from you to a peak is 200°, what is the
bearing from peak to you?
Answer - 20°. If the bearing to the peak is greater than 180°,
subtract 180. If the bearing is less than 180°, then add 180 to
the bearing (Look at your compass to get a visualization)
Question: What is the best way to find where you are on a
map?
Answer: Always know where you are at ! Track your
movement on the map from the moment you park your
car. Do not try to hike for a few hours and figure things
out later.
Advanced Practice
Trianglization - Locating yourself by sighting 3 points
(without using a GPS).
• We will not demonstrate in this class (field exercise only).
• Orient your map on the ground.
• Must identify 3 good points of reference, widely separated. Next slide will
demonstrate.
• Standing up and using the compass to sight on each of the reference points,
determine bearing from you to each reference point/peak.
• Use straight edge and compass to draw a line from each peak/reference
point using those bearings. Note: You must put the straight edge on the
peak (with the Direction of travel arrow pointing at the peak) and box the
arrow with the bearing you got for that peak/reference point.
• A triangle (as shown in next slide) will form where the 3 bearings intersect.
• You are located somewhere within that triangle.
• The more peaks that you sight and add, the smaller the triangle will become.
Trianglization
• The 3 Biggest Secret to Map & Compass
1. Practice
2. Practice
3. Practice