Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Compass & Map Training

Direction of Travel Arrow Orienting Arrow and fluorescent dots Parts of a Compass Direction of Travel Arrow Dial or Graduation ring Magnifying Glass Bearing Index Compass needle – Red points North In the early 1940’s, world famous orienteer Björn Kjellström, founder of Silva, Inc. in North America, worked with the Boy Scouts of America, as well as a variety of orienteering clubs to promote map and compass use in overnight backpacking, dayhiking, hunting and orienteering. Tungsten Steel needle with friction free sapphire jeweled bearing. Liquid filled capsule, with permanently clear anti-static liquid dampening, stops the needle in less that 4 seconds. Ultrasonically welded, waterproof. Ergonomic and comfortable, hand contoured base plate is distortion-free so you see map details clearly. Red orienting arrow for a “Red to North Red” needle match quickly gives the right direction. USGS map scale. Non-radioactive luminous points. Direction of travel arrow. Magnifying lens for viewing map details. Declination correction scale. Rotating dial with Index Line sets the course. 2° Graduations. Guaranteed to function accurately in temperatures from -40°F to +140°F. Orienting Arrow and fluorescent dots North-south lines or orienting lines

Compass Cardinal Points There are four cardinal points on a compass - North, South, East, and West. When reading a compass, and telling other people directions, you need to explain in cardinal points. Right and Left are relative directions and differ depending on your location and direction, but the cardinal points are constant. The direction halfway between North and East is an intercardinal point and is called NorthEast. The other three intercardinal points are SouthEast, SouthWest, and NorthWest.

Principles parts of a Compass The main working part of a compass is the magnetic 'needle' that floats on a central pivot. The red end always points to the Earth's magnetic north pole. The outer ring is marked with the cardinal points of the compass (N-S-E-W) and marked every 2 degrees. These markings are used to get bearings (the direction from where you are, to where you want to go). If you rotate the ring to line-up the red north of the needle to the red arrow on the baseplate, a bearing can be taken from the compass ring.

Where is North? A paper clip or watch could influence your compass. Keep metal objects aware when taking a bearing. Grid North is the North indicated on the map. To convert magnetic North to Grid North we need to turn the compass housing 2 degrees anticlockwise. (Check your map)

THE SYLVA SYSTEM – Easy as 1-2-3 MAP AND COMPASS THE SYLVA SYSTEM – Easy as 1-2-3 Point the baseplate to your destination Point the baseplate to your destination – Orient the map to north and place your compass on the map with the edge along the desired line of travel.

THE SYLVA SYSTEM – Easy as 1-2-3 MAP AND COMPASS THE SYLVA SYSTEM – Easy as 1-2-3 Set Compass Heading Set Compass Heading -- Turn the compass Dial until “N” points to the North on your map. Your direction in degrees is read at the Index Line on the Dial.

THE SYLVA SYSTEM – Easy as 1-2-3 MAP AND COMPASS THE SYLVA SYSTEM – Easy as 1-2-3 Follow Your Heading Follow Your Heading – Remove the compass from the map and hold it level, so the Magnetic Needle is free to turn. Turn your body until the red end of the Needle aligns with the Orienting Arrow and “N” on the Dial. Using the Direction of Travel Arrow, sight a distant landmark and move to it. Repeat this process until you reach your destination.

Determining the bearing to an object is just like finding your heading Determining the bearing to an object is just like finding your heading. Turn to face the object and do the steps for determining your heading. Here's a simple exercise to try... On a hike to Pathfinder, you see a strange rock formation off in the distance. Using your compass, you take a bearing to it as shown top right. Learning how to use a compass to follow a line of travel is simply pausing to take a reading occasionally while hiking. In the picture below right, you're trying to find your way to the lake in the distance to refill your water supply. In this opening in the forest, you pause to take a bearing to the lake and see that it is about 220 degrees. Ahead of you, there is no path and you drop into thick forest. You won't be able to see the lake or other landmarks for quite awhile. As you walk, you need to occasionally check your heading on the compass to ensure you are still heading 220 degrees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbWgtRyS6aM&feature=player_embedded

Thank you for listening Any questions?