+Cooter13 Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 With a GPS I understand its limitations so a compass is in order. I have searched the site, but have not found a thread devoted to compasses. I have noticed the Suunto makes a compass specifically designed for a GPS and am wondering if this is worth purchasing or should a general orienteering compass do the trick. See the happy moron He doesn't give a da** I wish I were a moron My God, perhaps I am Author Unkown Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 There are two compass threads here in Getting started that were active recently. More info there than I can provide here. Also try doing a find on compass. "You can't make a man by standing a sheep on his hind legs. But by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" - Max Beerbohm Quote Link to comment
+Cooter13 Posted September 1, 2003 Author Share Posted September 1, 2003 Thanks for the suggestion, I have read most of the threads already and that is why I posted the question. Maybe a better topic would have been what compass do you use, why and what would be your recomendation? I have a pretty good sense of direction and have traditionally not used one while hunting or camping in familiar terriority, but I can see the value in using one for caching. See the happy moron He doesn't give a da** I wish I were a moron My God, perhaps I am Author Unkown Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 There are also GPS's that have on-board electronic compasses. The Garmin Vista and Megellan Meridian Plaatimum are two of these type. I have a Vista and find it very fconvenient and helpful in finding caches. Good luck. Alan Quote Link to comment
Bobthearch Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 The Garmin GPSMAP76S also has an electronic compass. But it's setill best to have a real compass for backup when you're really in the wilderness. I choose the M-3 series by Suunto. There are compasses specifically designed for accompanying GPSes, but I've never tried one of those. You might shop for a UTM grid made of clear plastic that overlays on a topo map. For my work it's essential to confirm the GPS locations. Best Luck, Bob Quote Link to comment
+shawhh Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 i agree that the suunto m3 is great. have used mine orienteering, navigating on land and water, and caching. does all you'll ever need. there are a variety of grid readers available. try www.rangerjoe.com. i'm sure there are others as well, but i don't know them. good luck. -harry Quote Link to comment
+Cooter13 Posted September 1, 2003 Author Share Posted September 1, 2003 Follow up. I purchased a Suunto M-3G-Global, what was in stock. Seems to be the recomendation on the board and it seems to work for the finding N. As for the FAQ, there seems to be no mention of using a compass. I might need to make mention to the Admin to have a list of suggested items to have in a cache hunt. I think a compass would be close to the top below basic survival gear, shelter, water, food. See the happy moron He doesn't give a da** I wish I were a moron My God, perhaps I am Author Unkown Quote Link to comment
Bobthearch Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 'Map and Compass' is one of the Ten Essentials developed by the Wilderness Education Association. I doubt they have any plans to substitute GPS... The map template I mentioned is refered to as a "UTM Coordinate Grid" and can be bought at Forestry Suppliers, Inc. (catalog item number 47917). You can buy smaller templates too. Best Wishes, Bob Quote Link to comment
+Cooter13 Posted September 1, 2003 Author Share Posted September 1, 2003 I have not read this book yet, but I ordered it. It seems too good to pass up. What are your thoughts on it? Book Email me ccarter@viclink.com in about a week and I will have received it and had a chance to check it out. See the happy moron He doesn't give a da** I wish I were a moron My God, perhaps I am Author Unkown Quote Link to comment
+15Tango Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 I have both a military lensatic compass and a Silva Ranger that I use as backups, depending on which one I find first when I walk out the door--both were reasonably priced (the G.I. compass was free), and I haven't wished for any features that they didn't have. "Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles. What do we live for if not to make the world less difficult for each other?"--George Eliot Quote Link to comment
Tahosa and Sons Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Cooter13:I have not read this book yet, but I ordered it. It seems too good to pass up. What are your thoughts on it? Before you spend some $$$$ go to Garmin and find the new manual on using GPS & Maps. A book I would recommend is "Route Finding" Navigating with Map and Compass. Tahosa - Dweller of Mountain Tops. Quote Link to comment
+shawhh Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 just visited forestry suppliers, inc. website. the grid readers looked super. thanks for pointing out this supplier bobthearch! recommend to all. -harry Quote Link to comment
+MtnLion Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 I have an eTrex Vista with onboard compass. I like it very much. I have a Silva Landmark compass to go with it. It's much better. I use both, but the Landmark is very useful when going under treecover when the Vista's sat lock gets finicky. I can take a bearing in a clearing and then use the Landmark to navigate in a straight line. Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 MtnLion: Why? The only thing you lose is the bearing arrow. Even though you lose satellite lock, the Vista's compass rose continues to work since it works magneticaly, the same way as your Silva. After you lkeave the clearing, you can follow either your Vista's or the SIlva's compass. They both work the same way. Now, if you really want to get something neat though, get one of these $150.00 Tifanny 1836 silver compass boxes. It's no good on a quad map, but it sure is sexy. Alan Quote Link to comment
+MtnLion Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Alan2:MtnLion: Why? The only thing you lose is the bearing arrow. Even though you lose satellite lock, the Vista's compass rose continues to work since it works magneticaly, the same way as your Silva. After you lkeave the clearing, you can follow either your Vista's or the SIlva's compass. They both work the same way. Now, if you really want to get something neat though, get one of these $150.00 Tifanny 1836 silver compass boxes. It's no good on a quad map, but it sure is _sexy._ Alan Yeah, good point. I wasn't really thinking, I guess. What I experience regularly is that the compass on the Vista gets wiggy and flips back and forth oddly if I'm sort of wandering around in a tight spot. It seems to need me to walk in a straight line for a while to get it back on track. I find that the Landmark compass is much more fluid and easy to deal with if I just want to use a compass while moving slowly and turning often around and around. I love my Vista, and use it's compass most of the time. It's just when I really get in close to the cache and start zigging and zagging around that I like the Landmark better. Mostly I enjoy juggling many different nerdy navigational aides while trying to sidestep the stinging nettles and poison ivy My comment shows my ignorance and a mindless assumption about how the Vista compass works. Yours, MtnLion Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 You're not mindless at all. Dispite my comment I too forget that the compass is still working after I lose the arrow. The problem is I don't bother to check the actual bearing indegrees while the arow is there. So once it disappears, I have to relock on the sats to "get my bearing'. I should spend more time noticing the actual bearing in degrees. Just got an idea. If you're walking through heavy cover, while you have the bearing arrow, set up "sight n go" to the same bearing. Then the arrow will stay on the original bearing and you follow that regardless of whether you lose the sats. AIt's really not diffewnt than following the compass rose, but you get a nice big arrow. Alan Quote Link to comment
+S.A.R 29 Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 I have to agree, the Silva Ranger is a good choice. It is a very dependable compass. I have used one for many years. Quote Link to comment
Citizensmith Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 I too have a silva. Mine is actually a compas-clinometer (it'll do declination as well as bearings). The best part though is a sighting mirror. You can hold the compass up at eye level, line you're target up with a notch on the case, and the mirror lets you see where the needle is pointing. About as easy to use as you can get. Quote Link to comment
shrekTBA Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 I have a Brunton GPS compass, makes it simple to take a map and get coordinates for anywhere on the map, also to mark where you are on the map (completes the "big picture"). It is cake to use and extremely well made as well as pretty inexpensive. It really helped me get from the GPS to the maps and in planning where I want to go using maps that are not available on a GPS. I have used it with BLM/ forest service maps as well as NGS maps, puts a fun new dimension on this sport. Just takes some practice. It's not a sport unless there is something dead in the back of the truck when you get home.8096 compass Quote Link to comment
+SearchRescueDog Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 I am a big fan of the Brunton 8096 Eclipse GPS compass. It is inexpensive ($30) and has a UTM reader built-in to the baseplate. It also comes with a Lat/Long ruler. I am thinking about picking up a 8099 Eclipse compass soon, even though there isn't that much use for a mirrored compass around here. Quote Link to comment
Bobthearch Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Gotta tell ya I had *terrible* luck with with the Eclipse. Here's why I returned mine to Brunton and demanded my money back (more like $45): * the lettering on the compass was merely printed on, versus quality compasses that are actaully etched in. The lettering on mine lasted less than a week. * the solid-colored disk (whatever they call it) in the center of the compass made it useless for overlaying onto a map. * the lack of grid lines on the base of the compass made it difficult to align with a map. Hope you have better luck than I did. Perhaps they made some changes since I bought one... -Bob Quote Link to comment
+Cooter13 Posted September 8, 2003 Author Share Posted September 8, 2003 quote: I have not read this book yet, but I ordered it. It seems too good to pass up. What are your thoughts on it? I received the book, a really cool scale and the whole thing was delivered when promised. The book is very thorough, not so much in using the GPS, but is very good knowledge for navigation. See the happy moron He doesn't give a da** I wish I were a moron My God, perhaps I am Author UnkownBook Quote Link to comment
+headmj Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 I use a $7 Silva I bought at Wal-Mart. I use it when I am close to a cache and the compass screen becomes unreliable because I am moving too slowly. Works just fine! I have been using one of these since my Boy Scout days in the early 60's. Do the more expensive compasses have more features? Yes! Will my cheapie get me out of the woods if my GPS fails? YES! Quote Link to comment
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