Ask the Compass Dude

Just some questions I've been asked by visitors. If you have a questions, use the link at the bottom to ask me and I'll give it a shot.

I don't have a map with me when I go out hunting, but I have my compass. How do I use my compass to hike into the woods a couple miles and then find my way back to my vehicle?

It is not possible.
A compass just points direction. It does not indicate where in the world you are.
If you follow your compass on a heading of 24 degrees for 1 mile, then turn around and follow a heading of 204 degrees for 1 mile, you would theoretically wind up at your beginning location.
But, you are not able to precisely follow a heading. You will drift a bit and the terrain will push you off course a bit.
Going into the wild with only a compass and not a map is foolish. You need to have a compass AND map and know how to use them. Tracking your location on the map and using your compass to show where you are heading will keep you un-lost.

How do I determine the opposite direction from the direction I am facing?

Add 180 to your current bearing.
If the result is more than 360, subtract 360.
This number is your opposite direction.

For example, you are facing 240 degrees. Add 180 to get 420. Subtract 360 to get 60.

How do you find your latitude and longitude location using a compass?

It is not possible.
A compass only points direction, it does not give location.
A GPS is best for determining your location, as it communicates with satellites, but its batteries will fail.
In the northern hemisphere, you can determine your approximate latitude by observing the angle of Polaris (the north star) above the horizon.
One method to determine longitude is to have a watch with you, set to UTC time and compare that to the sun's position. See this page for a bit of detail.

How do you convert decimal degrees into degrees, minutes, seconds?

12.3456 degrees is the same as 12 degrees 20 minutes 44.16 seconds.
To convert, you:

Subtract the whole number - that is the degrees (12 degrees)
Multiply the remainder (.3456) by 60 to find the minutes (20.736)
Subtract the whole number - that is the minutes (20 minutes)
Multiply the remainer (.736) by 60 to find the seconds (44.16 seconds)

In a formula, it looks like:

Or,

To convert from degrees, minutes, seconds into decimal degrees:

decimal=degrees+(minutes/60)+(seconds/3600)

How do you find the latitude and longitude of a location?

Find location from latitude/longitude or lat/lon from location on this page.

Why are there 360 degrees on a compass?

In ancient Babylon, scientists measured the movement of starts in the sky, counting the days until a star was back in the same location. They found that it took 360 days so they made a 360 day calendar and divided a circle into 360 degrees. That is the foundation for the degrees we use to measure directions now.

Search Google News for more 'Lost Hiker' news items.

19 Nov 2024 - Woman accidentally discovers 280 million

18 Nov 2024 - Hiker rescued on Mt. Tallac after getting lost

18 Nov 2024 -

20 Nov 2024 - Watch

08 Nov 2024 - Family mourns missing hiker found dead in Mt. Hood National Forest

20 Nov 2024 - Lost world with a 280

Comments:
Apr 13, 2016 - joe cobick

how do i calculate the distance between 2 hunting camps

Apr 13, 2016 - Compass Dude

@joe - www.nhc.noaa.gov/gccalc.shtml

Aug 30, 2016 - Re Hare

If you had a compass in cement and the declination change is specified as: 2 degrees W=0 degrees 20'Changing by 0 degrees 6' West per year, how do you write down the change so that you know the true compass bearing without removing it from the cement.

Use latitude 32.362706 longitude -88.2777954

Jun 29, 2017 - Ryan

An earlier person asked how to find their lat/long with a compass. I just want to say that it is, indeed possible...in fact it's standard field training with the Canadian Forces.

The process is called 'Triangulation by Resection"...and it's actually quite easy once you've done it a couple of times.

Feb 02, 2018 - Herb Munz

I have a 2013 TOYTA RAV 4. I have tried many compass inside the car. The compass points in one direction only,(the same direction) no matter how many turns I make. No one seems to be able to tell me why. TOYTA never replied to my problem. HELP !!! Herb

Sep 03, 2018 - Justin Murillo

Herb- too much magnet interference probably. . . . When I was still in the service, we had to make sure to sling our rifle to our back side in order to make sure it wouldn't throw my compass off. This is probably what is happening to you being in a moving metal can.
- Justin

Aug 24, 2019 - James Herrick

If I orient my map with the compass do I need to still take into consideration the declination? If yes why?

Is declination and issue of taking a compass reading (Azimuth or bearing) and plotting it on a map?

When I plot a route on the map using the protractor then orient the map with compass I still get the same reading with compass or protractor. What an I not getting?

Sep 02, 2019 - Compass Dude

@James - Yes, declination always needs to be accounted for. You either compensate for declination when adjusting your compass before using it, or you compensate mathematically when taking a bearing.
A protractor gives an angle from one point to another with no regard to earth's magnetism. As long as you orient your map correctly, with the first bearing correct, every change in direction after that is just adding or subtracting an angle so you should get the same readings.

Oct 05, 2019 - William Ballantyne

Regarding the question on how you find your latitude and longitude with a compass and the answer given is; 'Not Possible'.

By following the steps in the section on triangulation...one is able to determine location on a map using a compass. From that...one can determine the latitude and longitude coordinates of that location. And if using a map grid protractor the lat/long coordinates can be determined with greater ease, speed and accuracy.

Dec 16, 2019 - Jennifer Sutton

Hi, I have an APN# & need to figure the township, section & range coordinates. How would I go about doing that?

Thank you!

Dec 21, 2019 - David Crowder

I haven’t had the need to use a compass since I left Vietnam in 1969 I found your refresher course very informative Now I may be able to find my way home from the grocery store That is if I can remember where I set my compass down atn

Jan 09, 2020 - Keith

Are the compass on your smartphone accurate and reliable ?

Jan 09, 2020 - Compass Dude

@Keith - No, I would not use a phone's compass for navigation. They give good general direction.

Jan 24, 2020 - Dag

Why do most compass manufacturers continue to mark the bezel (dial) on a needle type compass backwards? The bearings should run counter-clockwise from north so that when N is lined up with the direction-of-travel arrow, the needle indicates the proper direction. This would eliminate the extra step of turning the bezel to orient the needle. Lensatic compasses use cards with the compass rose printed on the card, but a single needle doesn't have this advantage.

Nov 08, 2020 - Ed

been 67 years since i had to use a compass.. this was a great refresher thanks Ed AA all the way

Nov 27, 2020 - Jim Appleby

My Marine Corps orienteering training (way back in the 70's) was good, but certainly didn't cover everything they way you have. I helped my sons learn some basic compass and map reading during their scouting days some 25 years ago. Wish I'd had this information then. Now planning to help my wife, the avid Maine mountain hiker, learn some basics of map reading and compass use. So glad I came across this very informative explanation. Thanks for taking the time and effort to put it all together in an easy-to-read and entertaining format. Kudos, and keep up the good work.

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