Military Compass
Are you looking for a military compass? If you are you’ve come to the right place. You can find a nice selection of compasses to choose from. A compass is an instrument used by people when they have to navigate a particular area. The mechanism of a compass is possible because of the earth’s magnetic field. A common compass has a magnetized needle or pointer placed in a face that looks similar to a clock. The face has the four directions North, South, East and West. Other compasses will include the secondary directions like northeast, southeast and so on.
A lensatic compass is a type of compass that consists of a magnetized dial and not the usual simple needle. It is the magnetized dial that indicates the directions and the compass’ face contains the numbers that indicates more specific directions. A lensatic card is always joined to it. The lensatic card lets the user to view the results from the compass without looking down directly at the face of the compass. These parts of the military compass are important when learning how to use a lensatic compass. A protractor is also needed when checking with the map.
Compasses have been used for centuries by sailors navigating through the seas and astronomers gazing to the stars. A Lensatic compass is one of the many kinds of compasses available and has a dial instead of a needle. Due to its sophisticated nature, one should know how to use a Lensatic compass.
First, you have to know how to read a Lensatic compass. The compass face is divided into 6400 units. One unit is equivalent to 1 meter of separation at a distance of 1,000 meters. Next, you have to know how to take a bearing. Place it in your hand, with the cover perpendicular to the compass card. The lens should be at a 45º angle and your thumb should be in the thumb hook for stabilization. Read the bearings in relevance to an object by moving the compass up and down. After you’ve taken the bearing of a landmark, it is possible to follow it even if the landmark is not visible. However, you have to occasionally check to see if you’re going the right way.
In following the bearing of a compass, the user who is already familiar with the directions must pick a marker from a distance and set it as a reference point during travel. In case the reference point becomes out of sight (possible causes could be thick clouds, trees, fog, etc.), the user should stick to the bearing given by the compass. In few occasions, it is advisable to determine the current direction and location by getting another bearing to the reference point.
As a beginner who is just studying on how to use a lensatic compass, please spend some time getting familiar with the compass and do not try out immediately in an unfamiliar territory such as forests. Once able to follow the simple tips on how to use a lensatic compass, a traveler would be more confident trekking the woods, forests and mountains.
When using a compass, it is important to make compensations for any nearby object that may exert a magnetic force. If the compass is close to a car, for example, the magnetic needle will be drawn to the electromagnetic fields of the batteries, engine, etc. Compasses used while driving must be corrected for the additional electrical influences being exerted on them. Similarly, ships contain a great deal of steel and iron, which strongly affect the accuracy of a compass.
Compasses come in a wide variety of designs and levels. A basic military compass intended for hiking will only be about $10 to $15, and this is as much as the typical recreational hiker needs. However, compasses can run up to several hundred dollars, depending on the construction and the abilities of the device. Also, many watches designed for hikers in corporate compasses, and these pieces are usually in the range of $150 or more. Some of the popular brand names include Brunton and Suunto.