How Does A Compass Help You?

[+Eric K]

Dell sent an advertisement to me at work and it had a compass enclosed in it.

Anyway, I've seen lots of messages on geocachers using their compass to help them find the cache.

For someone like me that's never done orienteering how do you use a compass to help you find a cache?

I'm speculating that say if your GPS goes out under tree cover or starts bouncing all over you use your compass to follow a bearing??

 

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Edited August 4, 2004 by Eric K

[+garri]

I don't have an electronic compass in my GPSr, it only has a compass with NorthFinder, if i wear a compass i will find the north altough i am not in movement.

 

In one of my multi stages caches i ask what is the bearing of an artillery piece in a certain time if it was still active, passing this stage with a GPSr compass is very diffcult.

[+KVOM]

I always carry a compass looking for caches. The most common use is when the cache is in a place (e.g., wooded area) where reception is poor and EPE is high. If you find the nearest spot where reception is good, you can sight along the indicated bearing to get an idea where the cache might be located. Doing this from a couple of angles can give a 'fix' as long as you can see the area indicated (a tree for example).

 

A second use is navigating in the woods when not following a trail. It is very easy to get disoriented after dodging trees and deadfalls, so a compass showing the bearing to the cache or back to your car is really vital.

 

I have a GPSr that shows compass headings relative to the sun's position. This isn't useful on overcast days or when the sun is close to overhead.

 

When using a compass with a GPSr bearing, make sure the GPSr is set to use magnet rather than true heading.

[+2qwerqE]

Since my GPSr is a bottom of the line basic Etrex, it often has significant lag time while it bounces around under dense canopy, tall buildings or high ravines. The dial hasn't swung around to true yet, and sometimes takes a minute or more to average it's way out of an obstructed area. The compass on the geep can still be pointing north(or whatever) even if I make a turn, but it holds the distance memory of the last time it had a lock, and continues to guess how far you've traveled while it tries to find you again. The compass tells me that I'm still headed in the right direction until the GPSr gets happy again. It's especially useful while bushwacking in dense understory, with thick canopy overhead. The Geep will eventually find it's way, but I don't get turned around or lost trying to follow it while it's blind.

[lowracer]

Compasses make good swag, that's all they're good for. I wouldn't know how to use one. Who cares which way is north? What if I want to go east? What good would a north-pointing compass do me if I want to go East? I could make a million bucks manufacturing compasses that pointed to the other various directions that people need to go. One for east, one for southeast, etc. You'd keep a whole set of each kind of compass in your pack, then whichever way you needed to go, you just whip out that particular compass and follow it.

 

I'm glad they invented GPS or I'd always be lost.

[+strikeforce1]

Dell sent an advertisement to me at work and it had a compass enclosed in it.

Anyway, I've seen lots of messages on geocachers using their compass to help them find the cache.

For someone like me that's never done orienteering how do you use a compass to help you find a cache?

I'm speculating that say if your GPS goes out under tree cover or starts bouncing all over you use your compass to follow a bearing??

 

Thanks in advance for your answers.

I use a compass all the time. It saves me from switching screens back and forth. On most newer models, you have to be moving to utilize the compass. When I get near the waypoint 00.03 away, I always shoot a heading to my target. If I don't find it with in a few minutes, I'll walk away and re-shoot it from a different direction,. This gives me a cross hair point to search at. It's called "triangulation". It workd 99.9% of the time. It's also not affected, by tree cover as a GPSr is - not able to recieve satallite signals under heavy cover. Try it sometime a woodlot with heavy cove, I guarantee you'll use it, and have great results. You can test this way, go to some open area and mark a way point. Then obstruct your GPSr with a dense object and you'll loose sat.lock (instead of 3D lock - it will go to 2D or just 1D) and your accuracy will jump from 20 ft. to 50 -100 ft. This is similar to how tree cover and folige will block your gps.

I'm speculating that say if your GPS goes out under tree cover or starts bouncing all over you use your compass to follow a bearing??

EXACTLY I suggest you back up to get 3D sat.lock, then shoot a heading to your target. Keep in mind, for each 00.01 from target = about 6 (my ) paces depending on your stride. So, if I'm 00.03 from my target, I estimate 18-20 paces to target. Hope this helps! SF1

[+TotemLake]

The 3-axis electronic compass on the MeriPlat makes for easy triangulation on the move as it will point to the GOTO waypoint as well as indicating the bearing I'm walking and which way is North (and by default which way is East for lowracer )

 

It's a bit fuzzy but you can see the example here in my pic. The darkened arrow is pointing at the GOTO, the skinny arrow is pointing my COG, and the dotted line is the bearing I have the compass pointed in. N is magnetic North.

 

Edited August 4, 2004 by TotemLake

[+strikeforce1]

Compasses make good swag, that's all they're good for.  I wouldn't know how to use one.  Who cares which way is north?  What if I want to go east?  What good would a north-pointing compass do me if I want to go East?  I could make a million bucks manufacturing compasses that pointed to the other various directions that people need to go.  One for east, one for southeast, etc.  You'd keep a whole set of each kind of compass in your pack, then whichever way you needed to go, you just whip out that particular compass and follow it. 

 

I'm glad they invented GPS or I'd always be lost.   

Try it lowracer. You'll enjoy it .

Compasses make good swag, that's all they're good for.

I disagree 100%.

I wouldn't know how to use one.

That's what directions are for! It would take you 10 minutes to learn how to use one.

What if I want to go east?

Just turn the dial 90°, can't be any simpler than that!

 

You'd keep a whole set of each kind of compass in your pack, then whichever way you needed to go, you just whip out that particular compass and follow it.

You won't have room in your pak for caching bounty.

 

I'm glad they invented GPS or I'd always be lost.

Just make sure you carry extra batteries . A compass doesn't need them or recharging.

 

I could make a million bucks manufacturing compasses that pointed to the other various directions

Now you know how I retired so early in life!

Happy Caching SF1

[+HikingMan]

Simply, for a cache located in trees (a leafy month outdoors), find the straight line direction to the cache with your GPSr (could be as much as 150 feet off the trail and uneven ground), the compass will keep pointing under trees!

 

A compass works well except areas of magnetic unreliability or interference. You can get a (cheap) keychain type compass if you don't want to spend much. Make sure a cheap compass is accurate before relying on it.

Edited August 5, 2004 by HikingMan

[+JoesBar]

I highly recommend a compass and learning to use it. I am a "low tech" person. There are more features on my GPSr than I know how to use. Compasses are easy to learn and use. (And don't need batteries.) With a map and compass you can get anywhere in the woods. (and that includes bacl to your car) You may be able to find a local park system that offers a class. You only need to spend $10 and you will have a handy tool.

[+cachew nut]

I use mine most in the woods. I usually follow the arrow on my GPS until I'm very near, and then use the coordinate screen to zero in on the sweet spot.

 

The arrow on the GPS works best if you are moving in a straight line, but in the woods there are many obstacles like trees or rocks that keep you from heading in a straight line. Plus you could be standing still and then turning around to look some place else.

 

That's when I look at the coordinates. If the latitude number is too small, I use my compass to go north, if it's too big I go south. When the longitude is too small I head west and when it's too big I go east.

 

This usually works well for me provided the hider took the time to get the readings right.

Edited August 5, 2004 by cachew nut

[+Osmirik]

What if I want to go east? What good would a north-pointing compass do me if I want to go East? I could make a million bucks manufacturing compasses that pointed to the other various directions that people need to go.

Believe me, if you could make a compass that points east, you'd make a lot more than a million bucks

[+CYBret]

I responded to a similar question in this thread recently.

 

Only one thing to be careful about, though. Don't let THIS happen!

 

Bret

[+Mule Ears]

It's not a bad idea to learn how to use a map and compass for rudimentary navigation (like finding your way back to the car). With a little map and compass skill you're not--what's the technical term? ah yes--totally screwed should your GPS die out in the woods.

 

Further, since map and compass navigation is something of a lost art, you will be able impress the heck out of the totally techno-dependent by following a course guided by only a little magnetized splinter of steel.

 

A compass can also be a neat tool for photography. Here's the scenario: You're at a cache site that features a beautiful view. You whip out your digital camera to take a picture of some landscape feature in the distance. But what landscape feature? Unless you have very powerful map capabilities in your GPS you may not be able to tell. So you take out your compass and make a note of the direction that you pointed the camera for the picture. When you get home, you can lay a ruler on a map from the cache location along the bearing that you wrote down. The ruler will point to the landscape feature you photographed, and you'll be able to write a better caption for you cache log. Instead of "Distant Mountain" you'll authoritatively declare "Mist-shrouded Mount Magneto lies southwest of the cache."

[Cracker.]

I use mine most in the woods. I usually follow the arrow on my GPS until I'm very near, and then use the coordinate screen to zero in on the sweet spot.

 

The arrow on the GPS works best if you are moving in a straight line, but in the woods there are many obstacles like trees or rocks that keep you from heading in a straight line. Plus you could be standing still and then turning around to look some place else.

 

That's when I look at the coordinates. If the latitude number is too small, I use my compass to go north, if it's too big I go south. When the longitude is too small I head west and when it's too big I go east.

 

This usually works well for me provided the hider took the time to get the readings right.

Ditto!

 

This is how I use mine....

 

Sometimes my GPS will show the Distance to the cache at "X" ft away, in such and such direction... (usually within 30ft or so...)

 

If I cant find the cache within this 30ft or so radius, I'll flip to the Coord screen on the unit, and walk around until I am standing at the given coords....This seems to work well most of the time....

 

So I use the compass to move along either Lat or Long line until I'm at the given coords.

[+PandyBat]

Only one thing to be careful about, though. Don't let THIS happen!

 

Bret

Holy Cow! I read the cache page on that cache and nearly fell out of my chair! I thought it was a joke at first but had goosebumps by the time I got to the end of it. I don't think I will ever forget that cache owners name as long as I live! LOL

 

Suggest all newbies (and oldies) read it. Good advice!

[+Robespierre]

Compasses make good swag, that's all they're good for. I wouldn't know how to use one. Who cares which way is north? What if I want to go east? What good would a north-pointing compass do me if I want to go East? I could make a million bucks manufacturing compasses that pointed to the other various directions that people need to go. One for east, one for southeast, etc. You'd keep a whole set of each kind of compass in your pack, then whichever way you needed to go, you just whip out that particular compass and follow it.

 

I'm glad they invented GPS or I'd always be lost.

That was supposed to be a fairly impressive display of sarcasm, and NOBODY GOT IT, or, did I miss my guess?

[+cachew nut]

Only one thing to be careful about, though.  Don't let THIS happen!

 

Bret

Holy Cow! I read the cache page on that cache and nearly fell out of my chair! I thought it was a joke at first but had goosebumps by the time I got to the end of it. I don't think I will ever forget that cache owners name as long as I live! LOL

 

Suggest all newbies (and oldies) read it. Good advice!

I read the cache page as well, but I'm unfamiliar with the term "Dur." Anybody know what that means?

[+CompuCash]

Only one thing to be careful about, though.  Don't let THIS happen!

 

Bret

Holy Cow! I read the cache page on that cache and nearly fell out of my chair! I thought it was a joke at first but had goosebumps by the time I got to the end of it. I don't think I will ever forget that cache owners name as long as I live! LOL

 

Suggest all newbies (and oldies) read it. Good advice!

I read the cache page as well, but I'm unfamiliar with the term "Dur." Anybody know what that means?

 

ditto

 

[+2Est8Attys]

Holy Cow, where's Markwell when we need him? Why do you need a compass? Look here. Be sure to read on for his excellent discussion on triangulation.

[+KC0GRN]

Compasses make good swag, that's all they're good for.

Actually I just Macguyvered a new use for a compass, though it's a little unorthodox.

 

Ever been on those urban Micro hides? Say your average magnetized tin stuck under a fence? Well I was out walking with the roommate last night and we talked of ways you could detect a magnetic field, so a compass came into my mind.

 

So instead of fumbling around reaching under fences and the like, get a cheap compass and go over the area. When the compas needle goes haywire, you should be close, if not on, the magnet.

 

There's one in my downtown I tried last night near a bus stop with tons of Muggles, so I wasn't able to search long, I know it's magnetized though, so I'll be testing my theory out in the next couple days to see if it actually works or helps.

[+NightPilot]

The magnetic field of a magnet like those used to stick micros on iron is very small. You have to be within a couple of feet to see much movement on the compass, maybe less depending on how much iron is nearby. Compasses react to iron, whether it's magnetized or not. A car sitting nearby will cause more reaction from the compass than a small magnet will, and iron the magnet is stuck to will also have a big effect. Good luck, McGuyver!

[+Renegade Knight]

The only use I've ever had for a compass while geocaching was when a bearing was part of a multi cache. I improvised wiht the compass on my GPS V which was interesting but got me through. After that cache I bought one and have only used it once when a cache was given as a distance and bearing from an old cache location.

 

For hunting a cache I can't see the need. My GPS points me at the location and that arrow is good enough to take your bearing from. That same arrow is good for triangulating in heavy tree cover. Since my GPS can get me to within 10' without any problems the compass stays in my pack. 10' is close enough to look to start looking and a compass won't do me any better.

 

Now if I was in the middle of the Arco deseret on some back roads and I couldnt' see the mountains to keep my bearings and my GPS died then yes I can see the need for a compass. For caches that have a route that takes me off road a long ways I always print out a map.

 

That's the long way to say a compass would help me in a pinch or to solve certain caches. The rest of the time it just sits in my pack waiting for the day it's called into service.

[+NightPilot]

For getting distance and bearing from a location projecting a waypoint on the GPS is the best way. I wouldn't try to use a compass for that unless I had to. But I do use a compass for finding caches. In heavy woods, I often find an opening to get a good position, and then use the compass for a heading. With my Legend, the arrow only works when I'm moving, and it's only accurate with a good signal. That's why I don't use it, I use the trip computer page. The compass always points me in the right direction. There have been several caches I may not have found without a compass, and it certainly made them easier.