Navigation; The Compass and Map

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Good stuff, I prefer the CMMG because it’s what. Learned on in the USMC and I usually only need one for night nav. iPhone and offline Topo maps are primary or to find UTM on atlas. Never needed one in my AO as terrain association is easy enough with all the mountains around here and rivers.
 
A few navigational tricks...

For declination. Setting the compass on N then aiming at Polaris will see the needle swing over to mag N

Using 24 hr time, add time of sunrise to time of sunset. Divide by 2 for zenith noon. The sun at this time will bear 180 deg true. Shadow stick method plus compass as per the above will provide declination.

Placing a hand on the Big Dipper and the other on Cassie when they are at the 3 and 9 will face one to the north.

Mintaka in Orion sets at 270 deg true

For the summer constellation Scorpio, when the head of the scorpian stands straight, the bearing is 180 deg true.

Working a N/S trail, river or ridge line, a compass"s inclinometer can be used as a crude sextant for a ball park latitude. Where that line of latitude crosses will provide a rough fix.

Christian cemeteries are orientated on east/west lines

Kamals for lub lines can quickly be made with a stick and a bit of cord
 
A few navigational tricks...

For declination. Setting the compass on N then aiming at Polaris will see the needle swing over to mag N

Using 24 hr time, add time of sunrise to time of sunset. Divide by 2 for zenith noon. The sun at this time will bear 180 deg true. Shadow stick method plus compass as per the above will provide declination.

Placing a hand on the Big Dipper and the other on Cassie when they are at the 3 and 9 will face one to the north.

Mintaka in Orion sets at 270 deg true

For the summer constellation Scorpio, when the head of the scorpian stands straight, the bearing is 180 deg true.

Working a N/S trail, river or ridge line, a compass"s inclinometer can be used as a crude sextant for a ball park latitude. Where that line of latitude crosses will provide a rough fix.

Christian cemeteries are orientated on east/west lines

Kamals for lub lines can quickly be made with a stick and a bit of cord

Your talking celestial navigation, in that case I would use a sextant, celestial requires clear skys. Not every compass has a declination adjustment.
 
Your talking celestial navigation, in that case I would use a sextant, celestial requires clear skys. Not every compass has a declination adjustment.
True, concerning clear sky's for CN, but, there are cheats. ...however, no declination adjustment is needed on a compass. Nice to have, but can be bypassed (mine has this feature, as well as a mirror that is used as an artificial horizon). Most folks new to map and compass tend to buy the most basic first. Thus I teach them an additional step where they transfer that info to their map by drawing lines of declination.

btw...well done, wish more would take the time to read your material...
 
I see that it's compatable with iOS and Android $100 a year for the elite (all 50 states) and $30 a year for premium (1 state)

I went on the iphone app store, 20,000 5 stars reviews, it looks to be very popular with outdoorsman :)
I'd just get the 1 state version. I have a lot of topo maps of this area and several forest service maps. But I'm thinking about trapping in other parts of the state that I'm not too familiar with and this could save a lot of time. Also thinking about a drone..... I saw one that has a 5 mile range.
 

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