Seattle).Ī compass may appear very complex at first sight - different colors, numbers, lines going in every direction. In the United States, declination ranges from -20 (eg. You must make the adjustment manually by adding or subtracting the amount of the declination. Math becomes your best friend with these non-adjustable compasses. Inexpensive compasses do not have a declination adjustment, so you cannot set it and forget it.
#Logicbots compass tutorial manual#
You'll have to consult the manufacturers manual for your specific model. Some compasses use a small screw that adjusts the dial, while other compasses require you to push and twist the dial to the correct declination. Every manufacturer has a different way of adjusting the declination. Once you set the declination, you don't have to worry about it until to change your location. You can set the compass for the declination of the area in which you are using the compass. Most, but not all, compasses have a declination adjustment. It will look something like the Declination Diagram shown on the right. You also can check a recent topo map, which should have the declination printed on it somewhere. You can find your declination using online tools. You should always check the current declination for your area as it changes due to shifts in the Earth's magnetic north pole. Compasses within the agonic line will point to both true north and magnetic north simultaneously.
The only exception is the agonic line, which connects the north and south magnetic poles and has a zero declination.
Knowing this value is essential, if you walk at the wrong heading, you could quickly find yourself miles off course.Įvery place on the globe has some degree of declination. In the United States, the declination can be as high as 20 degrees east on the West Coast and 20 degrees west on the east coast. and usually needs to be calculated and accounted for prior to setting your compass.īecause of the Earth's magnetic fields, there is a discrepancy between the magnetic north where the compass points and the north that you find on the map, ie the declination. Magnetic north is where your compass points. Huh? True north (also called geographic north) is considered to be the top of the globe, where Santa lives. Declination is the difference between true north and magnetic north.
In fact, with nothing else but a compass and a map, you'll be able to follow a bearing in the field, find your location on a map and reach any set of GPS coordinates.īut before diving into each scenario, let's look at an important factor that is going to influence how you use a compass - declination.
#Logicbots compass tutorial how to#
In this post, we're going to show you how to use a compass in different scenarios so you can easily orient yourself in the wild.
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