Who All Uses A Compass Along With Gps?

[Warbones]

I was wondering who all uses a compass along with the compass that our GPS unit has. Like a cheap coleman one.

[+IVxIV]

I always use a seperate mechanical compass during cache quests, but only once I get within around 50 feet of ground zero.

 

I find the GPS compass bearing can bounce around too much especially under tree cover & that gets too frustrating.

[+Night Stalker]

I don't use mine all the time, but carry it with me in case I get into an area with poor coverage. You can take a sighting while you still have decent coverage and continue on in a straight line.

[+bons]

I often use my $6 Brunton. I'm a luddite. I trust simple things that work instantly. The compass always points north. The GPS is busy trying to figure out where I am by figuring out where all these objects in orbit are and how far they are from me and maybe I'm moving in this direction and it's all too Rube Goldbergesque for me.

 

Give me a magnet, a needle, and a bowl of water any day.

Edited April 10, 2004 by bons

[+Renegade Knight]

I have one and never use it for caching unless the cache requires a compass to take a bearing. Right now I don't even know where it is...

[+SeaTrout]

I almost always use my compass. My Gpsr only has a calculated compass and

while standing still it is useless. I like to take multiple approaches(with compass)

to help triangulate towards the cache.

Seatrout

[+TotemLake]

I carry a magnetic compass to act as a backup, but so far, the MeriPlat's floating 3-axis compass works just right for me and I use it when I'm within 30' of the target.

[+GeoRetep]

I also always carry a compass with me when caching, and have used it quite a few times when there is tree cover. I've had several experiences with letting my Geko 201 sit for awhile, then take a bearing and pace myself to within a few feet of the cache. It was great!

 

The funny thing is that my little Brunton seems to only work while I'm moving. How odd

[+SBPhishy]

I usually carry a compass, but have yet to really need it. So far, my MeriGold takes me right to the cache.

[+flask]

it's good idea to bring your compass. come to think of it, it's a good idea to be map-proficient. when you drop yout GPS on a rock or down a cliff, (and you'll notice i use the word "when") you'll be better off.

[+New England n00b]

I use a compass too... I have an eTrex Legend, and teh dirction finder mode is uselss when you slow down or stop. When I hit 40 feet or less, I'll break out the compass. I also like to use it at trail intersections to verify I am going the right way. It isn't really necessary, but I get a warm fuzzy from it.

[+Brianslost]

I always bring mine, a not-to-expensive-but-nice Swiss Army brand one. I use the GPSr until I stop moving fast enough to get an accurate reading on the pointer. Then I switch to a screen that gives me the bearing and distance. Then I just ignore the GPSr pointer, take a bearing from my compass and slowly narrow in on the point. Love my compass.

[+Jestre]

I find myself using mine more and more. I get within X feet, take a bearing, and let the hunt begin!

[+Jestre]

I find myself using mine more and more. I get within X feet, take a bearing, and let the hunt begin!

 

-- Am I stuttering? No idea how I ended up with two copies... sorry --

Edited April 10, 2004 by Jestre

[+PeachyPA]

My husband gave me my GPRr for my birthday in September and has accompanied me on many cache hikes. He gave me a good compass ($20+), don't remember the brand, for Christmas and showed me how to use the bearing numbers. I use it within 40 feet. It was good to have on hand when I had five boys with me last week in MD; the boys were bouncing all over the place and the compass helped us go in the right direction. I won't go caching without mine now.

 

PeachyPA

Punxsutawney, PA

[gm100guy]

Good Compass

 

You should get this one so you can always use your gps to give you your cords in utm and then plot them on your topo map that your carry as back up.

 

[+E = Mc2]

I always carry my Silva Ranger with me when I'm in the field. That and a good Topo map will get me back to the truck should both my GPSR's decide to go belly up or the batteries die. I frequently stop and take a bearing just so I don't have to hold the GPSr's while trying to get my fat rearend up and down these hills. The first thing I taught my son to do was how to shoot an azimuth; then we talked about editing waypoints.

[+Team XTerror]

I carry a compass. I've found one cache that needed it.

[+NightPilot]

I'm far too cheap to pay for a GPS with an electronic compass. You can get a real compass of very good quality for far less, no batteries required. I have a magnetic compass, and it will continue to work until the earth's magnetic field reverses. Then I might have to relabel things, if I'm still alive and can still walk. I carry it with me, and use it to take bearings as I get close. When I get within 75 to 100 ft or so of the cache, I read the distance, the direction, and can usually spot the cache location, or at least very near it.

[+TotemLake]

I found the difference between a good GPS receiver without a compass and a good GPS receiver with a compass is the price of a good compass. Note I did not say the price of a cheap compass.

 

I always say you can't have too many compasses. I carry one in the pocket, one is integrated into my Suunto watch, and the one in my MeriPlat. The advantage to having a floating compass integrated into the MeriPlat is it also points at the waypoint with an additional arrow at the same time you see which way is north.

Edited April 11, 2004 by TotemLake

[uperdooper]

i have one but have only used it a couple of times.

[+EScout]

A compass is an essential piece of equipment. One of my hidden caches is under tree cover. A cacher had trouble finding it, and emailed for a hint. I told him use his GPSr in the clear and set a bearing to the cache with a compass and he instantly found it.

[+strikeforce1]

I have to use mine all the time. I run a Garmin GPS12 ( older version) and when it get to xxx.03 away I have to use a compass. On this older model, at xxx.02 away the bearing / heading drops out, and just tells me I'm xx. 01 or .00 away with no bearing or heading. As SeaTrout stated, if I can't get on it right away I triangulate from a few areas and it puts me on it. I just can't part with a few hundred $$'s on a new one . I've seen some new ones, send cachers off course and out of the way, to get there. Others make you keep walking to give a bearing.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

I always have my Military Lensatic with me.