Compass "How to" books?

J

JBP

Joined
Aug 26, 2000
Messages
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Let's say a guy is not a pro with a compass, or better yet, has not used one for more than play really. What book or books might you recommend to get him up to speed on the proper use of a compass with a map?

I have NORMARK made (not OUR Normark) compass that has a nice hard case with a lid that closes. Inside, it says:
Outward: Point the arrows (inside lid) in the direction of travel. Turn the ring with the white printing so slot in white marker matches scale line NORTH.
Return: Folow the lines when scale line SOUTH matches slot.

Pretty simple eh? Anyway, I need (want) to learn how to properly use a compass with a map.

On that note.... has anyone used Topo USA maps from Delorme program? I wonder if they are good or if a regular topo map from the store is needed?

Jon
 
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... now that is a good question.....

perhaps I know of one
smile.gif


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Greg Davenport
Simply Survival's Wilderness Survival Forum
Simply Survival's Web Page
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?
 
The use of a map and compass is tough without direction. I'd look at some of the resources for orienteering such as this one:
http://www.williams.edu:803/Biology/orienteering/o_index.html
Orienteering is basically a race past checkpoints which you locate using - you guessed it - a map and compass. There are lots of books with instructions from simple to highly advanced. There are also some online instructions.
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by JBP:
What book or books might you recommend to get him up to speed on the proper use of a compass with a map?</font>
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I wouldn't, as I can't imagine it'd take a whole book.

My suggestion is this site:
http://www.uio.no/~kjetikj/compass/
<img src="http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/knives/.1x1knives.gif" alt="" height=0 width=0>


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Urban Fredriksson www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
 
Get greg's book, Wilderness Survival!

Still the best chapter on navigation out there!

Greg, go my email problem fixed -- so I'll send the stuff when I get back today to my place.

Best,

Brian.
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Jebediah:
FM21-26, Map Reading & Land Navigation, Dept. of the Army (1993), plus earlier editions </font>
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This is on the web, at:

http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/21-26/toc.htm

<small>(Interestingly, I don't find anything remotely as detailed on land navigation among the Swedish defence forces documents at http://www.fmuhc.mil.se/fmpub/pub.html which I think is because it's taken for granted we know how to use a map and compass. I find six paragraphs on how navigation and maps differs subarctic treeless highlands in "Vintersoldat" and the importance of keeping a straight course and ways to do it, and always having a compass, are stressed in the survival manual "Överlevnadsboken", and backup navigation methods are mentioned -- in the section "Förflyttning och orientering" -- which I mention here because it's got lots of illustrations and may be interesting to look at even if you don't read Swedish. A 6MB zipped PDF file of the latter can be downloaded at http://www.fmuhc.mil.se/fmpub/pubdok/overlev.zip .)</small>
 
You may want to inquire at local universities or sporting goods stores to see whether there are any orienteering groups active in the area. Learn by doing.
 
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