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Use your Compass as a Protractor: Using a Base Plate or Base Plate Sighting Compass as a Map Protractor:
You may well find a map protractor with string or combined with a ruler is more accurate and easier to use than your compass in this mode but this is one more way to use your compass.
Note - you may need to be careful using this method if your compass has a built in declination adjustment - check the instructions.
ACM 1/2007 |
Copyright 2006-2008 Troop 278, Ahwatukee, AZ -
D. Forster - Webmaster
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These most common types of
orienteering compasses have a
transparent rectangular base plate and a rotating compass capsule with a 360 degree
angle marker to the internal central pointer arrow. If you just ignore the central magnetic pointer this is basically an adjustable protractor. To use it: align a
side of the compass with the grid bearing you want to measure with the front of
the compass pointing in the direction of travel for the bearing. Align the central
rotating capsules lines & arrow with the grid north lines on the map and read off the angle
indicated by the pointer on the graduated rotating ring. If its difficult to
align the arrow pointer to the map grid lines use a ruler placed on the bearing
and slide the compass along the ruler edge until you can match the arrow pointer
directly to a grid line.