Made Brass

Posted on May 6th, 2010 by admin

Miniature Canon made of brass and metal

0 Bid

US $19.99

18h 28m

Made Brass

Need instructions for using a Directional Compass - it is really old and looks to be made of brass?

I take it you are speaking of a normal compass, just one that happens to be very old.

Stand still and hold it so it is relatively flat in your hand (I find it works best for me if I hold a compass in my palm).

The needle should automatically move to magnetic north.

Turn so you are facing the same way the needle points, and you will be facing north, as well. Due west will be directly to your left, south will be directly behind you, and east will be directly to your right.

You need to have an idea of where the location you are trying to reach is if you want to get there by using a compass, and a map is really helpful. Say that your object lies to the NE of where you are standing. If you are facing north, and east is on your right, then NE is between the two. Find an object in the distance to orient yourself to NE, and begin to move in that direction.

Take regular compass readings, so you know that you haven't strayed off course and begun moving to the north or the east again.

If you want to learn to use a compass effectively, I really suggest you take some time and go out in the woods. Stay close to where your car is, preferably on a marked trail, so you don't get lost, and practice finding your direction.

Compasses are great, but if you plan on being out in the wild a lot, and need a really sure way of knowing where you are located, I strongly suggest you look into a small GPS (global positioning system) unit. GPS uses satellites to fix your location anywhere on the planet, and for around $100, you can get one that is accurate down to about 10 feet. Many GPS units also have all sorts of neat add-ons so you can mark spots where you saw interesting things, or find spots of interesting locations.

Hope this explains it a little for you.