# Basic compass navigating 101



## DerBiermeister

If you are into prepping, the mechanical compass is a "must have" in your EDC bag or larger BOB. We are all used to having electronic gadgets that do our navigation today, whether it is a GPS, or Smart Phone compass, etc. But, in a SHTF event, the likelihood of losing power (via an EMP) and most forms of communications and transportation is high. If you are not trained in their use, you don't just pick up a compass and start navigating. Let's say you are fleeing your homestead for some safer location that is -- pick any distance (100 miles?) away. You've decided following road systems is too dangerous, so you set out across some wilderness. Having a good compass and knowing how to use it could make life a lot easier.

LEARNING THE BASICS OF A COMPASS, AND HOW TO TAKE AZIMUTHS.

I've decided to do this series on compasses and navigating in two, possibly three parts. The first part (101) will introduce the reader to the compass, its parts, and how to use it in the simplest ways -- but ways that could still keep you from getting lost. The next part (not here today) will go on to intermediate use, involving learning all about maps and charts and how to integrate their use with a compass.

All mechanical compasses work using Magnetic North. There are two basic kinds of compasses - the first kind is known as the Orienteering Compass, ones with needles that always point to magnetic north. The second kind of magnetic compass - called a Magnetic Card Compass -- uses a magnetized compass dial (or card) with Compass Rose, instead of the magnetized needle.

Orienteering Compass
There are also two forms of the Orienteering Compass -- the Base Compass, and the Mirrored Compass. These are very similar except that the Mirrored compass allows for increased accuracy when actually shooting azimuths as you sight it like a rifle.

(click on the link to see an Orienteering (Mirrored) Compass)
http://casanovasadventures.com/catalog/compass/515.jpg

Once you have an azimuth (target bearing) sighted in, you rotate the bezel (which houses the compass card with cardinal points) to exactly line up the orienting arrow on the card with the magnetic needle. Your azimuth bearing is now the number (in degrees) that lines up with your Sight Line (sometimes on base compasses referred to as Direction Of Travel line, or Index line).

Study this diagram below before and learn the terminology of each part before moving on. Remember - with the Orienteering Compass, the needle stays fixed on Magnetic North and the card (with degree bearings, compass rose, and Orienting Arrow) moves (via a bezel) underneath it.

(click on the image to enlarge it)








The diagram below shows the Compass Rose. A compass rose is a circular figure on a compass, map, nautical chart or monument used to display the orientation of the cardinal directions-North, East, South and West-and their intermediate points. The one shown below expands it out to 16 points. Most compasses employ some form of the Compass Rose (4, 8, 16, or even 32 pts) on the card.









Magnetic Card Compass
Again, this type of compass uses a magnetized compass dial (or card) with Compass Rose, instead of the magnetized needle. Military forces of a few nations, notably the United States Army, continue to issue field compasses with this method. A magnetic card compass is usually equipped with an optical, lensatic, or prismatic sight, which allows the user to read the bearing or azimuth (0 to 360 degrees) off the compass card while simultaneously aligning the compass with the objective. One advantage of the magnetic card compass is that it takes one less step to obtain a bearing to the target, that being you do not have to move a bezel to align an orienting arrow with a needle. One disadvantage however (depending on your needs) is that the 0-360 bearing scale is resolute down to only 5 degree increments, instead of the 2 degree increments found on most Orienteering compasses.

This thing is built like a tank! I have one and love the Tritium markings for night time use.








Navigating Without Maps Or Charts 
This is not the best situation, but if you find yourself without maps or charts, but you DO have a compass, you can travel from one location to another in the wild as long as you know a general bearing with which to head for. Both styles of compasses have an easy way to do this. With the Magnetic Card compass, there is a movable (via bezel) Index Line that you can use to overlay on top of the North line, so that when you have your bearing to your destination, you simply keep the two lines on top of each other and walk in the direction of your Sight Line.
Similarly, when using the Orienteering Compass, you keep the magnetic needle positioned directly over top of the Orienting arrow on the card while you walk in the direction of your Sight Line.

Declination
Once you've become familiar with the parts of a compass, you then have to understand what "declination" is, before you can actually navigate with use of maps and charts.

First off -- everyone should realize that all mechanical compasses utilize Magnetic North.

The magnetic north is not close to the actual North Pole (which is True North on most all maps and charts). As you face the globe (with North America prominent), the magnetic north is to the left and lower than True North or the actual North Pole. Magnetic North also changes slightly every year.

(click on the image to zoom in)








If you happen to live in America and somewhere close to the Mississippi River, your compass bearing is approximately the same for both Magnetic North and True North. So that is called Zero Declination. But if you live on either side and start moving away from that Longitude, the difference (expressed in degrees) between True North and Magnetic North starts increasing. If I am physically located West of the line of zero declination, a compass will give a magnetic reading that is east of true north. Conversely, if I am east of the line of zero declination, a compass reading will be west of true north. These differences gain in significance the further away you are. The terminology gets kind of confusing as to whether you have EAST Declination or WEST Declination. So my advice is to simply learn, by looking at the chart below, whether you have to add or subtract degrees. For instance, here in Richmond VA, we are -10 degrees off. As I am east of the Mississippi River, I know I have to SUBTRACT degrees from any azimuth reading I take with a magnetic compass. So once I am lined up with North, and I take an azimuth to some object, lets say it is 290 degrees, my real azimuth, correcting to a True North, is 280 degrees.

(click on the image to zoom in)








Canadian Declination
http://www.matematicaescuola.it/mat...coli/GSC Magnetic Declination_file/dchart.gif

This declination becomes important when you try to navigate using maps or charts (which as I already said are always set up to True North). You have to make the declination correction. If you were to navigate (shooting azimuths) strictly by magnetic north and apply the results onto a map or chart, and you are trying to get from point A to point B (lets say 100 miles away), you would miss your target by many many miles if you don't do the declination conversion.

You also need to know what that declination offset is in the area where you live. You can approximate this using any of the hundreds of declination charts that are available on the internet. To get more accurate, use this site from NOAA. First, on the right, you enter your zip code and at the bottom, click on GET LOCATION.
The screen will now update filling in your long/lat info. You then click on CALCULATE, and your exact declination will be shown in degrees, minutes, and seconds. For correcting your compass, you only need the first number (degrees).

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag-web/#declination

Also, good maps and charts will always provide the True North, and magnetic Declination information. It is important to have relatively current maps because of the degree change over years.

Better yet, some of the better orienteering compasses (like a Suunto MC-2) have a mechanical adjustment to set the declination so that you no longer have to make this conversion when navigating with maps and charts. Making the adjustment actually permanently moves the compass card the correct number of degrees (either East or West).

Now we are going to go through a series of videos that instruct how to use a compass in the field.

This first video explains how to take simple azimuth readings to locate where you are. Dan (the instructor) is using a Mirror Sight version of the Orienteering Compass.
[video]http://atactv.com/mirror-sighting-compass-basics/[/video]

In the next video, Dan demonstrates Dead Reckoning/Modified Resection using the military Lensatic compass. This works by knowing a particular trail or stream (on the map) and then shooting one azimuth to get a reciprocal bearing back to intersect with the trail on your map. You also get introduced to some basic stuff with Topo maps. Note that he has to add in his Declination since the Lensatic compass does NOT have a mechanical correction feature.
[video]http://atactv.com/position-fix-modified-resection/[/video]

This next video is similar to the one above, except he shoots two azimuths to get two reciprocal bearings to triangulate a position on his map -- without having the advantage of a trail or stream. This method is called a Resection (meaning you take two azimuth readings). 
[video]http://atactv.com/position-fix-resection/[/video]

This concludes the 101 part of the instruction.


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## Maine-Marine

Thanks


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## paraquack

What he said!^^^^^


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## bigdogbuc

Very important thing to know. Using a compass is fun, it really is. Amazing what you can do with them.


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## Old SF Guy

Maps that have grid lines already overlayed onto them use a 3rd North referred to as Grid North. Since True North is relevant to the lines of longitude which pass thru the poles they are not truly perpendicular to the lines of latitude. SO Grid referenced maps create these perfectly square grid overlays to maps and include the 3 norths in the legend. Most maps such as you would get from a rest stop or gas station are simply maps with Lat long reference points indicated on the edges of the maps. This map illustrates the difference in True north vice Grid North. Note the darker lines are lat/lon while the lighter are the Grid reference lines:









Note how the vertical lines do not stay consistently separated. They increase the further north you move.

Again the reason for a grid referenced system is to provide a perfect system for measuring distance.

Looking forward to the next installment...keep up the good work.


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## sideKahr

Thanks, DerBiermeister. Very interesting. Turns out I have an orienteering compass. I thought it was just a compass. I've never used it to do these kinds of things, I would just get to a high place and put it down on a map to find a stream to follow. And this is just the Basic part of the course. Looking forward to part two.


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## DerBiermeister

Old SF Guy said:


> Maps that have grid lines already overlayed onto them use a 3rd North referred to as Grid North. Since True North is relevant to the lines of longitude which pass thru the poles they are not truly perpendicular to the lines of latitude. SO Grid referenced maps create these perfectly square grid overlays to maps and include the 3 norths in the legend. Most maps such as you would get from a rest stop or gas station are simply maps with Lat long reference points indicated on the edges of the maps. This map illustrates the difference in True north vice Grid North. Note the darker lines are lat/lon while the lighter are the Grid reference lines:
> 
> View attachment 7922
> 
> 
> Note how the vertical lines do not stay consistently separated. They increase the further north you move.
> 
> Again the reason for a grid referenced system is to provide a perfect system for measuring distance.
> 
> Looking forward to the next installment...keep up the good work.


Correct you are Sarge

Topo maps will always have a legend at the bottom with a diagram similar to this:









This is all coming in the 2nd installment.


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## sparkyprep

This a GREAT refresher from my Boy Scout days. Thank you very much.


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## Kahlan

Wow, thank you! That's great!


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## DoubleA

Thank you for a clear, well written presentation. Bookmarked for future reference.


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## Prepadoodle

Good info, thanks.

I'll add a few things you can do if you find yourself without a compass.

Poke a stick into the ground and mark the shadow with a small rock. Wait a bit and the shadow will have moved. Mark the new shadow with another small rock and draw a line between the 2 rocks. The first rock will be west, the second east. You should be able to figure the other directions, which will correspond to true north. At night, you can use Polaris to find north.

Extend your arm and make a fist. Each knuckle (include your thumb as a "knuckle") will be about 2 degrees. If you don't believe this, extend your arm, make a fist oriented vertically, then put your other fist on top of the first and continue "stacking" them, one after the other until you are directly overhead. If you count how many fists you stacked, you will find it takes 9 to go from horizontal to vertical, so each is 10 degrees.

Find north, shoot your azimuth with fists, pick a distant point on your line, and walk to it. There ya go, simple land navigation in case you don't have a compass.


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## survival

FYI: If you had to, some older compass makers used ethyl alcohol or kerosene (yellow tint) in the compass...... if you needed it for whatever. Newer compasses use a non flammable fluid. 

I found this out the hard way in the 80's with my ::rambo:: Rambo survival knife by breaking the compass so I would get lost. Started a fire for me though.


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## DerBiermeister

To all
I've updated the OP by providing the NOAA website from which you can easily calculate your exact magnetic declination.


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## wallyLOZ

Thank you, DerBiermeister. Needed the refresher from BSA days!!


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## Jeep

Land Nav, is a perishable skill, unless you practice or your Paul S. you will more than likely not retain the information need to use a map and compass. I was good when I was doing it, but toaday...I would need to sit in a class to re-learn it.


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## DerBiermeister

Jeep said:


> Land Nav, is a perishable skill, unless you practice or your Paul S. you will more than likely not retain the information need to use a map and compass. I was good when I was doing it, but toaday...I would need to sit in a class to re-learn it.


Yes -- as with anything that requires skill -- you have to "use it or lose it". The way I intend to keep on top of this skill is rather simple. I am right now looking over various topo map web sites to buy a few maps for the hiking trails that we use. We all hike, right? (At least we should.)

Then, a part of the fun during a hike will be doing some compass/map navigating. Already had two hikes this fall where I did some basic navigating without maps, so I am anxious to get to the next step. (I too did this stuff eons ago when I was a teenager in the scouts.) In addition to two hand-bearing compasses (that I use out on the water), we own three navigating compasses -- my new Suunto MC-2G, and two others we've had for a year -- a Cammenga Lensatic military compass and a Suunto MCA that my wife is learning. I love precision, and these things define the term. It is so neat to actually shoot azimuths and do it taking the time to be precise! It is a challenge really.


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## DerBiermeister

wallyLOZ said:


> Thank you, DerBiermeister. Needed the refresher from BSA days!!


Yep - when I first started focusing on this stuff about a year ago, Holy Cow .... I epitomized the old adage of "having forgotten more than I had ever learned".


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## 1skrewsloose

Excellent info, Thanks!


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## DerBiermeister

I made another change to the OP. I added some specification info to the Magnetic Card Compass section regarding the Military Lensatic Compass. One disadvantage of this compass (depending on your needs) is that the 0-360 bearing scale has a resolution down only to 5 degree increments instead of the 2 degree resolution found on Orienteering compasses.


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## Jakthesoldier

http://www.uvm.edu/~goldbar/FM3_25.26.pdf

The Army field manual for land navigation can save you a lot of typing. This can also be printed, or purchased, and makes a great addition to your library, and BOB.


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## jbrooks19

I think compass' are often overlooked for prepping... I know i only have one good compass.. man, i need to get a few more.


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## 1skrewsloose

So much info to digest, again.


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## Diver

Having learned to use a compass in the scouts, I never realized how many people don't know how to use a compass, or how to do a lot of other things I learned in the scouts, until I was confronted with people not knowing basic skills a few times. I just thought everybody knew this stuff.

Hint: Get a Boy Scout manual whether you were in the scouts or not. You can even get older manuals or may find an older one at a garage sale. Many people like the older ones better and most of the outdoor skills are the same as they were decades ago. Just pick up a scout manual and when you want to learn some outdoor skill, you have it.


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## Jakthesoldier

Diver said:


> Having learned to use a compass in the scouts, I never realized how many people don't know how to use a compass, or how to do a lot of other things I learned in the scouts, until I was confronted with people not knowing basic skills a few times. I just thought everybody knew this stuff.
> 
> Hint: Get a Boy Scout manual whether you were in the scouts or not. You can even get older manuals or may find an older one at a garage sale. Many people like the older ones better and most of the outdoor skills are the same as they were decades ago. Just pick up a scout manual and when you want to learn some outdoor skill, you have it.


Military manuals are also awesome and readily available in hard copy and digital copy. They may also be more geared toward tactical survival situations.


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## Diver

Jakthesoldier said:


> Military manuals are also awesome and readily available in hard copy and digital copy. They may also be more geared toward tactical survival situations.


True, but we aren't just discussing "tactical" situations. We're talking about basic "How do I get from point A to point B?" "How do I start a fire?" and so on. We're talking about basic skills written in a single manual that an 11 year old can understand.


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## 6811

Diver said:


> Having learned to use a compass in the scouts, I never realized how many people don't know how to use a compass, or how to do a lot of other things I learned in the scouts, until I was confronted with people not knowing basic skills a few times. I just thought everybody knew this stuff.
> 
> Hint: Get a Boy Scout manual whether you were in the scouts or not. You can even get older manuals or may find an older one at a garage sale. Many people like the older ones better and most of the outdoor skills are the same as they were decades ago. Just pick up a scout manual and when you want to learn some outdoor skill, you have it.


aren't you a little too old to be reading boy scout manuals?


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## Prepared One

One of the first things I realized when I began prepping is that I was not able to navigate with a compass effectively. so I read up and actually practiced with one. Also, the Army surplus store I go to has every military feild manual can think of and got a great one that tells you how to tactically navigate. Very useful.


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## MaterielGeneral

Try to Google the Graphic Training Aid 5-2-13 Don't Get Lost, How to travel in the best circles in a square world. It is a really good, small handbook on land navigation. I highly recommend it. If you have trouble finding it PM me.


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## Jakthesoldier

I'm guessing none of you have read a military manual lol. Soldiers are typically treated as children who need EVERYTHING spelled out for them in the simplest step by step instructions. Check them out before you knock them. They even have pictures because some soldiers just can't get it without a picture.


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## Arklatex

A great way to practice once you have the basics down is to take your kids or some friends outside for some orienteering games. Treasure hunts, races, etc.


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## Diver

mhans827 said:


> aren't you a little too old to be reading boy scout manuals?


Ah! another inciter in a completely different thread. Obviously you have no clue what the scouts are all about, nor have you volunteered your time with them as I have.

Perhaps if you had spent some time with the scouts you would be a better person today.


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## 6811

Diver said:


> Ah! another inciter in a completely different thread. Obviously you have no clue what the scouts are all about, nor have you volunteered your time with them as I have.
> 
> Perhaps if you had spent some time with the scouts you would be a better person today.


you are right... unfortunately my time spent with the US scouts was depressing and very disturbing, I'm not saying they are bad organization, I was never a member and the time I spent with them was not about scouting. I was in the scouts but it was in a different country. I was already too old when I got in this country so I volunteered in the US army instead. that is where I learned many things and one of them is how to use a compass.


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## Diver

mhans827 said:


> you are right... unfortunately my time spent with the US scouts was depressing and very disturbing, I'm not saying they are bad organization, I was never a member and the time I spent with them was not about scouting. I was in the scouts but it was in a different country. I was already too old when I got in this country so I volunteered in the US army instead. that is where I learned many things and one of them is how to use a compass.


Well, you obviously respect the military so I'll share a factoid with you. If you join the service as an enlisted person at 18 it is possible to finish basic training (or boot camp, etc) as either a Private or a Private First Class. If you are an Eagle Scout, you automatically will be a Private First Class. If the military respects scouts that much you might want to adjust your thinking.

I have no problem recommending joining scouts for a kid the right age or recommending their manual to anyone of any age.


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## 6811

Diver said:


> Well, you obviously respect the military so I'll share a factoid with you. If you join the service as an enlisted person at 18 it is possible to finish basic training (or boot camp, etc) as either a Private or a Private First Class. If you are an Eagle Scout, you automatically will be a Private First Class. If the military respects scouts that much you might want to adjust your thinking.
> 
> I have no problem recommending joining scouts for a kid the right age or recommending their manual to anyone of any age.


 I did not know that... thanks for the factoid, it is good information. where I came from boy scouts are limited to the 6th grade. after that it changes to CAT (Citizen Army Training) for four years. then its ROTC in college but I think it is not comparable to the US ROTC. Any para military training is good and I would not have problems recommending it to kids or young adult


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## Diver

mhans827 said:


> I did not know that... thanks for the factoid, it is good information. where I came from boy scouts are limited to the 6th grade. after that it changes to CAT (Citizen Army Training) for four years. then its ROTC in college but I think it is not comparable to the US ROTC. Any para military training is good and I would not have problems recommending it to kids or young adult


You really need to get out of your world made of a combat mindset with military training being the only thing worth knowing. It is what is making you a bad cop. Scouting is not "para military training". Instead of serving people you are playing dominance games with senior citizens. That's a waste of oxygen. Meanwhile, scouts perform service projects, and service means helping people, not trying to screw with them.

There is a scout camp down on the Florida Keys that had to be evacuated for Hurricane Andrew, along with the rest of the Keys. Unfortunately, they were evacuated to right where the hurricane hit. If you recall Hurricane Andrew, for about 24 hours relief personnel couldn't figure out where the worst damage was. When they finally got in there they found the scouts had been rescuing people from downed buildings, providing first aid, and had set up field kitchens to feed the people in the area. Do you want to know why you never heard of this? It wasn't news because scouts do stuff like this routinely.

Every scout performs public service and as he moves through the scouting ranks, the scale of the service projects becomes more significant. Most adults go through their whole lives never doing anything as large as an Eagle Scout project. All scouts get first aid training. All scouts learn orienteering. All scouts learn quite a few other skills. I could go on, but if I could chose my next door neighbor I would pick an Eagle Scout every single time.

You're on a preparedness site. The Scout Motto is "Be Prepared". But hey, you're "tough" so you don't need to learn anything from a bunch of kids and volunteers. On the other hand if I were to form a prepper group I can't think of a better starting point than a scout troop. Cops? I can't imagine a more useless group. They would assign themselves as "security" and stand around doing nothing while everyone else worked. Ever see a cop sitting on the side of the road while a utility work team worked? That's pretty much what they'd be doing.

So why am I going off on you after you finally agreed with something I said? Because like every cop I've had to deal with in real life you've been a total jerk up to now. You've been so slow to do anything except throw around inciters and play dominance games that you haven't offered anything worthwhile to the forum. I really don't care if you are "tough" and I doubt anyone else cares either except perhaps the other clowns on my Ignore list. You are a bad cop and you won't be anything better until you decide to change yourself and treat other people with as much respect as you imagine they owe you.


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## Arklatex

This was a great thread at one point...


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## 6811

Diver said:


> You really need to get out of your world made of a combat mindset with military training being the only thing worth knowing. It is what is making you a bad cop. Scouting is not "para military training". Instead of serving people you are playing dominance games with senior citizens. That's a waste of oxygen. Meanwhile, scouts perform service projects, and service means helping people, not trying to screw with them.
> 
> There is a scout camp down on the Florida Keys that had to be evacuated for Hurricane Andrew, along with the rest of the Keys. Unfortunately, they were evacuated to right where the hurricane hit. If you recall Hurricane Andrew, for about 24 hours relief personnel couldn't figure out where the worst damage was. When they finally got in there they found the scouts had been rescuing people from downed buildings, providing first aid, and had set up field kitchens to feed the people in the area. Do you want to know why you never heard of this? It wasn't news because scouts do stuff like this routinely.
> 
> Every scout performs public service and as he moves through the scouting ranks, the scale of the service projects becomes more significant. Most adults go through their whole lives never doing anything as large as an Eagle Scout project. All scouts get first aid training. All scouts learn orienteering. All scouts learn quite a few other skills. I could go on, but if I could chose my next door neighbor I would pick an Eagle Scout every single time.
> 
> You're on a preparedness site. The Scout Motto is "Be Prepared". But hey, you're "tough" so you don't need to learn anything from a bunch of kids and volunteers. On the other hand if I were to form a prepper group I can't think of a better starting point than a scout troop. Cops? I can't imagine a more useless group. They would assign themselves as "security" and stand around doing nothing while everyone else worked. Ever see a cop sitting on the side of the road while a utility work team worked? That's pretty much what they'd be doing.
> 
> So why am I going off on you after you finally agreed with something I said? Because like every cop I've had to deal with in real life you've been a total jerk up to now. You've been so slow to do anything except throw around inciters and play dominance games that you haven't offered anything worthwhile to the forum. I really don't care if you are "tough" and I doubt anyone else cares either except perhaps the other clowns on my Ignore list. You are a bad cop and you won't be anything better until you decide to change yourself and treat other people with as much respect as you imagine they owe you.


here you go again diver. didn't you read what I wrote. I did belong to scouts but it was from another country. I was too old for US scouts when I arrived in this country. scouts in the country I came from is the beggining of para military organization. another thing, you dont know me so dont pretend that you do. my military training does not make me or anyone a bad person. as for cops just standing around and doing nothing, I know you will not acknowledge the fact that cops do run in burning buildings to rescue people, cops pull people out of burning car wrecks and from time to time we do perform life saving first aid. We also risk our lives by rescuing people that are drowning from some sort of bodies of water and sometimes we are tasked in diving in murky waters to recover dead bodies so that they could be buried. when people run away from gunfire, we run towards it. your hatred towards cops is so much that you fail to acknowledge what we do.

I never claimed to be tough because I am not and I never expected or demanded people to respect me. you dont have to respect me, just dont disrespect me. I will treat you the way you treat me. be nice to me and I will be nicer. but you dont have to be nice, I dont require that. just treat the way you want to be treated and you wont have problems with me. Have I been a jerk to you, thats an under statement, I say I have been worst than a jerk. But that is a reaction from your screwed up assumptions about me and how you label ALL cops. look at the words you post about cops. " you cant imagine a more useless group. they would assign themselves as security and stand around doing nothing while every one else worked. ever see a cop sitting on the side of the road while a utility work team worked?" how do you want me to respond to this? let me see... if I want to be nice, I would say... the cops are assigned to those work areas to deter speeders that could injure the workers. also, they direct traffic when requested by the utility workers. or I can be a jerk and say... are you a moron or something, cops dont do utility work, they are there to ensure the safety of the worker from reckless motorist. they are there to look out for jerks who disregard the safety of the workers. now after you assumed and said that the police are useless, how do you think I should feel? let me ask you this, how would you feel if I said that the NJ libertatians are nothing but baiters who complains and makes frivoluos lawsuits against police, hoping that they get paid from their false and exagerrated complaints. That they are a bunch of useless people who could not do anything good for the country. how would that feel? are all libertarians bad people, I dont believe so. but how does it feel if someone said that all of them are useless and stupid?

action creates reaction. this is why I dont mess with people because I dont want them to mess with me. if you start something with me, I will do my best to tolerate it, but I cant make any guarantees. you need to understand that if you continue treating cops or people the way you do, it will not get better for you. you need to learn how to control yourself and not judge people you know nothing about. you are getting too old to be a jerk, maybe its time that you change.


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## RNprepper

Arklatex said:


> A great way to practice once you have the basics down is to take your kids or some friends outside for some orienteering games. Treasure hunts, races, etc.


I taught my daughter some basic compass skills and she loves hunting down section markers. It's a treasure hunt for her, and great exercise. I don't have to worry about her getting lost, either. She always knows where she is with a map and compass, and can always get home.


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## survival

:rulez:

Diver and mhans827...... start a thread in the bunker about scouting or whatever and hash it out there, but respect each other on the open forum.


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## Diver

survival said:


> :rulez:
> 
> Diver and mhans827...... start a thread in the bunker about scouting or whatever and hash it out there, but respect each other on the open forum.


So I can get more disrespect? No thanks.


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## haja

Compass are old ancient way of finding direction, I use my handphone GPS with map. super accurate.


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## Denton

haja said:


> Compass are old ancient way of finding direction, I use my handphone GPS with map. super accurate.


You understand the concept of prepping, right?

I use my phone to locate new restaurants or such things. When the lights go out in Georgia, so to speak, and the phone is dead, a map and compass and the ability to use them will be invaluable.


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## hawgrider

haja said:


> Compass are old ancient way of finding direction, I use my handphone GPS with map. super accurate.


Make sure you carry a book of matches so you can send smokes signals for help when your electronics fail you after 24 hours in the forest. Maybe you should carry a whistle too....

Stupid is what stupid does!


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## TGus

When I go hiking deep in the woods practically every weekend, I never take trails. I pick a point I'm interested in visiting, based on a topo map or Google maps, get my bearings, and try to get there in the quickest possible way using my compass and a topo map. During SHTF, we need to avoid any traveled routes and learn how to move stealthily through all kinds of vegetation. These skills are also essential for hunting with my crossbow.


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