How to use a military compass

MILITARY COMPASS: A HIGHLY PRECISE TOOL

A compass is one of the most essential tools you'll ever need if you're out and about, hiking in the forest, kayaking, mountain biking, trekking in the mountains... When you're out and about, it's important to take a compass with you, to cover any unforeseen events...

There are many different types of compass, the most accurate being the military compass. It is typically used like any other traditional compass. Knowing how to use a military compass is essential if you're not trained to orient yourself by the stars or the sun.

Let's get back to our army compass.

MAGNETIC NORTH VERSUS TRUE NORTH

Before you can understand a military compass, you first need to know the difference between magnetic north and true north. The compass dial indicates two distinct northerlies. However, the needle never points to true north, which corresponds to the North Pole.

Whatever the compass direction, it always points to magnetic north. So why are there two norths? In fact, the Earth is completely covered by a magnetic field that affects the direction of the compass needle. To complicate matters, the strength of the magnetic field on Earth is not the same.

If you don't make any adjustments beforehand, you'll be tens or hundreds of metres from the reference point at the end of your journey. However, this declination is negligible in Europe, so unless you're located in other regions outside Europe, this parameter can be avoided.

UNDERSTANDING THE COMPASS AND HOW IT WORKS

Reading any compass model is easy. As mentioned above, the pointer must point to magnetic north. To differentiate from a pointer pointing to magnetic north, you need to look at the color level.

The needle pointing north is usually red and always the most visible, while the others are often of the same color (white, black, etc.).Here's a tip on how to read a classic compass:

Place the tool flat, away from your body to avoid any interference with your equipment. Then all you have to do is look at the most visible needle and where it's pointing. And there you have your magnetic north, without a map!

HOW TO READ A MILITARY COMPASS

You've been waiting for this all along: here's how to read a military compass.

STEPONE : ALIGN STARTAND FINISHPOINTS

Maps are essential to know where you are and where you want to go. To do this, lay the map flat in front of you next to the military compass. Make a landmark where you are (with the marker), name it A, and make another where you want to go, naming it B.

Thenslowly turn the compassuntil the directional arrow (the non-magnetic arrow) is aligned with the north indicated by the magnetic needle. You'll then be sure of which direction to take. If the needle is between east and north, your direction is north-east.

Now look at the scale indicated by the pointer. Suppose you read the number 24, then your course will be 24° North-East. You're almost ready to go.

SECONDSECOND STEP: CORRECT THE DECLINATION MAGNETIC

Assuming you're in an area with a different magnetic field intensity, you'll need to make a few corrections to avoid straying from your trajectory by several tens of meters.

To avoid complicated calculations, note that the magnetic north pole shows a difference of 11° from the geographic or north pole. In some regions, this value can be doubled. That's why your map should show an indication of magnetic declination by country.

THIRDRD STEP: A POINT OF REFERENCETO FOLLOW THE RIGHT PATH

Once you've found your bearing and made a declination correction, remember to maintain your position throughout your journey. Make sure the directional arrow and the magnet are aligned.

Before moving off, fix a distant object or tree on the track, which will serve as a reference point. Once you've arrived at this mark, you'll need to find another point to orientate yourself better, and so on - it's a bit like stages.

FOURTHTH AND LASTND STEP: PLOT YOUR DIRECTION ON THE MAP

Before you can move in the direction indicated by the compass, you need to mark it on the map. Simply place your military compass on the map and check again that the red directional arrow is pointing to true north. Then follow the direction of the arrow to mark a line in the direction you want to go.

The magnetic needle is always aligned with the directional arrows of the military compass. There are several markers on the map. Circle three of them in your direction. They should be far enough apart to ensure that you're heading in the right direction. The marks on the edge of the compass (the sort of ruler) should extend over three large markers.

Here's a nice little video on how to use this unique tool:

To find out much more about navigating with this extraordinary tool and a little about survival in hostile places, here is a little book dedicated to the subject.

IN CONCLUSION

By following each of these steps, you can be sure of finding a path or landmark that will enable you to identify a place and set off in the right direction. Presented in this way, these tips may seem abstract to those who have never used a military compass. That's why it's a good idea to do a few tests before embarking on an adventure in uncharted territory, to get the hang of reading and using your military compass.