In my opinion, a good way to learn to use a compass is to practice exercises that build in a very small way from the previous exercises. In the early exercises, there are things intentionally left out, like declination. Any references to maps will also be left out. I feel that compass learning virtually stops once one has a map. That will come in later exercises.

Keep all your notes you take along the way. Sometimes we will return to notes from a previous exercise to do another one.

Since many cannot get out into the field, a lot of the exercises are done in small scale. I've found this transfers real well to real life.

To keep this thread from getting out of control, when posting, try to keep it close to topic and not jump ahead to other scenarios.

Since everyone has different kinds of compasses, I will assume they have read the directions and know how to take a bearing.

Ideally, those who participate will actually do the exercises. This goes for experienced people, too.

Sometime along the way, I'll introduce protractors. I recommend a circular one which you can get at Walmart for about $5.00.

Except in wilderness areas where the rules require camping 200 feet from the trail and/or from water, especially in some areas (PNW folks know where I mean) where the ranger has been known to use a tape measure!

OM, later we will address longer distances.

The way I count more than one hundred of anything -- money, widgets, or steps -- is to count one hundred several times. So one way might be to step off one hundred feet, and then do it again. I generally use fingers to help me keep up with sets of a hundred. So I count to one hundred and raise one finger, count a hundred again and raise a second finger, and so forth.

I could tie a knot in a cord, or make tick marks on a paper, or cut notches in a stick. Or just remember it.

I don't know where Gershon's going with it, but my little mind would automatically do it that way. YMMV

Barefoot Briar,

This is leading to something later, so there will never be a need to count more than 100 feet at a time.

For long distances, people use rocks or pennies or something. I use Ranger beads if I go that route. But that will be covered a lot later.

Thanks for the participation.

OK, I'm in! For counting paces, you could also use a pedometer. I used to just know my pace length and count. But with age and lack of practice, I'll have to go through this exercise again to bring my accuracy up. I think the key to pace is consistency, which you get by walking in a relaxed and easily reproducible manner. Don't over think it; just walk.

By regulation in the military a pace (each time the right foot hits the ground) is 5 feet.

It will help to have about 10 cheap pens or popsicle sticks. We will be using those in a little bit.

[b]Exercise 2: Drawing Octagon

Objectives:

Practice taking a bearing
Practice following the bearing for 100 feet and marking a point

Standard of Performance:
Octagon should somewhat resemble an octagon.
There are no stated tolerances on the bearings and distances for the second half of the exercise.

Explanation: This can be done in a parking lot or any open area. The area will have to be 100 feet in each direction.

Start at the center, and take a bearing of 360 (0 or 00 or N on the compass.

Follow this bearing for 100 feet and place a rock or something there.

Repeat for 045, 090, 135, 180, 225, 270, 315 starting at the center each time.

(Note: Bearings less than 100 are always written with a leading 0 to avoid confusing 020 with 200, etc.

Start at the rock north of the center and go clockwise.

Take a bearing to each rock in the octagon and pace the distance to that rock. Record the bearings and distances for each leg.

Someone will actually have to do this one and post the bearings and distances before we go on to the next one.[/b]

For me, 100 feet is 44 paces, measured while wearing pack (short legged person here). So for 200 feet I just count 88 and (in that particular ranger's territory) add a few more to be extra sure.

Yikes! Well, I guess that explains all that close order drilling they do. Being 6'5" at the time my original "natural" pace was 6 foot even.

Gershon.

Currently, my most easily reproducible pace gives me 17 paces to go 100 feet. Going out and putting rags on each of the 9 points (including center), I marked out an octagon shape as per your instructions. Given that I am ground level, I had a hard time QC'ing the thing, so I used length of the eight sides to check it. A little trigonometry and I get 76.5 feet per side, which ends up being 13 of my paces. I ended up somewhere between 12 and 14.5 paces when I marched it off. Not sure how to present it here without drawing it up and scanning, so I will have to present it later.

Thanks. Did you take a bearing and distance from rag to rag around the octagon?

Yes, I did. I'd have to say I am not used to shooting bearings with that little Silva. I am going to redo the thing using the Brunton for comparison. It'll take a few days to get back here and work on more of these as I have orders to fill. Hopefully some others start chiming in soon.

Chris

Today I went out and did exercise 3. It does take a long time to do it this way. Making the scale map on the ground takes awhile. This part will disappear with the next technique.

That explains why OCS chopped my pace from 6 to 5 feet...I noticed after the fact.