which compass?
 

I'm wondering which compass to get. I know I need a sighting compass of some description but I don't know much else. I want it primarily for use in deserts, and ideally to cover different parts of the world. To this point I've only ever used a basic compass. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

Hi

I used a Silva Expedition 4 for an orienteering weekend. It was easy to use in awful weather and I imagine would be suitable for basic navigation anywhere.

Sean


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Sean

watever you get, if you want to use it all over the world, make sure its designed to be. as they have to be balenced accordingly.

hi,
knowing how to use what you have is a lot more important than what you have, if that makes sense.
you can have a GPS with all the bells and whistles or you can push a stick in the ground and note the shadow movement, but understanding what it tells you is the important bit.
i should think a local orienteering group would be worth contacting?

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dave

hi

I use, and I’m very pleased, with a military MK3 prismatic compass. it's very accurate (probably a bit too accurate for desert use). It’s potential is best noticed in cost sailing navigation or in walking orientation.

http://www.temeraire.co.uk/MKIII%20C...IIICompass.htm

you can buy in on eBay by around 30£


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best regards from Portugal
bernardo feio lightweight
www.100RUMO.com

I use a Suunto MC-2D
http://www.thecompassstore.com/51mc2dq.html

Does everything it says on the tin It's about midrange expense wise and isn't too bug & clumsy

I have a Silva Type 15 sighting compass which is very good. I like the fact you can adjust the base plate to automatically factor in magnetic variation. It also has an inclinometer, however i have never used it and you are a better judge if this would be useful to you. As some one said though, you have to make sure your compass is made for the hemisphere you are in or the needle takes on an alarming tilt which could make navigation difficult. I believe you can get 'multi region' compasses which work any where but don't know how much you pay for this. At the end of the day they all point north so your ability with it is more important than the model (another thing someone else already said!)
matt

Hello,
also try the Recta DP65 global. It is a good and very evertive way to handle your compass problems.
ave a look at http://www.recta.ch/e/index.html

It is of very good quality and will not let you down.

Have a good ride.
Burnout1

Read the magnetic variation from the map, factor this into your compas reading (either adjust the base plate or similar or make a mental note), and, presto, you have a compas for all regions.

Of course, you need one that is upside down for Oz and the southern hemisphere ;-)

John

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BTO APAW
One day I'm gunna......

Hi
It's not the magnetic variation that causes the problem when using a northern hemisphere compass in the Southern hemisphere, its the angle of the magnetic field in relation to the surface of the earth. You CAN use a compass for the Northern Hemisphere in the South and vice versa but its not particularly advisable. This is because the magnetic field drags the needle point down causing it to drag on the baseplate, which could obviously cause innacuracies of navigation. By holding the body of the compass at an angle to keep the needle moving freely you can get round this but quite frankly it's a pain in the butt and difficult to get a decent bearing this way. (And try using a sighting compass this way!) I'd say buy 2 compasses, one for each, if you're going to be in both hemispheres. You can buy perfectly good silva compasses for about £15 last time I looked so it's hardly a massive outlay of cash.

Mat

Thanks for the explanation.
Typical education system, included physical geography at university and this thread is the first I have heard of a different compas for the northern vs southern hemisphere.

John

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BTO APAW
One day I'm gunna......

Yep, its a not a commonly recognised problem. When I offered to lend my S. Hem. compass to a mate (with 15 years mountaineering experience all over the N. Hem.)for a trip to NZ he thought I was taking the mickey! He thought I was trying to lumber him with a dodgy compass as a practical joke!
I'm not sure but I think the further north/south you get the more accentuated the problem becomes, for that reason I think a compass from either hemisphere will work well enough between the tropics say. Maybe someone with experience of that could clear it up!?
Matt

I have to agree with Dave. Having the compass and using it are different things.

I don't know where in Canada you are from however in Edmonton you can take an orienteering course through the U of A.

I believe in Saskatoon you can take one through Kelsey as well.

Don't worry too much, whatsthe worst that can happen. An unexpected visit to a new place ?

Have fun
Rick

If you can hack the price none better than Suunto Vector computer, actually it is a wrist watch and mounts easily to the crossbar or your arm. It is a watch and stop watch and alarm. It is a barometer(very helpful)that shows the trend. It is an altimiter showing rate of ascent and descent and finially it is an electronic compass that always works. Use the foam bar mount. It is lighted. Available from Aerostitch. $187. In their on line catalog. Tel no.800 222 1994. The best.

Bill,
They are great wee things, true, but personally I'd always back up an electronic compass with a tradtional unit.
Matt

Any good compass will do the job. Silva is a well know brand and I am happy with mind. With respect to needing a differenct compass for the North and South hemisphere; that is a myth. It was hashed out here a while back.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000137.html

Yankee Dog

Sorry, must disagree. I have personal experience of this. While it's true most compasses will work in most places compasses ARE regional and to get the best performance you should buy one made for that region.
I accept there is difference of opinion on how nessecary this is but it's not a 'myth'.
matt

Just out of curiosity, what experience did you have that taught you this. My experence was using the same two compasses from Alaska to Kenya and numerous places here in the US. Neither compass showed any sort of erratic behavior no matter where I used it.

Yankee Dog

I have a s.h. compass bought in New Zealand (Good brand- Silva)which works superbly in the Southern Hemisphere but takes on such a tilt that I wouldn't contemplate using it in Scotland, or indeed anywhere in Europe. I can't comment on Alaska and Kenya having been to neither, but Kenya is not very far south. Perhaps your compass might not work so well further south?
Also, I have never attempted to use a Northern Hemisphere compass 'down south', having been made aware of the effect before my first trip to NZ, so can't comment on wether my n.h. would have the same problems but I imagine it would as the angle of the magnetic feild would equally different if you see what I mean!
I reckon from a practical point of view, 99% of people are never going to be bothered by this phenomonon, particularly adventure bikers as the level of navigation accuracy required is less than for, say, a mountaineer. I reckon it's worth people being aware of though as some people (e.g. Kiwis!) might have problems navigating in the north.
I've just had a thought too, NZ is about as far south as populated areas get, so maybe Silva compasses for the NZ region are particularly susceptible to the phenomenon. Any Aussies out there had experience of this phenomenon with Aussie compasses?
Matt

Make sure it has a mirror on it... so you can see who is lost!

I have a S.hemisphere compass and am trying to use it in the UK, it is about 15-20 degrees out, sometimes 180 degrees wrong!

Incidently, Kenya is in both hemispheres so is both North and South!

You can contact Silva directly and ask them for information re buying a compass or you can buy one from a shop in the country you are visiting, such as Rhino Leisure & Safari that specialises in this sort of thing

http://www.rhinoleisure.com/

cheers G

p.s. the mirror can also be used for signalling.