Instruction
To locate the cardinal directions on the electronic , try rotating it. If the map does not rotate, but is fixed in one position, you can safely conclude that north, south is below, east is on the right, but on the left. If necessary, define the minor cardinal directions: northeast in the upper right corner of the screen, southeast in the right, northwest in the upper left and southwest in the lower left corner, respectively.
If electronic card rotates (for example, on navigators, the map moves in accordance with the movement), carefully examine the screen. In one of the corners, for example, in the upper right (as in the example), there will be an indication of the direction of the cardinal points in the form of a long two-color rhombus. Remember, north is always red. Accordingly, find the rest of the cardinal directions, for this, rotate the map so that the north is on top. In this case, the south will be at the bottom, the east on the right, and the west on the left.
To identify a paper map, rotate it so that you can read the labels. At the same time, make sure that the inscriptions go from west to east, and the top of the letters and numbers is at the top. Now you can safely say that north is up, south is down, west is on the left, and east is on the right.
Another way to determine the cardinal directions on a paper map: look around the entire perimeter of the map and find a four-pointed star somewhere in the corner. Each side has letters: C or N (north), Yu or S (south), Z or W (west), B or E (east). Determine the cardinal direction according to these directions.
If it comes to an old handwritten map, keep in mind that cartographers used to orient themselves to the south. To determine the cardinal points on such a map, it is necessary to find the star designation indicating the English letters S, N, W, E, which corresponds to the first letters of the cardinal names in English language- South (south), North (north), West (west), East (east). If there are no symbols, find the described land area on a modern map and check the direction of the cardinal points.
There are many ways to determine the cardinal points. Using a compass is the easiest of them all. But sometimes it happens that the compass is not at hand, or it is lost, broken. In this case, the location of north, south, west and east can be found using other methods.
To find the cardinal points on a map, you need to remember that, regardless of scale and purpose, north, south, west and east are always located in the same way: the north side is always on top, south on the bottom, west on the left, and east on the right. If there is a compass, the task is even more simplified: it is necessary to combine the route laid out, in accordance with the map, with its arrows, and follow it on the ground. Orientation on the map is possible without a compass. To do this, you need to go to some object marked on the map: a railway track, a road, a natural reservoir, then compare the picture of the area with the one shown on the map, and already lay your further route along it. Having gone to a large object, you need to check your direction with what is indicated on the map. In this way, you can check if there are any deviations from the route.
North, south, west, east: location on a compass
Determining the cardinal directions using a compass is a simple task, provided that this device is used correctly. First you need to remember what symbols cardinal directions are marked. North is indicated by the English letter N, i.e. "north", south - S ("south"), west - W ("west"), and east - E ("east"). To determine north, you need to turn the arrow with the main side (usually it is painted in Blue colour or simply marked as main) towards the designation N.
To correctly determine the cardinal points with a compass, you need to follow the rules:
- The device must be held strictly horizontally so as not to cause errors in determining the cardinal points.
- The compass must be turned carefully until the arrow with the marked end stops at the N mark. The line of the arrow will thus point to the north and south direction.
- Some compass models are equipped with a special arrow, which is fixed in the direction given route. It is enough to twist it and follow the direction.
- The built-in compass helps to calculate azimuths.
In order not to deviate from the route, you need to choose a landmark of some large building, and follow it. Having reached the object, check the compass direction again and continue on.
Orientation by heavenly bodies
When there is neither a map nor a compass with you, the heavenly bodies will help you navigate the terrain: the moon, the sun, the stars. North Pole is located where the North Star is located, if you stand facing it. Respectively, South Pole will be behind. To find the North Star, no special effort is required - in the sky it shines brighter than other stars. It is located at the end of the bucket of the constellation Ursa Minor. Then you need to outline a large landmark in order to correlate its location with the indication of parts of the world by the star. Moving relative to this landmark, you can lay the desired route. When in the Southern Hemisphere, you should navigate by the constellation of the Southern Cross. It consists of five stars, four of which form a cross, slightly shifted to the side. If we mentally extend the long axis of the cross formed by two bright stars, to the ground, it will indicate the south direction. Based on this landmark, it will not be difficult to determine the rest of the cardinal points.
The Sun is also easy to navigate, knowing the fact that it rises in the East and sets in the West. However, this should take into account seasonal variations: in winter it rises in the direction of the northeast, and at sunset it will be located in the northwest. In summer, the Sun moves closer to the south. To determine the cardinal points, you can use the most in a simple way: stand at noon with your back to the sun so that the shadow from it falls clearly in front of your face. Thus, the northern side of the world will be in front, the south side will be in the back, the west and east, respectively, to the left and right. The same method works with a pole stuck in the ground.
If you need to orient yourself on a non-summer afternoon, you can use the following method: two pegs are stuck into the ground with an interval of 15-20 minutes. On the ground, the place where the shadow from the peg ends is marked. Then a stick is placed, connecting the two marks together. A perpendicular drawn to this line will indicate the north direction.
At night, you can also determine the location of the cardinal points, while the moon will help. To do this, you need to determine the phases of the moon: in the first quarter, the moon is growing, the “horns” of the month will point to the left. The second quarter is full moon, and the third is waning, while the “horns” of the month will be turned to the right, resembling the letter C. The moon, located in the first quarter, will be in the south by seven o'clock in the evening, and in the west by one in the morning. If the moon is full, by seven o'clock in the evening it will be visible in the east, and by one in the morning - in the south. The waning moon at one in the morning is in the east, and by seven in the morning - in the south.
Orientation with a watch
If there is no compass, you can navigate with the help of another device - a mechanical watch. To do this, on a sunny day, holding the clock horizontally, point the big arrow at the sun. The angle between this position of the hand and the 12 o'clock mark must be divided in half, the bisector of this angle will be the direction of the North-South line. This definition of north and south refers to a location in the northern hemisphere where the sun is exactly in the South at noon. If the clock is set to summer time, you should focus not on the mark of 1 o'clock, but 1 o'clock, and divide the angle between it and the position of the sun.
Determination of cardinal points by natural phenomena
Using natural landmarks located in a forest or other area, one can easily determine belonging to different parts of the world. In the forest, you can navigate by anthills. Their sloping side is always facing south, and the anthills themselves are located on the south side of the trees. If you pay attention to the location of moss on top of tree trunks, stumps, you will notice that moss grows mainly on the north side. The slopes of the mountains on the south side are covered with heat-loving trees and plants, such as oaks and pines. The northern slopes are characterized by fir and spruce growing there.
You can watch fir trees: when the weather is hot, resin begins to stand out from the south side of the trunks. Most often, mushrooms grow on the north side near the trees.
It is also interesting to watch sunflowers: when the flowers bloom, they turn to the east. In the morning, the soil near large stones is more moist on the north side than on the south. You can find a stump and observe the location of the annual rings: most often they are shifted towards the north.
Focusing on natural features and phenomena, it must be remembered that these sources are not 100% accurate, but if you put them together, you can get a clear picture for orientation in parts of the world.
Many treasures lay in our attic in the village! Sometimes I found cartridges from an old gun there, sometimes a collection of postcards, and once I found an amazing treasure - a compass. I spent the whole day rushing around the village with him and was surprised that the arrow, no matter how you turn it, constantly points in the same direction. Grandfather saw my find and told me how to use a compass and what it is all about.
How to use the compass
A compass is a device with which the cardinal directions are determined. He needs it in order to help navigate the area.
To use it, it is necessary that there is no nearby:
Near with any item from this list, the arrow will start to twitch, showing the wrong direction.
The arrow will point north. It is important to remember that sometimes there can be two of them - in this case, blue shows north, and red shows south. It's easy to remember: red where it's warm (S), blue where it's cold (N).
I, not to get lost, applied a simple life hack: remembered any landmarks and then what direction they were in.
Means, need to go back was go in opposite directions. First - from the spring to the road - on North. Then - from the road to the stone - to the East. And finally, from stone to house - to the west. Not as difficult as it seems.
In the forest can do notches in the trees along the way. Can tie bright threads or ribbons, But this is not very convenient. Can understand where the north is located, and by the starry sky or even with the help of the Sun. For this, it is intended special device.
What is an astronomical compass
astronomical compass- This is also a device that indicates the cardinal points, but with the help of orientation to the stars.
It is needed just because regular compass does not work everywhere. In addition to the cases already mentioned, he is wrong on the earth's magnetic poles. AND an astronomical compass can help in this situation.
Why the astronomical compass is not used all the time
astronomical compass Same not ideal. In rainy weather, when the whole sky is covered with clouds, nnot one is visible celestial body - which means that the compass will turn into a useless toy. But even in spite of this, it is actively used by sailors.
And in the city, of course, compass not really needed. Much easier to take with you smartphone or just ask someone for directions.
Yes, and in the forest now they can help out dedicated compass apps. But it's better not to rely on them completely - the phone will be discharged, and try then get out. In addition, there is some kind of romance in using a compass. You immediately feel like an adventurer.
It was hard for travelers in ancient times! To determine the direction, they were guided by the sun during the day, and by the stars at night. But what if the whole sky is covered with clouds, and this weather lasts for several days? There are ways to find cardinal directions from trees, moss, and numerous other features, only their accuracy is very low.
Nowadays, there is no need to use such methods, since mankind has invented a wonderful gift for everyone who goes on a long journey - a compass. It is not known who and when noticed that a magnetized piece of metal suspended on a thread is always located in the same position: one end to the north, the other to the south. Such a device became the progenitor of modern devices for orientation.
What does a compass look like and what parts does it consist of
The simplest compass is a magnetic needle that rotates freely on an axis. Have you ever tried putting two magnets next to each other? They repel on one side and attract on the other. The compass works the same way. A magnetized needle acts as one magnet, and the planet Earth acts as the second! Therefore, the compass needle always points to the North. There is also a liquid compass. It works in exactly the same way, it's just that the arrow does not stay on the axis, but floats in the liquid. The viscous liquid helps to avoid constant needle fluctuations if you are trying to use the compass in shaky conditions (for example, in a moving vehicle).
Using a compass, you can determine the location of the cardinal points, but this is clearly not enough for hiking in other directions, so in addition to the arrow in the design of the device there are other parts. The compass is housed in a round plastic corps with a transparent top through which you can see limbus with divisions. To protect fragile glass, some compasses have a cover. In field conditions, it can be difficult to find such a small but necessary device in a huge backpack, and the designers took care of the tourists by providing it with a strap to wear on the arm. On the side surface you can see a small metal plate, this brake, which secures the arrow in a fixed position. On the movable upper part there is a sighting device - two protrusions, one with a slot, the other with a front sight.
Let's understand the symbols on the compass
The letters on the compass indicate the cardinal points. Let's take a closer look at the limb: the point of origin, the direction to the north, is usually denoted by the letter C, then clockwise at regular intervals, the letters B, S and W mark the east, south and west. On some compasses, the cardinal directions are indicated English letters: N, S, E, W- they mean cardinal directions in English:
- N orth - North
- S outh - South
- E ast - East
- W est - West
As you know from the geometry course, the circle is divided into 360⁰, therefore, between the cardinal points is 90⁰. If you mark each degree with the corresponding figure visible to the naked eye, the dimensions of the compass will be too large, therefore, risks are marked on the scale every 5⁰, and only multiples of twenty are signed.
In the center of the limb there is a rotating arrow, the two halves of which are painted blue and red. Red arrow points south, blue to the North. Many confuse, but it's easy to remember: the South - where it's warm - is marked with a "hot" red color, and the North - with a "cold" blue. In most devices, the arrow, as well as the main points of the scale, is covered with phosphorus and glows in the dark.
Azimuth is the angle relative to North
Cases when you need to go exactly south or north are very rare, so before you go hiking, you need to learn how to walk on a compass in any direction. The azimuth will help us with this. To understand what it is, take a map and mark two points on it, let one of them indicate the place where you are, and the second - the destination. Connect them with a straight line, and from the point of your stay, draw a beam exactly to the north. The angle between these two lines will be called the azimuth, knowing it, you can get to places where you do not know the way.
About the climate and you can learn from our article.
Interested in climbing but don't know where to start? We suggest starting with how to tie basic climbing knots.
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Compass orientation
Let's move on to practical issues - the use of a compass in field conditions. Let's say you find on the map an interesting geographical feature and want to get to it. First you need to determine the azimuth.
- Locate your location on the map.
- Draw a line from this point vertically upwards, this is the direction to the north.
- Place a compass on the map so that its center lies on the point of your stay, and the letter WITH(or N) - on the drawn line.
- Rotate the map until the compass needle points north (don't forget to release the brake).
- While looking through the slot at the front sight, turn the top of the compass so that the desired object is in the "sight".
- It remains to see what value the pointer arrow is looking at. If it is between two numbers, take the smaller value; then count the number of divisions from the number to the arrow. Since each of them corresponds to 5⁰, multiply the resulting amount by five and add to the value read on the scale.
Now you can record the azimuth that you have determined and put the map in your backpack, it is not necessary to keep it in front of your eyes all the way. You will know the direction of movement by the compass.
- Place the compass on a hard surface. If there are no suitable stones, stumps and similar objects nearby, use a backpack standing on the ground. You can set the azimuth while holding the device in your hands, but this will create additional difficulties.
- Release the brake and align the blue end of the arrow with the letter WITH(or N).
- Place the pointer on the azimuth value.
- Look through the slot at the front sight and select a landmark.
You can hit the road. Having reached the landmark, take out the compass and determine the next one. Keep going until you get to Right place.
Do you think it's possible? What is the essence of parkour and what is required in order to become a real tracer, read in our article.
And if you like outdoor recreation, do not miss the campsites.
The ability to determine the bearing can also be useful if the group is traveling without a map along a known route. Imagine that being high in the mountains, you went to inspect the neighboring peak. We went light, because we expected to return in a few hours, but all plans were confused by the clouds, which suddenly covered the lowlands between the hills. It is not known when they will leave, perhaps this weather will last for several days. How to be? From above, the mountain where the camp is located is perfectly visible, but how to navigate in a valley filled with fog? Do not worry, if you are sure that there are no dangerous cliffs and abysses on the way, a faithful friend will bring the compass to the place.
- Position the device so that the blue end of the arrow points to the letter WITH(or N).
- Rotate the top to direct the fly to the parking spot.
- Write down the azimuth value in case the pointer goes astray.
- While moving in the cloud, keep the compass in front of you, make sure that the north end of the arrow coincides with the letter C, and go in the direction indicated by the sighting device.
Of course, this method is not accurate enough, and it is better not to get into such situations, but if necessary, you can use it. If the distance is small, you will not pass the mountain, but without a compass you can go nowhere or circle in one place for an infinitely long time.
If something is unclear or you want to consolidate the material, watch the video on how to use the compass:
Today, not every tourist knows how to use a compass. But in vain! Despite the fact that GPS navigators are understandable, practical and convenient, they have a significant disadvantage: dependence on an energy source. Those. if the battery is dead, damaged, or the navigator has stopped determining your location for any reason, you can only rely on external landmarks (moss, stars, etc.). But it is much better to have with you such an indispensable and fairly reliable thing as a compass.
But for someone who does not know how to navigate by a compass, this tool will be useless (unless you are going to make a fire with glass). And therefore, we will give a brief and understandable instruction for orienting with a compass on the ground.
Types of tourist compasses
To begin with, let's figure out what types of tourist compasses are.
First of all, let's recall the old and well-known Adrianov compass from the Soviet era. 
By the way, Adrianov is a Russian military cartographer, who, in fact, designed a compass with illumination (on a phosphorus basis) back in 1907.
The advantages of this tool is that the pointer of the arrow, the direction of the world, as well as the pointer of the sight sight are highlighted in the dark. In addition, it is quite reliable and is very popular among tourists in post-Soviet countries. The downside to using it is that the magnetic needle is unstable when moving.
There is also an opinion that some compasses of this type are radioactive. This applies to old compasses that used radioactive elements for illumination.
IN orienteering(we hold similar events as part of one-, two-day trips, make sure not to miss) liquid compasses are the most popular. Due to the fact that its internal volume is filled with liquid (kerosene, etc.), the arrow does not fluctuate when walking or running. This is quite convenient when you need to quickly navigate and reach objects.
Tablet compasses are also popular among tourists. They are convenient in that they have a ruler with a pointer and a magnifying glass. This helps you navigate the map more accurately.
In addition, you can select a keychain compass, wrist compasses, a finger compass.
But the most important thing when choosing this item, in addition to external attractiveness and ease of use, is to make sure that it is functional and serviceable.
Since the market is oversaturated with goods from China, be sure to check the compass as follows before buying. First, we check whether the direction of the magnetic needle corresponds to the geographic north. If everything is in order with this, we bring a metal object to the compass, for example, a knife. The arrow should deviate from the original position. Then we pick up the item. After that, the arrow should return to its original position without visible deviations.
All tourist compasses use the property of a magnetized needle to be located along the magnetic field lines of the Earth. At the same time, for ultra-precise orientation (for example, on ships), an amendment is made to the fact that magnetic lines The earths do not completely coincide with the geographic meridians. And accordingly, the angle between geographic and magnetic meridians is calculated.
How to use a compass?
First, let's look at the basic terms associated with compass orientation.
Components of the Adrianov compass:
- Frame;
- Rotating sight ring;
- Magnetic needle;
- Arrow brake;
- Scale with degrees (limb);
- Front sight sight;
- Pointer readings of the sight;
- Zero division of the scale (north);
- Whole sight.
Surely, you have heard such a thing as azimuth more than once. Let's figure out what it is.
Azimuth (in compass orientation) is the angle between the compass needle pointer, oriented north (aligned with the zero division of the scale) and the direction of some distant object.
The azimuth is counted exclusively clockwise (see the picture above).
Now let's go directly to detailed instructions on how to use the compass.
How to navigate with a compass?
So, we have a compass, a map of the area and some object on the map that we need to get to. How to use a compass and a map correctly to reach a given goal?
Remove the arrowhead. We wait until the arrow stops and the pointer shows the direction to the north. At the same time, we keep the compass in a horizontal position away from metal objects. The top of the map is always oriented to the north (left - west, right - east, bottom - south).
To determine the azimuth, we need to combine the north of the compass with the north of the map. We ourselves also become facing north. The center of the compass must be aligned with our location on the map.
In order to determine your location on the map, you need to navigate by the objects that are in your visibility zone. This will help the ability to read the map: take into account the relief (elevations, lowlands), rivers, trails and roads. For example, in front of us is a river or a road, a section that is directed to the north. We are looking for where on the map there are such areas. Or we see a mountain in the distance at a certain angle to the north (azimuth). We find, when moving the compass on the map, at what point the angle will correspond to what we see.
After we have determined our location, we select the goal that we need to reach. Align the north of the map with the north of the compass again. We combine the direction indicator on the compass (the reference pointer of the sight) with the direction to the object on the map. We rotate until the direction of the magnetic needle coincides with the north on the flask. Now you can start following the pointer on the compass, making sure that the north of the arrow is constantly aligned with the north on the bulb. Moving in a given direction, we will reach the required object.
Compass orientation without a map
Now suppose we went to the forest for mushrooms without a map, but we took the compass with us (so as not to leave crumbs along the way that birds can eat).
In order not to get lost, you need to choose a clear extended object that will serve as a guide for you. For example, it could be a road or a river. So we are on the road. From it we leave into the forest along an approximately perpendicular line. Moving away a little, but leaving the road in sight, we turn to face it. We take out the compass and bring it to an active state. Rotate it until the pointer of the arrow coincides with the zero scale. Further, in the center of the compass, we draw an imaginary line to our object (road). We fix the azimuth of our return. Opposite side lines (pointer flies) will show us the direction of movement in the forest. When moving deeper into the forest, it is advisable to periodically check whether we have deviated too much from the given direction.
To apply the acquired knowledge in practice, take a compass with you to the Hike to Baikal or, if you decide to go with us to Kyrgyzstan, to the mountain hike Hiking in Kyrgyzstan, Issyk-Kul.
You can create a whole chain of objects for orientation by fixing the azimuth values.
If you decide to return to a given object, take the compass so that the line (front sight pointer) points forward. Next, turn around with the compass so that the north of the arrow coincides with the north of the scale. Now you can move in the direction where your gaze is directed.
In addition to the compass, there are other common ways to navigate the terrain. We single out among them the observation of the Sun and the North Star. How to navigate by the stars? Find polar star(in the constellation Ursa Minor) - it is always in the north. If you need to determine the cardinal points of the Sun, you need to observe where it rises and where it sets. Accordingly, sunrise is east, and sunset is west.
More information about compasses can be gleaned from the video:
Now you know how to use the compass correctly and navigate the terrain, which means that you will not only not get lost, but will also help others get out of the forest.
