How to use a compass

Using the compass in interaction with a map

This is the important lesson, and you should learn it well.
It's when you use both compass and map and you will be able to navigate safely and accurately in terrain you've never been before without following trails. But it'll take some training and experience.
First, a quick summary of what you will learn in this lesson:

Here is our compass again

Here we are using the map to tell us which way to travel.
Take a look at the map, You want to go from point Ato point B.
What you would have to do, is put your compass on the map so that the edge of the compass is at point A. The edge you must be using, is the edge that is parallel to the direction of travel arrow. And then, put B somewhere along the same edge, like it is on the drawing. You would normally use the direction arrow itself, but for this exercise it's more convenient to use the edge. When you reach this point there are two ways to proceed, the first is explained above by using the compass edge. whilst the second way is to draw a pencil line between the two points, when using this method becareful when marking the map you do not cover any important information that you may neeed.

Be careful! The direction arrow, must point from A to B! remember, if you do this wrong, you will end up walking off in the exact opposite direction from where you want to be.
Keeping the compass on the map you are now going to align the orienting lines and the orienting arrow with the meridian lines of the map. These are the lines on the map going North, whilst you have the compass alinged from A to B turn the compass housing so that the orienting lines in the compass housing are aligned with the meridian lines on the map.
Be absolutely certain that you know where north is on the map, and make sure that the orienting arrow is pointing towards the north on the map, normally, north will be up on the map.
Keep an eye on the the edge of the compass if the edge isn't going along the line from A to B when you have finished turning the compass housing, you will have an error in your direction, and it can take you way off course.
When you are sure you have the compass housing right, you may take the compass away from the map and read the azimuth off the housing, from where the housing meets the direction arrow.
Be sure that the housing doesn't turn, before you reach your target B!
The final step is similiar to what you did in lesson 1. Hold the compass flat in your hand, so the compass needle can turn freely, and then rotate yourself, until the compass needle is aligned with the lines inside the compass housing.
Take Care! It is important that the red arrow of the compass needle points at north in the compass housing. If south points at north, you would end up walking off in the opposite direction.
It's now time to walk off, to do this with optimal accuracy, hold the compass in your hand, with the needle aligned with the orienting arrow, then look to where the directional arrow is pointing and pick a landmark to head towardsaim, as careful as you can, in the direction the direction of travel-arrow is pointing. Fix your eye on some special feature in the terrain as far as you can see in the direction.
If you are travelling through dense foreast you may need to aim several times, hopefully by following this you will find your way to point B.
You have been given the basics to map readsing but the only real way to learn is to practice, practice and practice.

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