I kept one of these on my person at all times when serving in the U.S. Marines from 1981-1985. I still have it to this day. It did everything I required for map and field navigation.
I rarely need a compass. Most of my navigation isn't exacting enough to need the accuracy a compass provides. Normally, just using the sun as reference and knowing whether or not it's morning or afternoon is enough for most of my navigation.
I love it when something unexpected pops up in my feed that gives me so much enjoyment. Bit of a hunt to find my old Silva to follow along but as a bonus came across my slide rule too. I hope kids and grandkids will humour me.
@allenmorgan; Well, sir... With a compass AND slide rule, you can calculate distance and bearings and gas mileage... Slide rule is a damned fine tool. I have a decent circular one, with best resolution on the outer scales, of course, so the basic functions are there, and "less often used" scales are closer to the center... Nice thing is, that it fits into a jacket, or larger shirt, pocket, so it's easy to have to hand. My phone has an HP32 emulator, but slide rule doesn't need a recharge.
Same here, but I didn't know what all the extra bits were actually for. Plus, of course, I left scouts about 20 years ago. Things have gotten fuzzy since then.
You left out the most important part of reading a mirror compass, if you look at the compass and then look back up at the mirror you will see a picture of a guy that’s lost
Fantastic instructional videos...thank you. I NEVER venture into the forest depending solely on a battery-operated GPS unit or smartphone GPS. I always carry my Garmin GPS, a baseplate compass, and printed maps.
I have walked by a shop window, seen a compass in it and always wondered how you would use it, now I know. Very interesting and entertaining videos, I'll be watching all of them.
This is brilliant. I've always wondered what the small circular thing was. I contacted Silva customer services, and they didn't even know. You are right. It's not shown anywhere on a website. But now I know, thanks!
It took over a year of orienteering and boy scouts to learn how to use the silva baseplate compass for my youth. For making things simple for my grandson and his future children.
Crazy that this hits my recommendations after I got home from a walk the other day and stared at my compass thinking "What the hell are these other things for?". Turns out those triangular bumpy bits don't have some hidden secrets. They just prop the thing up! Good to know!
When I was sixteen I'll never forget doing my Bonze Duke of Edinburgh Award in the Pennines, the fog came down whilst we were up a rather large hill on a peaty feature less landscape. Using a map & compass I managed to navigate my group down to the next checkpoint which was a phone box. It wasn't made easy when half of the group wanted to go back and I had a doubt whether they had really grasped the art of orienteering. It was one of those situations were despite explaining everything clearly they still weren't getting it, as I had the map & compass I stopped trying to negotiate and carried on and the group followed.
@@Cous1nJack Until I find my tan Duke of Edinburgh's book, I cannot comment whether it was Bronze or part of my Silver, I completed my Bronze and did a portion of my Silver which may have the orienteering and overnight camping but since we're talking about 1975, the photographic memory ain't so good! 🤣
@@Cous1nJackI had the same we had no choice in the Army Cadet Force you had to do The Duke Of Edinburgh Bronze if you were interested or not in orienteering that’s why half couldn’t be bothered by D.O.E Silver it was volunteer’s only and Gold was a whole new ball game.
1980's when serving in Australian Army, RAInf. we never got geographically embarrassed, taught Degrees Minutes and Seconds in Scouts but Mils in Army. I've used Mils ever since. Great presentation, off to watch your video about magnetic variations.
Learning how to read and use a compass is one of those skills you never knew you needed until the battery in your GPS goes dead and you freak out because you just realized how lost you really are. Thank God I learned these analog skills when I was in the army.
Along with using a compass, it's important to learn how to read a map: the markings, the elevation lines, the scale, why some features are marked and others aren't, how some things might be exaggerated and how it all relates to the actual terrain. If you get lost on a map, compass helps but you're still lost, whereas if you're good at reading a map, the only thing you might need a compass for is to give you a reference north as a backup.
thank you. sir circumstances ended my time in the cub scout. we relocated to a very small 'camp' of about a dozen buildings (some vacant) before hiking was on our itinerary. you have helped an older (59) teenager correct a shortcoming.
BONUS!! Not only good compass information..... British narration; my mother was a British war bride. So very good to hear the sound of a Brit speaking!!
Great refresher video for me. I was a scout leader many years ago and was in charge of teaching young scouts orienteering and maps out in wooded trails. So much more fun and interesting for them to lean the skill without use of electronics. No batteries required.😂
This was a great video. I used to love orienteering in the Boy Scouts in the USA where I am from. I have never lost my love for being able to navigate by the land and maps. Thank you.
I inherited my grandfather's (now I know what it's called) compass some 40 years ago, so I'm going to find a map and try to learn how he used it! Thank you.
This is a great video. I only ever used a basic N/S compass before I got my GPS12XL which just ate batteries. Now every mobile phone has GPS built in. In the early days of GPS they distorted the readings using Selective Availability. Also they were and still are useless compared to OS terrain maps. They can switch it off at any time so always worth knowing how to orient the old fashioned way.
Hello, Jolly Good Show ... I too have searched the internet for the basic nomenclature of the baseplate ... I am a Pilot, and Scuba Instructor ... and I like to refer other people to the right references. Good Video ... thanks ...
Brought back memories of my dad showing me how to read a compass when I was 10. His had a way to turn the orientation arrow to set the inclination relative to the outer bearing degree measure. So you could quickly set it once
This was brilliant. Thank you for putting this vlog on. I did many years in the army and probably only used a compass twice. Just being shown the parts really. Also our battery didn't have many. Officers only. Maps for us, or, [hahaha] route cards. Again thank you.
*No longer a compass virgin: I watched straight thru.* [New Subscriber!] *_Plainly,_* THIS is a video I will need to watch a few times. I've done what I thought was a fair amount of BASIC map reading, driving about the USA, but just orienting myself very generally to the compass points from a general awareness of directions about me... principally, the directions of sunrise/sunset. (As long as you make no excursions from the roadway, this seems to work...) But Your video is my FIRST introduction to glimpsing the technical basics of cartography - a subject to which some have devoted their careers. I am humbled by your encyclopedic grasp of the business! Um...Moss still grows on the Northern aspect of trees in the forests, yes? *_Over the past decade, I've been following the reports on the drifting positions of our planet's magnetic poles from their long-stable positions._* When I've mentioned this to some people, they scoff and look at me as if *_I were a madman._* *_They stop to ponder a little when I mention that a number of international airports have had to redesignate the compass heading identifications for their runways, because of the meandering of the magnetic poles._*
I haven't used one of that type of compass since I was in the military - 56 years ago! Over time I have forgotten a fair amount of that, so Thank You for this video. And I need to see some of your other ones as well.
Totally enjoy your videos. Very informing and entertaining at the same time. I am fascinated by compasses and you explain them very,very well. Thankyou!!!
One thing to be aware of is that not all maps are oriented to match North to being straight up from top dead center. Always check the map's compass rose to be certain of the exact North orientation on the map.
@@kmr_tl4509 they are usually oriented to the map North, not magnetic North. The compass rose marks the magnetic North orientation. Occasionally a map is drawn to fit the area to the page in the direction the area is oriented causing the top of the map to not match North. Only limited areas of the Earth have magnetic North match the map North. That's why the compass rose is so important.
Thanks for a very informative video! Even if I’m rather familiar with a compass, but didn’t know about the EPA holes! Checked out the site for the Swedish Silva Compass and they do have a brake down on the different parts of the baseplate compass. Been using them since I was 9 or 10 years when my dad taught me to use a compass and a map when orienteering. Later on he also showed me how to use it at sea in the Swedish vast archipelago, but then I was a couple of years old probably 15 yrs. We used military maps and compasses a lot in the military (conscripted services). Having a compass in your pocket when roaming the Swedish woods is sometime necessary and should be in every survival kit. Btw, the lanyard is also used to have around your wrist when running in the wood so you don’t lose it.
Great job i was in the cubs and eventualy the scouts decades ago and went on numerous scout camps where we we shown basic land navigation from ex military chaps like ex dezert rats and retired Spitfire pilots i tend not to need compass but im always juding the position of the sun and stars when visible But this is another great presentation cheers
This is a lot of fun. Your presentation style is delightful. It is surprising that manufacturers don't explain their "bits", isn't it. It's fun to actually learn more about these "relics". Being a digital guy, I have a couple of these that have just sat in a box. But, this will bring them out again! Thanks.
A few years ago my wife and I went out for our usual woodlands walks we went most weekends in Scotland we were so confident we knew the way we didn't even bother taking our mobile phone or cumpass but on this occasion it started high winds and heavy snow it quickly covered all the trails and everything looked so different it took us ages before we found our way back to the car Alec from Scotland
I got very proficient at using a compass when I was timbercruising. Central British Columbia, Canada. That was 30 years ago though. I have since moved on to historic mine research and locating. I carry a gps, cellphone with gps, and a satellite communicator with gps, but the good old compass is still in my cruising vest. Because magnetic north is moving so rapidly, and the magnetic declination is so large here, i will have to enter my coordinates in to a computer program to update my declination. Cheers from BC Canada.
Thank you. I could not find much info until I discovered your video. I'm a beginner and have not bought a compass yet so this was very helpful. I was looking at the MC-2 global as a good investment. I like that it has a mirror for aiming it at a location, but also for signaling for rescue or checking for ticks in hard to see areas, or getting something out of my eye, etc.
Thanks for the lesson, I have had a base compass for many years and now I feel I can use some of the items on the compass I totally ignored, great video very informative and very useful. 👍
Best pointer twig ever ;-) I love it. What a great vid. No testament to my teaching... my son watched this and said, "Dad, why didn't you just show me this vid first?" *eyeroll* Nicely done!
It does, the curve, provide a bit of a lip that prevents the fingers from slipping off the compass plate too. I just tried that on my Silva baseplate compass.
Very nice video. You might have shown aligning the compass when reading or getting bearings. The mirror and the line is for reading the compass bearing while sighting. This is a great instructional video on the parts. You have a lot of compasses! That makes me feel better about mine! Thank you for this video and sharing your knowledge.
I bought my own Silva compass when I was a serving soldier..still have it now..30 years after I finished..graduated in mils and I have a good old prismatic too..which I acquired during my service..found on the training area on Soltau West Germany so kept it
I learned in mils as well. I still had my Ranger as well until some crackhead broke into my storage locker and stole the backpack it was in. 20 years later and I'm still choked about that.
the error circles on that one compass are actually quite a neat feature. And despite learning to use that kind of compass many years ago, I've never used a mirror compass. Honestly thought the mirror was for signaling so I learned a thing today.
I keep two Silva compasses in my studio. One like the one you show for plein air work, and a basic one I use in the studio for cross referencing the painted landscapes to nearby names for Gaelic meanings and features on OS maps.
you channel and video is a Absolut gold mine. i can do basic navigation but ive recently started going for me master's license in marine rescue in Australia and a large portion of that is good old-fashioned paper-based navigation. Your video has given a great heads up and understanding so thank you.
Excellent content! I've been using compasses for many years and I picked up a few new bits of information, thanks. I recently replaced my VERY old Silva Ranger mirrored compass with a new model. I didn't read the description very well when I ordered and to my surprise when I wnt to use the compass it's bezel was NOT 360 degrees nor was it in Mils. The bezel was measured in 90 degree quadrants and was set up like a surveyer's transit. Since I was surveying this worked out well once I found out how to read the survey document. I did also buy a Sunto 360 degree mirrored to be sure I had what I needed most of the time.
Good info, liked & subbed. Since so much of this is learned through use, I like seeing how other people do it. That's probably why you won't find this material in compass owner's manual: the manuals aren't a precis for orienteering. If I were writing the manual, I'd make a point of including tech info but not orienteering info - that's something you learn in a class (or in the army, like I did on the Silva Ranger) The curve on the Suunto being "ergonomic" is likely just marketing from someone who's never actually used the product. It's really there so the baseplate lays flat on the map and isn't held up by the knot on the lanyard. On the Suunto, the romers are next to the knot, on the Silva (and others), the bezel is next to the knot so it's not a problem. if the romers don't lay flat, it's tougher to get a 6-figure or 8-figure grid reference. Suunto mirror compasses have the lanyard mount raised to do the same thing without the curve. The lanyard mount is more important than you've suggested here. It's aligned with the centerline of the bezel to align the compass when you're shooting a bearing. It gives you a longer sight radius, which is exactly the reason why iron sights on a rifle are more accurate than those on a pistol. At 18:25, you'd hold the end of the lanyard in your left hand and pull it back to below your eye, ensuring a straight line through the lanyard, baseplate and sighting line on the mirror. Then you rotate the bezel with your right thumb until the needle is home. But of course, that comes from a career spent using mirror compasses. Another advantage of them you find when you use them is they slide in and out of a pocket SO much easier than a baseplate or lensatic compass :) The orientation lines inside the bezel can also used to orient the map. Rotate the bezel to 0/360/6400 and align the lines (or an edge of the compass) with an easting grid line and rotate the map and compass together until the needle is home. Now, the relative position of features will be in the same place on the map as they are on the ground. Kudos for helping to keep traditional orienteering alive !
Honestly I have that many videos on my “to do” list it’s getting crazy - as I keep coming up with new ones and adding them to the list. Next few: The “poshest” compass in the world - instructions Contour interpretation Night Nav Micro Nav Course/fine nav etc etc etc
In the military, using a lensatic compass, every part of the compass is named, described, explained, and practiced with. We even have it in our basic manuals that everybody is issued, with pictures and arrows and diagrams and terms and acronyms. So im surprised that nobody has instruction available for baseplate compasses. I own a couple that I keep in some emergency gear bags, but when I'm in the boonies I use my trusty lensatic compass.
@@somefuckstolemynick They're in our "green monsters" for everything, I have about 15 of them, some even come put together with large rings or through-bolts that are screwed together from front and back. They all have different titles, such as "Small Unit Tactics", "Mechanized Infantry", "Artillery and Fire Support", "Amphibious Vehicles and Landing Operations". They are all issue "Technical Manuals" for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, so they are listed as "TM-" followed by the specific number assigned to that publication, and is the first line you see at the top of the cover or plate. Just do a search for, say, Marine Corps field training manuals. Using the compass would be under basic infantry instruction, and is called "Land Navigation".
I purchased a cheap base plate compass years ago. It had full pronted instructions that came with it that explained all.if this. All people need to do is actually look at the mauals/instructions!
Enjoyed that very much. Thank you. Learned of several features present on my compass but their functions were unknown to me. A genuine leg up. Thanks again, Sir.
19:00 use the lanyard to aim with as well. Hold the compass out in a stretched arms length with one hand and hold the end of the lanyard with your other hand and bring it up to your eye. Aim down the lanyard, into the mirror's aiming line and up through the notch while looking at your target. Using the lanyard like this gives you better precision. Best regards from a Scandinavian veteran 😉
Very good video. Full of imformation. The only thing you should do is adjust your voice level. On my phone with the volume at maximum you can't be heard.
SO useful! Thank you. For a fun bit of info, my Finnish daughter in law told me that Suunto is pronounced 'saunter' (RP British accent), which really surprised me!
I loved my Silva baseplate that had a mechanical declination lock screw. You set the declination with the screw, and then went on your way. Easy to check fornaccuracy as well.
Big thanks! Scout/ harcerz days are back. In PL we were using ones with mirrors, becuse of pointing ease. Today I have gps running on 2xAAA bateries and don't know how to use it fast and properly... Good map still works better for me All best
Wondering about looking for the nearest pub I’ve just realised I need to learn to use a compass to get there faster, well before last orders! Great video👍
Go to the pub car park. ua-cam.com/video/tflUvMydwto/v-deo.htmlsi=XH8d3xcy7gXJQZdP Remember the location of your car - see here: ua-cam.com/video/yfcymnPE304/v-deo.htmlsi=c7YBtHjTbea3txua Take a bearing to the pub door - see here: ua-cam.com/video/eAdo3uJUzoQ/v-deo.htmlsi=lW7yNhB-do0zop1F Check distance to the door - see here: ua-cam.com/video/FAp3kHjlx58/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared From the door aim off towards the bar - see here: ua-cam.com/video/2eQlZlKRlLM/v-deo.htmlsi=ZZlwETAPPW2ALdM6 Have a good time. Call a taxi. Use a back bearing to relocate the door - see here: ua-cam.com/video/61uMkv19Uyw/v-deo.htmlsi=z2XdRqEgsG7s-xXz Depending on alcohol consumption it may be necessary to hand-rail to taxi - see here: ua-cam.com/video/61uMkv19Uyw/v-deo.htmlsi=z2XdRqEgsG7s-xXz Go to sleep. Get taxi back to collect car. Repeat.
That was absolutely fascinating! Many decades ago I used a compass in the real world and it was helpful. For various reasons I obtained one recently. I wanted to to know more about it... You arrived! :) You have made it a lot more fun! Thank you! Seriously, much clarification. Appreciated. :)
Thank you your video is so well presented and a really good lesson for us beginners- trying to help my son learn the basics for his Army cadets thank you
Thank you for this very informative video. You are the only one who covers everything on the compass. I found one other videos, that half way through named and explained the purpose of the lines you called parallax lines (she called them tram lines). One more excellent video you maid. Looking forward to your videos.
Thank you for this... I have the mirror compass but no one could tell me how to use the features properly including the outdoor shop i bought it from! Thanks to this video all those mystery features make sense now and ill make better use of it 🙂
One note about setting your path bearing (if you didn't see it already); when you want to set bearing for a walking direction (instruction starts at 6:12) first turn your dial until the direction you want to head is at the top aligned with your pointing arrow.
"All mirror compasses have this hole" My old army Silva type 15T doesn't.We were taught to use the lanyard when sighting landmarks. With the lanyard in one's right hand, hold the compass in the left-hand at arm length; then bring the lanyard taut up to the right eye, then sigh and take the bearing with the compass as you have dicribed. 1-5 lilometers, it never failled. The lanyard has more that one purpose.
I learned the same taut lanyard procedure, too, except the other end was fastened to my work vest. With the right length, it was easy to hold taut at arms length.
Thank you for a splendid video! Regarding the parallax lines. I have always used the edge of the compass when I take out a heading. Never seen any real purpose of the parallax lines.
Thank you for the detailed information about the comparison of the various types of the baseplate compass. Very informative!👍 Being an old school Ranger, I am well versed in the use of the G.I. compass. However, years ago, as a Scoutmaster, I found that the Boy Scouts of America use the Suunto A-2100 baseplate compass. It was so foreign to me that I simply didn't use it, and remained using my old army model.
I kept one of these on my person at all times when serving in the U.S. Marines from 1981-1985. I still have it to this day. It did everything I required for map and field navigation.
never thought of buying a compass, never needed one. after watching this, i bought one.
I rarely need a compass. Most of my navigation isn't exacting enough to need the accuracy a compass provides. Normally, just using the sun as reference and knowing whether or not it's morning or afternoon is enough for most of my navigation.
I love it when something unexpected pops up in my feed that gives me so much enjoyment. Bit of a hunt to find my old Silva to follow along but as a bonus came across my slide rule too. I hope kids and grandkids will humour me.
Glad you enjoyed it
@allenmorgan;
Well, sir... With a compass AND slide rule, you can calculate distance and bearings and gas mileage... Slide rule is a damned fine tool. I have a decent circular one, with best resolution on the outer scales, of course, so the basic functions are there, and "less often used" scales are closer to the center... Nice thing is, that it fits into a jacket, or larger shirt, pocket, so it's easy to have to hand.
My phone has an HP32 emulator, but slide rule doesn't need a recharge.
I learned to use a base compass in scouts -- about 60 years ago. Thanks for the refresher!
Ditto 😎👍
Yeah, same here.... Need a refresher course...
Same here and went on to teach land navigation in Army Rangers. All the best.
I learned land nav. in the Marine corps and went on to teach a lot of Boy Scouts 😊
Same here, but I didn't know what all the extra bits were actually for.
Plus, of course, I left scouts about 20 years ago. Things have gotten fuzzy since then.
You left out the most important part of reading a mirror compass, if you look at the compass and then look back up at the mirror you will see a picture of a guy that’s lost
Unless there's an artist following you about you'll see the reflection of a lost person not a picture!
@@Jimimac73 or a photographer
😂
😂😂😂😂
@@Jimimac73 so true it’s hard for me to believe I said picture
Fantastic instructional videos...thank you.
I NEVER venture into the forest depending solely on a battery-operated GPS unit or smartphone GPS.
I always carry my Garmin GPS, a baseplate compass, and printed maps.
I've never in my 40 years held a compass in hand, but this is the UA-cam video I never knew I needed to watch! Great stuff!
Living in northern Norway, it is still probably part of the curriculum.
Tomorrow: The technological marvel that is the sextant.
Thank you I have been looking for this for 20yrs. BUY anything comes with instruction on how it work except a compass.
I have walked by a shop window, seen a compass in it and always wondered how you would use it, now I know. Very interesting and entertaining videos, I'll be watching all of them.
As ever, a fascinating topic covered clearly and presented engagingly ... someone should give you a job doing this :D
This is brilliant. I've always wondered what the small circular thing was. I contacted Silva customer services, and they didn't even know. You are right. It's not shown anywhere on a website. But now I know, thanks!
Hi Niko, glad I could help!
I have been using compasses for well over 50 years and I still learned a lot! Thanks.
Excellent, simple, clear and concise. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Glad you enjoyed it!
It took over a year of orienteering and boy scouts to learn how to use the silva baseplate compass for my youth. For making things simple for my grandson and his future children.
I'm a bit miffed, that I hadn't found you before now! Thanks very much, you're great to watch. I'm also jealous of your collection of compasses.
Crazy that this hits my recommendations after I got home from a walk the other day and stared at my compass thinking "What the hell are these other things for?". Turns out those triangular bumpy bits don't have some hidden secrets. They just prop the thing up! Good to know!
When I was sixteen I'll never forget doing my Bonze Duke of Edinburgh Award in the Pennines, the fog came down whilst we were up a rather large hill on a peaty feature less landscape. Using a map & compass I managed to navigate my group down to the next checkpoint which was a phone box. It wasn't made easy when half of the group wanted to go back and I had a doubt whether they had really grasped the art of orienteering.
It was one of those situations were despite explaining everything clearly they still weren't getting it, as I had the map & compass I stopped trying to negotiate and carried on and the group followed.
Good show. Carry on.
Bloody good mate 🇺🇸🇬🇧
Sounds like you were in the wrong landscape for bronze.
@@Cous1nJack Until I find my tan Duke of Edinburgh's book, I cannot comment whether it was Bronze or part of my Silver, I completed my Bronze and did a portion of my Silver which may have the orienteering and overnight camping but since we're talking about 1975, the photographic memory ain't so good! 🤣
@@Cous1nJackI had the same we had no choice in the Army Cadet Force you had to do The Duke Of Edinburgh Bronze if you were interested or not in orienteering that’s why half couldn’t be bothered by D.O.E Silver it was volunteer’s only and Gold was a whole new ball game.
1980's when serving in Australian Army, RAInf. we never got geographically embarrassed, taught Degrees Minutes and Seconds in Scouts but Mils in Army. I've used Mils ever since. Great presentation, off to watch your video about magnetic variations.
Learning how to read and use a compass is one of those skills you never knew you needed until the battery in your GPS goes dead and you freak out because you just realized how lost you really are. Thank God I learned these analog skills when I was in the army.
Along with using a compass, it's important to learn how to read a map: the markings, the elevation lines, the scale, why some features are marked and others aren't, how some things might be exaggerated and how it all relates to the actual terrain. If you get lost on a map, compass helps but you're still lost, whereas if you're good at reading a map, the only thing you might need a compass for is to give you a reference north as a backup.
I'm 68 and figured most of the features out myself eventually but the manufacturer could have helped. This is great, thank you
I still have no idea how to use this compass but I will keep watching your program. Thanks for the information it’s pretty cool.
When the students are ready the teacher will appear!!
Thank you sooo much 🙏🏼
thank you. sir
circumstances ended my time in the cub scout. we relocated to a very small 'camp' of about a dozen buildings (some vacant) before hiking was on our itinerary. you have helped an older (59) teenager correct a shortcoming.
BONUS!! Not only good compass information.....
British narration; my mother was a British war bride. So very good to hear the sound of a Brit speaking!!
Great refresher video for me. I was a scout leader many years ago and was in charge of teaching young scouts orienteering and maps out in wooded trails. So much more fun and interesting for them to lean the skill without use of electronics. No batteries required.😂
This was a great video. I used to love orienteering in the Boy Scouts in the USA where I am from. I have never lost my love for being able to navigate by the land and maps. Thank you.
I inherited my grandfather's (now I know what it's called) compass some 40 years ago, so I'm going to find a map and try to learn how he used it! Thank you.
Bravo. Well done sir. I'm a map and compass nerd. It's nice to have you here.
last time I used a compass was in NAVIGATION at school. Never used one since. Thank you for the video is so informative.
Wow all that in one small piece of plastic & numbers!….thanks for sharing I’ve learned so much from this 🗺️🙌✨
This is a great video. I only ever used a basic N/S compass before I got my GPS12XL which just ate batteries. Now every mobile phone has GPS built in. In the early days of GPS they distorted the readings using Selective Availability. Also they were and still are useless compared to OS terrain maps.
They can switch it off at any time so always worth knowing how to orient the old fashioned way.
Hello, Jolly Good Show ... I too have searched the internet for the basic nomenclature of the baseplate ... I am a Pilot, and Scuba Instructor ... and I like to refer other people to the right
references. Good Video ... thanks ...
A great refresher from my old Army Officer school days - very informative and got my vote and made me a subscriber.
Brought back memories of my dad showing me how to read a compass when I was 10. His had a way to turn the orientation arrow to set the inclination relative to the outer bearing degree measure. So you could quickly set it once
This was brilliant. Thank you for putting this vlog on. I did many years in the army and probably only used a compass twice. Just being shown the parts really. Also our battery didn't have many. Officers only. Maps for us, or, [hahaha] route cards. Again thank you.
You ab-so-lute-ly correct. I did a stint in my Facebook wall explaining what those do. But thank you for making a UA-cam video about it.
SEMPER FI
*No longer a compass virgin: I watched straight thru.* [New Subscriber!]
*_Plainly,_* THIS is a video I will need to watch a few times.
I've done what I thought was a fair amount of BASIC map reading, driving about the USA, but just orienting myself very generally to the compass points from a general awareness of directions about me... principally, the directions of sunrise/sunset. (As long as you make no excursions from the roadway, this seems to work...) But Your video is my FIRST introduction to glimpsing the technical basics of cartography - a subject to which some have devoted their careers. I am humbled by your encyclopedic grasp of the business!
Um...Moss still grows on the Northern aspect of trees in the forests, yes?
*_Over the past decade, I've been following the reports on the drifting positions of our planet's magnetic poles from their long-stable positions._*
When I've mentioned this to some people, they scoff and look at me as if *_I were a madman._*
*_They stop to ponder a little when I mention that a number of international airports have had to redesignate the compass heading identifications for their runways, because of the meandering of the magnetic poles._*
Very helpful. It was on my list to get to know the components of the compass and how to use it in. This was a great beginning. Thanks!
I haven't used one of that type of compass since I was in the military - 56 years ago! Over time I have forgotten a fair amount of that, so Thank You for this video. And I need to see some of your other ones as well.
I dunno, sir... I had no trouble finding this excellent video explaining everything I need to know and more about base plate compasses.
Totally enjoy your videos. Very informing and entertaining at the same time. I am fascinated by compasses and you explain them very,very well. Thankyou!!!
One thing to be aware of is that not all maps are oriented to match North to being straight up from top dead center. Always check the map's compass rose to be certain of the exact North orientation on the map.
Why aren't they?
@@kmr_tl4509 they are usually oriented to the map North, not magnetic North. The compass rose marks the magnetic North orientation. Occasionally a map is drawn to fit the area to the page in the direction the area is oriented causing the top of the map to not match North. Only limited areas of the Earth have magnetic North match the map North. That's why the compass rose is so important.
Great point. Very important.
When bow deer hunting in the big woods, I carry two lensatic compasses, and am careful to lose nothing. Water, food, fire, compass.
Thanks for a very informative video! Even if I’m rather familiar with a compass, but didn’t know about the EPA holes!
Checked out the site for the Swedish Silva Compass and they do have a brake down on the different parts of the baseplate compass. Been using them since I was 9 or 10 years when my dad taught me to use a compass and a map when orienteering. Later on he also showed me how to use it at sea in the Swedish vast archipelago, but then I was a couple of years old probably 15 yrs.
We used military maps and compasses a lot in the military (conscripted services). Having a compass in your pocket when roaming the Swedish woods is sometime necessary and should be in every survival kit.
Btw, the lanyard is also used to have around your wrist when running in the wood so you don’t lose it.
A compass is like first aid kits and bear spray though: unless you learn how to use it and practice enough to stay proficient, it's of little use.
THIS COMPASS IS NUMBER ONE. THANKS. VERY HELPFUL.
I'm glad it helped!
Great job i was in the cubs and eventualy the scouts decades ago and went on numerous scout camps where we we shown basic land navigation from ex military chaps like ex dezert rats and retired Spitfire pilots i tend not to need compass but im always juding the position of the sun and stars when visible But this is another great presentation cheers
This is a lot of fun. Your presentation style is delightful. It is surprising that manufacturers don't explain their "bits", isn't it. It's fun to actually learn more about these "relics". Being a digital guy, I have a couple of these that have just sat in a box. But, this will bring them out again! Thanks.
A few years ago my wife and I went out for our usual woodlands walks we went most weekends in Scotland we were so confident we knew the way we didn't even bother taking our mobile phone or cumpass but on this occasion it started high winds and heavy snow it quickly covered all the trails and everything looked so different it took us ages before we found our way back to the car Alec from Scotland
I got very proficient at using a compass when I was timbercruising. Central British Columbia, Canada. That was 30 years ago though. I have since moved on to historic mine research and locating.
I carry a gps, cellphone with gps, and a satellite communicator with gps, but the good old compass is still in my cruising vest.
Because magnetic north is moving so rapidly, and the magnetic declination is so large here, i will have to enter my coordinates in to a computer program to update my declination.
Cheers from BC Canada.
You are so passionate and it comes through in your videos. Thanks for the lessons!
Thank you. I could not find much info until I discovered your video. I'm a beginner and have not bought a compass yet so this was very helpful. I was looking at the MC-2 global as a good investment. I like that it has a mirror for aiming it at a location, but also for signaling for rescue or checking for ticks in hard to see areas, or getting something out of my eye, etc.
Thanks for the lesson, I have had a base compass for many years and now I feel I can use some of the items on the compass I totally ignored, great video very informative and very useful. 👍
Best pointer twig ever ;-) I love it. What a great vid. No testament to my teaching... my son watched this and said, "Dad, why didn't you just show me this vid first?" *eyeroll* Nicely done!
The compass that curves up at the back does so to clear the cord and allow the baseplate to sit flat on the map.
It does, the curve, provide a bit of a lip that prevents the fingers from slipping off the compass plate too. I just tried that on my Silva baseplate compass.
Very nice video. You might have shown aligning the compass when reading or getting bearings. The mirror and the line is for reading the compass bearing while sighting. This is a great instructional video on the parts. You have a lot of compasses! That makes me feel better about mine! Thank you for this video and sharing your knowledge.
I bought my own Silva compass when I was a serving soldier..still have it now..30 years after I finished..graduated in mils and I have a good old prismatic too..which I acquired during my service..found on the training area on Soltau West Germany so kept it
I’ve still got my own silva and I lost my prismatic in the queue to Wolfgangs bratty van, is that where you found it?
Can I have it back please 😂😂😂😂😂
As did I, mainly used it for orienteering. Squadrons way of adding fun into a run and learning map reading too.
I learned in mils as well.
I still had my Ranger as well until some crackhead broke into my storage locker and stole the backpack it was in. 20 years later and I'm still choked about that.
the error circles on that one compass are actually quite a neat feature. And despite learning to use that kind of compass many years ago, I've never used a mirror compass. Honestly thought the mirror was for signaling so I learned a thing today.
I keep two Silva compasses in my studio. One like the one you show for plein air work, and a basic one I use in the studio for cross referencing the painted landscapes to nearby names for Gaelic meanings and features on OS maps.
Great video by the way. Thanks for posting.
you channel and video is a Absolut gold mine.
i can do basic navigation but ive recently started going for me master's license in marine rescue in Australia and a large portion of that is good old-fashioned paper-based navigation.
Your video has given a great heads up and understanding so thank you.
Best of luck with your master's license
This video makes me want a new compass... You deserve a bit of Silva sponsorship for this mate! 😆 superb stuff, thank you!
Excellent content! I've been using compasses for many years and I picked up a few new bits of information, thanks. I recently replaced my VERY old Silva Ranger mirrored compass with a new model. I didn't read the description very well when I ordered and to my surprise when I wnt to use the compass it's bezel was NOT 360 degrees nor was it in Mils. The bezel was measured in 90 degree quadrants and was set up like a surveyer's transit. Since I was surveying this worked out well once I found out how to read the survey document. I did also buy a Sunto 360 degree mirrored to be sure I had what I needed most of the time.
Good info, liked & subbed.
Since so much of this is learned through use, I like seeing how other people do it.
That's probably why you won't find this material in compass owner's manual: the manuals aren't a precis for orienteering. If I were writing the manual, I'd make a point of including tech info but not orienteering info - that's something you learn in a class (or in the army, like I did on the Silva Ranger)
The curve on the Suunto being "ergonomic" is likely just marketing from someone who's never actually used the product. It's really there so the baseplate lays flat on the map and isn't held up by the knot on the lanyard. On the Suunto, the romers are next to the knot, on the Silva (and others), the bezel is next to the knot so it's not a problem. if the romers don't lay flat, it's tougher to get a 6-figure or 8-figure grid reference. Suunto mirror compasses have the lanyard mount raised to do the same thing without the curve.
The lanyard mount is more important than you've suggested here. It's aligned with the centerline of the bezel to align the compass when you're shooting a bearing. It gives you a longer sight radius, which is exactly the reason why iron sights on a rifle are more accurate than those on a pistol. At 18:25, you'd hold the end of the lanyard in your left hand and pull it back to below your eye, ensuring a straight line through the lanyard, baseplate and sighting line on the mirror. Then you rotate the bezel with your right thumb until the needle is home. But of course, that comes from a career spent using mirror compasses. Another advantage of them you find when you use them is they slide in and out of a pocket SO much easier than a baseplate or lensatic compass :)
The orientation lines inside the bezel can also used to orient the map. Rotate the bezel to 0/360/6400 and align the lines (or an edge of the compass) with an easting grid line and rotate the map and compass together until the needle is home. Now, the relative position of features will be in the same place on the map as they are on the ground.
Kudos for helping to keep traditional orienteering alive !
The notch on the bottom of the mirror is for sighting as well, when choosing an object in the distance to walk to when walking on a bearing.
Hi Ian, yes you're right. I cut loads of bits out of that video as it was getting waaaaay to long.
is a second video in the works? new sub, asking
and thank you for the bonus info
Honestly I have that many videos on my “to do” list it’s getting crazy - as I keep coming up with new ones and adding them to the list.
Next few:
The “poshest” compass in the world - instructions
Contour interpretation
Night Nav
Micro Nav
Course/fine nav
etc
etc
etc
In the military, using a lensatic compass, every part of the compass is named, described, explained, and practiced with. We even have it in our basic manuals that everybody is issued, with pictures and arrows and diagrams and terms and acronyms. So im surprised that nobody has instruction available for baseplate compasses. I own a couple that I keep in some emergency gear bags, but when I'm in the boonies I use my trusty lensatic compass.
What would these manuals be called? Maybe they can be found online
@@somefuckstolemynick They're in our "green monsters" for everything, I have about 15 of them, some even come put together with large rings or through-bolts that are screwed together from front and back. They all have different titles, such as "Small Unit Tactics", "Mechanized Infantry", "Artillery and Fire Support", "Amphibious Vehicles and Landing Operations".
They are all issue "Technical Manuals" for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, so they are listed as "TM-" followed by the specific number assigned to that publication, and is the first line you see at the top of the cover or plate.
Just do a search for, say, Marine Corps field training manuals. Using the compass would be under basic infantry instruction, and is called "Land Navigation".
@@davidcruz8667 thank you!
I purchased a cheap base plate compass years ago. It had full pronted instructions that came with it that explained all.if this. All people need to do is actually look at the mauals/instructions!
Enjoyed that very much. Thank you. Learned of several features present on my compass but their functions were unknown to me. A genuine leg up. Thanks again, Sir.
19:00 use the lanyard to aim with as well. Hold the compass out in a stretched arms length with one hand and hold the end of the lanyard with your other hand and bring it up to your eye. Aim down the lanyard, into the mirror's aiming line and up through the notch while looking at your target. Using the lanyard like this gives you better precision. Best regards from a Scandinavian veteran 😉
Thanks for this useful video.
Wow! I have been bushwalking for more than 40 years and did not know some of that detail thank you very much!
Very good video. Full of imformation. The only thing you should do is adjust your voice level. On my phone with the volume at maximum you can't be heard.
SO useful! Thank you. For a fun bit of info, my Finnish daughter in law told me that Suunto is pronounced 'saunter' (RP British accent), which really surprised me!
I loved my Silva baseplate that had a mechanical declination lock screw. You set the declination with the screw, and then went on your way. Easy to check fornaccuracy as well.
This video is very good. It helps take alot of mystery an fear out of the compas.
Big thanks!
Scout/ harcerz days are back. In PL we were using ones with mirrors, becuse of pointing ease. Today I have gps running on 2xAAA bateries and don't know how to use it fast and properly... Good map still works better for me
All best
Thanks for a very concise and easy-to-understand video
Thanks. I'm glad you liked the video. I do try to keep them "non-technical" - well as much as possible.
Wondering about looking for the nearest pub I’ve just realised I need to learn to use a compass to get there faster, well before last orders!
Great video👍
Go to the pub car park.
ua-cam.com/video/tflUvMydwto/v-deo.htmlsi=XH8d3xcy7gXJQZdP
Remember the location of your car - see here:
ua-cam.com/video/yfcymnPE304/v-deo.htmlsi=c7YBtHjTbea3txua
Take a bearing to the pub door - see here:
ua-cam.com/video/eAdo3uJUzoQ/v-deo.htmlsi=lW7yNhB-do0zop1F
Check distance to the door - see here:
ua-cam.com/video/FAp3kHjlx58/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
From the door aim off towards the bar - see here:
ua-cam.com/video/2eQlZlKRlLM/v-deo.htmlsi=ZZlwETAPPW2ALdM6
Have a good time.
Call a taxi.
Use a back bearing to relocate the door - see here:
ua-cam.com/video/61uMkv19Uyw/v-deo.htmlsi=z2XdRqEgsG7s-xXz
Depending on alcohol consumption it may be necessary to hand-rail to taxi - see here:
ua-cam.com/video/61uMkv19Uyw/v-deo.htmlsi=z2XdRqEgsG7s-xXz
Go to sleep.
Get taxi back to collect car.
Repeat.
That was absolutely fascinating! Many decades ago I used a compass in the real world and it was helpful. For various reasons I obtained one recently. I wanted to to know more about it... You arrived! :) You have made it a lot more fun! Thank you! Seriously, much clarification. Appreciated. :)
No idea how I got here but very glad I did.. 👍
Love your channel! It’s full of great stuff for the outdoorsman! This was a great introduction to a base plate compass. Thanks very much for it!
Thank you your video is so well presented and a really good lesson for us beginners- trying to help my son learn the basics for his Army cadets thank you
Thank you so much for posting this, I've used compasses and hand transits for a long time and I learned a lot!
this is a great learning resource. It took me ages to figure out what everything did. Thanks
Thank you for sharing.
Great! Tip for accuracy: string around neck to ‘shoot’ your bearings. 😉 Thanks for posting. 👍👍
This presenter just seems so jolly 🙂 I like the jersey!
My favourite cycling accessory for many years.
Thank you for this very informative video. You are the only one who covers everything on the compass. I found one other videos, that half way through named and explained the purpose of the lines you called parallax lines (she called them tram lines). One more excellent video you maid. Looking forward to your videos.
Thanks for your feedback Nazanin. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Good for you. Saw a gap and filled it. It's hard to believe there isn't another vid about this subject.
Thank you for this... I have the mirror compass but no one could tell me how to use the features properly including the outdoor shop i bought it from! Thanks to this video all those mystery features make sense now and ill make better use of it 🙂
One note about setting your path bearing (if you didn't see it already); when you want to set bearing for a walking direction (instruction starts at 6:12) first turn your dial until the direction you want to head is at the top aligned with your pointing arrow.
Thanks, I was confused about that.
"All mirror compasses have this hole" My old army Silva type 15T doesn't.We were taught to use the lanyard when sighting landmarks. With the lanyard in one's right hand, hold the compass in the left-hand at arm length; then bring the lanyard taut up to the right eye, then sigh and take the bearing with the compass as you have dicribed. 1-5 lilometers, it never failled. The lanyard has more that one purpose.
I learned the same taut lanyard procedure, too, except the other end was fastened to my work vest. With the right length, it was easy to hold taut at arms length.
I shall watch this later on as I have not time to rake it in at this moment , many thank's for the info.
I learned to use a compass in an orienteering club in the 80's. This brought me back
Always wondered what all those bits and pieces were - thanks for the breakdown fella 👍
Thank you for a splendid video!
Regarding the parallax lines. I have always used the edge of the compass when I take out a heading. Never seen any real purpose of the parallax lines.
Great compass parts instructional class. I knew a few, but learned a good amount. Thanks. And thanks for including the related links.
Really great video
And now I want to buy a compass. Excellent instructive video.
Thank you for the detailed information about the comparison of the various types of the baseplate compass. Very informative!👍
Being an old school Ranger, I am well versed in the use of the G.I. compass. However, years ago, as a Scoutmaster, I found that the Boy Scouts of America use the Suunto A-2100 baseplate compass. It was so foreign to me that I simply didn't use it, and remained using my old army model.
Thanks for posting the video, I didn't know about all the features on a compass or how to use one properly.
Thank you for this..
It reminded me of forgotten stuff in my head..😃👍
So, just to let you know I'm about to do a lot of traveling and this video pops up! Just what I needed and thank you so much!