How to orient yourself with a compass

We are sure that on more than one occasion you have asked yourself how a compass works . In addition to the map, the compass is the most important tool when it comes to orientation in unknown terrain, and nowadays it is easy to find it on any smartphone device. We do not want you to lose the North, so in this article we show you how to get oriented with a compass .

one

The first thing you should know is that a compass should, in most cases, be accompanied by a map. Without it, the compass can become a rather useless tool. Another fact to keep in mind is that you should not use the compass in the car or near large metal objects as they interfere in the measurement.

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Place the map on a horizontal and flat surface, and identify the place where you are and where you want to go. Use the side of the compass to join the two points taking into account that the direction arrow points to the destination.

3

Turn the graduated ring of the compass until its orienting lines align with the lines that mark the North on the map. It is essential that at this moment the arrow that marks the North on your compass marks the North indicated on the map.

4

Note the angle that appears at the bottom of the direction arrow, as this will be your Azimuth and rotate the compass until the red part of the needle (North) matches the direction arrow. This way your destiny will be fixed by the arrow of compass direction.

5

Try to find out if there are obstacles in your way before starting to walk towards your destination keeping the needle aligned with the orientation lines .

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These instructions are for you to start learning to use a compass, so start by testing with simple locations. It is always advisable to carry a mobile device with a full battery and be accompanied by someone for possible accidents.