This is what I was taught to use in the US Army (before the advent of GPS). It was a valuable skill to master, and armed with a lensatic compass and a map, one could effectively negotiate any terrain, direct fire upon a target, or effect a swift exit from an area. The maps were graduated into 100 meter grid squares, and with a compass one could further narrow that down to a ten meter square. We also kept pace counters (one could use pebbles or beads as well), and with practice, soldiers learned how to gauge distances travelled.
up until a couple years ago .I taught Hunters scouts, soldiers, prospectors and geologist trainees .. in map reading and navigation in Canada from the West coast to the high Arctic to Labrador .. for here .mag dec is vital to know and to set .. Canadian Gov maps have a scale on the side of the map.. given a fixed dec, and date recorded and the number of degrees that it varies per year.. you calculate the date then to now add the number of degrees it changes per year multiplied by the years, adjust compass .. Too often hunters and hikers especially find electronics useless .. especially on cell phones .. It's one thing to read an OS map and hike from one sheep pen to farm to lake .. another to travel 20 odd km in the bush without landmarks .. I still have my issue compass, but prefer my silva .. and or Brunton pocket transit
GPS is very useful, but much more prone to fail and makes the brain lazy. Youngest people are too dependant of modern technology. As a police officer assigned to Missing Persons Unit of São Paulo Police, Brazil, we often need to locate lost hikers in jungle areas between our city and the South Atlantic. No signal of radio, mobile phone or GPS in some areas. Only the good old compass and map works. Sometimes I carry even boat flares to keep contact with our Tactical Air Service (police helicopters, aka "Pelican Units").
& it's still a very valuable skill. I carry a GPS when hunting, but I NEVER leave for a hunt without my maps & compass. Taught my kids, & been teaching my grandkids, which has been a challenge since they believe technology is the only way, but they're slowly catching on & having fun doing it.
IMPORTANT for those new to compass land navigation!! When following a bearing cross country, 'drift' needs to be accounted for. You can move sideways while keeping on the same bearing, so a good idea is to alternate the direction you go around obstacles; right, left, right, left. If you go around the same way, the tendency to drift off in one direction is magnified, even if the actual compass bearing never changes!
Also, geological variation can take place, I've worked in Indonesia, Canada Bush and Sub Sahara.. prospecting ( mineral exploration ) or security .. Sometimes you must be aware that Rocks containing high Iron and Magnetite ..can swing compasses quite drastically, and If suspected generally good practice is to ensure that you have a decent fore and "back" site .. try to never aim at one single object, always if possible try to line up two or more aim points. Obviously, the situation and methodology will change depending on the requirement whether rec, or tactical.
That is why it is better practice to sight an object that is on the bearing you are traveling, walk to it, and then shoot the azimuth again to another object, walk to it, repeat. It is certainly bad practice to simply use the compass reading alone for the reasons you mentioned
Can iron and/or magnetite concentrations be so high in places that they render a compass useless? I thought that as long as metal and magnets were not very close to the compass it would function properly. What can one do in such a situation?
@@1mataleo1 Yes; large metallic deposits can influence compasses. If not noted on the map, you have to watch for observed error, then correct for it. This is also why it's wise to double-check using other methods, if they are available.
@@tomweickmann6414What more could you want? There is nothing fancy going on. You set the dial and it determines which way you are facing. That's what a compass does. There is no magic technique here.
@@manuelvazquez8758 Hm, or maybe orienting the map is so fundamental to the practice of orienteering he didn’t bother to mention it. He has many other videos. Look deeper if you need more information on that part of the task.
@manuelvazquez8758 you don't need to orient the map. He set the bezzle to be in line with map north. The angle between the bezle and the sight marker doesn't change based on the direction you are facing. Once you have the angle, and it's adjusted for magnetic declination you line it up with the needle and you're set.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. On a course last week in south England (The Chiltern Hills) I was showing the participants lots of different types of compasses and I was asked how to use a lensatic with a map. So I thought I’d make a video showing one method. I know lensatic compasses have been covered in many videos but not many of them show how to use it, simply, with a map.
I like the Cammega, but if I'm honest, I like it more as an object than as a practical compass. That said, your video shows it can be used effectively with a map and without a protractor. But is it really worth the hassle? Do you think it actually has any navigational advantages over a baseplate or mirror compass?
The Cammega 3H is a really good compass that’s built for a very specific group of people to use (just like the Barker M73). For this it needs to be able to operate in very rough conditions, so I imagine that why it’s made like it is. The method of using it which I demonstrated on the video is fine for what I need it to do - to be used by walkers and trekkers. It’s not as precise as using a protractor, but we (walkers and trekkers) don’t need to be. There obviously are times when those who the compass is designed for would need to be very accurate when passing on bearings to others, who may use them in very serious situations. I tend to use just a very standard base plate compass, as that’s what I’m used to. If someone learned to navigate using a Cammega then I’d guess they will also continue to do so. It doesn’t make much difference which compass you use as long as you’re able to use it to navigate safely.
I was in the army. I do remember how complicated the orientation lessons seem to me those days. True the army ask for a lot o things more, but it would have been wonderful to start with the basics with somebody so pegadogic and clear as you. Thank you very much fo the refresh.
Watched the video to learn how to use a lensatic compass, came down into the comments and learned a new word. "Pedagogy" 'The study of the methodology of teaching.' I then realised that accidental vocabulary taught via the medium of RUclips comments could make for a pedagogical study. Allowing me (with this comment) to use it in a sentence to further re-enforce it in my mind. Which is one of the fundamentals of pedagogic theories of learning. All in all, a very good day. Many thanks!
NOTE: For those who wear glasses; the metal in your glasses can interfere with the arrow when you put your eye up to close to take a bearing. I have found that my Cammenga is affected by 2-3 degrees so I remove my glasses before sighting thru the lens.
You are correct sir. I had glasses that had sunglasses that clip on the main glasses. Guess how they were secured? Thats right magnets. So I was getting wrong readings when I was wearing my glasses. Made it hard to get readings without glasses on.
Great memories of my dad. I was in Boy Scouts and we were doing navigation. We had some kind of funky map and cheap compass. I showed my dad, he went down to "his trunk" where he kept his old army stuff and gave me his lensatic compass. He asked if I was serious about finding my way in the woods. We went to Appalachia Outfitters and he bought some topo maps. We went into the woods one time and the first thing he asked is where are you (an important point in navigation). Find it on the map. We drilled and drilled and I can say I'm pretty confident in my navigation, until I get lost
Thanks for a great video. I've had a Lensatic compass for more than 50 years, inherited from my dad. I had no idea about how to use it or the purpose of each of the parts. While I may never get to use it 'in the wild', I really appreciate knowing what it is and how to use it. Mark Miller, Canton, Ohio USA
I was in the army and going through Primary NCO Academy, PNOC for short. We did a night compass course, no map. You would get the azmithus to the next location and use the compass to get you there. You had to be precise as there would be 3 post with your next location and you had to be on the right post. The 3 post were only about 12 feet apart. If you got the wrong post you flunked the compass course.
Same thing…except it was in Boy Scouts, if you followed it all correctly there’d be a bag of doughnuts in a tree 😂. 10 years later in the Army learning landnav in the desert I was happy for the Boy Scouts.
More or less the same thing .. Also when I trained exploration crews in survey grid and claim staking etc, back before click (online/paper) staking became the norm in Canada. We set out a system of 1 km square (no slope correction) We then after the basics of sighting and use of compass set declinations etc, then would set them off , each working from a common LCP . They had to navigate and correctly locate intermediate posts every 500 meters and make the 90-degree turn at 1km returning to the start point mock LCP (Legal Corner Post) which we removed when they left, they then place a ribbon where they thought they had to finish. Initialy very few were able to get within 50 meters of their correct point, some ended up several hundred meters away. Then We'd throw everything at them, changed the declination on compasses, place the grid on top of magnetite/sulphide outcrops (your nows knows) Given MRC is or was in SW England .. Sulphides and magnetic rocks are abundant..
Simple straightforward tutorial, it’s good to know that the compass is still being used. Its a good skill to have when out and about it’s so much more interesting then using and relying on GPS, in my opinion. I still insist on using a Compass, Prismatic mainly it’s so easy to use. My way of remembering how to add or subtract was a way that had been taught to me many years ago was this. Grid to Mag Add and Mag to Grid get rid and any variations that the Map might have, would be adjusted accordingly. Just subscribed. 👍
Appreciate your the concise lesson, Map Reading Company. I now see that the Index Line (3:00) on my cheap Lensatic compass has been painted ON the screen, not within it! When I rotate the Bezel to adjust the marker, the damn Index Line moves with the marker. And I bought this compass; me, a former Scout, tramping around Fiordland! Just shows what 50 years of suburban living can do. Thanks, TMRC, and hello from New Zealand.
The line painted on the screen is universal for non-Cammenga compasses. Cammenga lensatics are the only lensatic compasses I have ever seen that have a proper, static index line. I imagine it's probably technically difficult to manufacture, because I can't think of any other reason why Chinese compass manufacturers have universally avoided making their compasses in such a manner.
An easy way to do reciprocal directions. Instead of adding or subtracting 180°, you remember that any heading is three digits. The first digit can be 0,1, 2 or 3. (ie 60° is 060°). If the first digit is either 0 or 1, you add 2 to it and subtract 2 from the next digit. For example 180 becomes 360, 050 becomes 230. If the first digit is 2 or 3 subtract 2, from the first digit and then add 2 to the next digit. For example, 360 becomes 180.
Cool little trick, it would shave off about 1 second from my mental calculations ... If the azimuth is under 180 degrees, you add 180. If it's over 180 degrees, you subtract 180. or, why not just look at where the other end of the friggin needle is pointing at while you're aiming at the object? lol
That's a useful video. Something I have found when following a bearing is not to try and walk while watching the dial. You can easily crab off to one side or the other while keeping the needle spot on. What works for me is to find something identifiable on my bearing, walk to that, then repeat. It's quite accurate over significant distances.
@@byteme9718 Some people walk watching the needle while physically drifting off to the left or right as they go. The needle shows they are pointing the compass in the right direction but their travel on the ground can be way off.
@@Crusty_Camper My comment was very clear, that's how you use a compass. Obviously no one ever taught you, if they had you'd have known that in the first few minutes.
@@byteme9718 Yeah, we seem to have our wires crossed. As part of a Mountain Rescue Team for the last 30 years, accurate compass use is an essential skill for me. My comment was aimed at the large number of people who don't know how to use one and we end up sorting the problem out for them. It was a suggestion, not a revelation.
I've had a version of one of these compasses for years without knowing how to use it, there are also some peaks I would like to Identify in the distance from my house. This is really awesome, I believe I already have the maps as well. In New Mexico, there is always a mountain range in the distance, this would be a cool road trip distraction, identifying distant land marks and ranges.
T Y, Sir! Never had the 3-degree increment on the bezel explained before. I have a lensatic without a manufacturer's label. Takes forever to settle compared to a Silva baseplate, but is very useful when set on top of a stable surface.
Really great explanation, thank uou very much for sharing this knowledge. I’ve never found a video so useful expecially to explain simply how to know “what am I looking at?!!”🤣 now I can finally look at a mountain top hiking on the Dolomites and know its name! Thank you very much!
@@TheMapReadingCompany just saw the video, immediately saved into my “Trekking Advices” playlist, I’m going to write down some infos you shared to keep them with me in my next trekking in case of need! Thank you very much for your kind advice!
This video is very helpful. This is the first video I have seen that explained what the smaller numbers mean. NATO mils good to know. I will have to check out your video on degrees vs. NATO mils. Thank you, I just subscribed and liked.
It's hard to believe that people still use a compass and a topo map. I learned this skill in the boy scouts there was no GPS. That was 50 some odd years ago. I'm glad the skill is being passed along. In Canada it was considered essential
My friends that are very active in my States "Search and Rescue" Units tell me it is VERY COMMON to "Rescue" lost hikers/hunters who have a GPS with DEAD BATTERIES 🔋 or trying to use just some free GPS app they got for their cell phone! The "Moral" being....... There is simply NO SUBSTITUTE for map, compass and THE SMARTS TO USE THEM !!!!!
I think that in the US and in Northern Europe it should be pretty much mandatory to know how to use a topo map and compass, and to have them with you at all times. In the UK it's all about having a bit of fun. In most cases, if your GPS runs out of batteries in the UK, worst case scenario is your day is not going to go to plan. But it's not like you're at risk of falling off the face of the Earth, never to be seen again. Just pick a random direction, avoid obvious ravines, and just keep walking. You'll run into a river or a road very soon, and in a few hours at most you will hit civilisation.
Not quite, when you sight a bearing to a feature, you line it up with the notch on top of the lens and the wire in the observation slot. Then you look through the lens, which is there to magnify the compass card, and read the bearing from the bezel markings under the black index line. Best way is to tilt the lens at a 45 degree angle and the compass cover straight up at a 90 degree angle. Two acronyms: for declination from Magnetic North to True North or Grid North on the map declination diagram, use LARS (To the LEFT, ADD the amount of degrees indicated on the declination diagram; and to the RIGHT, SUBTRACT); and for back azimuths, use the acronym LAMS (LESS than 180 degrees from the sighted bearing, ADD 180 degrees, and if your bearing is MORE than 180 degrees, SUBTRACT 180 degrees... For example, a bearing of 78 degrees, being less than 180, gets 180 degrees added to get a back azimuth of 258 degrees, and a bearing of 301 degrees, being more than 180, gets 180 degrees subtracted to get a back azimuth of 121 degrees). This is useful when plotting your position on a map from observable features: if you take a bearing from a water tower, a hilltop, any fixed point feature, you then draw a line from the feature on the map through your position using a back azimuth. You can plot your position using a resection with two identifiable features on the map, use a cross section to find a point along a linear feature such as a road, powerlines, or a stream, or use an intersection to obtain the location of an observable point from two different physical locations from which you shoot an azimuth to this feature. When using a map it helps to use a protractor along with the compass marked with degrees all the way around, and mils if you're using that scale (mostly military). People should be aware that the compass can be affected by metallic components on your body, so keep it away from belt buckles and other things while you use it. In the military it is very important, since we carry weapons, knives, binoculars, metal clips on our gear, snaps, lighters, bolt cutters, magazines, pack frames, camp stoves, trip wire, and many other things. Also, using a lensatic compass on slopes requires attention in order to keep it level, since a certain amount of tilt in any direction can provide an inaccurate bearing, even though the compass card seems to be rotating freely. Wobble it around just a little before you take a bearing so you can observe in which position it indicates that it is level with the ground and is pointing at Magnetic North accurately.
@@davidcruz8667You said "not quite" in relation to sighting a feature. What you said is exactly what he said. Care do detail what did you mean by that?
@@CristiNeagu OK. One ergonomic detail: the angles of the lens and the cover are specific, the lens serves two purposes, as a rear sight when taking a bearing by sighting through the top notch, and as a magnifier for the numbers on the compass card under the black index line, generally set at approximately 45 degrees looking straight at the heading numbers; and thus the cover itself is set straight up at an 80-degree angle, with the sighting wire in the slot used as a front sight. Bringing the cover down greatly diminishes your sight picture, and can lead to errors by a degree or two. If you do this navigating in thick brush for an extended period, you can end up off track by several miles. Bad juju.
well done video and tutorial.. I agree about mag dec, especially in the UK as the variance is minimal and you are more likely to observe a fixed feature that will correct your course ..
good explanation, i beliee its similar to how we did in the scouts however some differences are: we always took the map, lined the compass north to the map north, then you know you are aligned to real life landmarks. you then place the compass on the map, and you twist the mark to match the NORTH of the needle, taking the Azimuth. We never took a landmark further than maybe max 300 steps if i vaguely remember, and we always checked that were on the right azimuth. the wire and the black sight can act like basically a scope, where you aim at a tree and go for it, then reevaluate, that way you dont need to count your steps. we never calculated for declination, we never needed to, and we also never got lost. this might only be relevant in larger, thicker woods perhaps, but normally, i dont think you really need to account for it if you know what youre up to. *hint; it helps to see mountains in the distance, then you can align those directly to the map using the compass sight. that way you can be sure that youre not off track.
It's a very good idea to align the map with North when using a lensatic because it doesn't have the protractor function of a baseplate compass. This makes the aligning procedure we see at 7:43 pretty imprecise. It's much more precise to align the map with North and then align the tritium mark with the compass North.
It is essential to know how to use a compass for the infantry soldier or a sextant for the seaman. There is GPS now, but one day it may be neutralized by an electromagnetic event, and you have to know how to navigate the old way.
I could never feel comfortable relying on GPS. It is an expedient convenience at best. I’d have to have a death wish to navigate in the middle of nowhere without a map and compass. All it takes is one malfunction or breakage and you’re screwed. Technology is great, but it never should be relied on
I always carry two compasses: a Sunto MC2 Global base plate compass which is the one I use, mostly because it is accurate and I can set and forget the declination. However, I always keep my Camenga Lensatic Compass in my pack in case the Sunto breaks, which is a possibility since it is plastic. The Camenga is practically bombproof, so if my luck was so bad that I broke both of them, I suppose I would spend the rest of my time writing goodbye letters.
Still have a stocker & Yale from the just post Vietnam era. Works as good today as when it was built though the tritium is about gone after almost 50 years. Had it since I was 10 and back then it shined quite bright.
The Cammenga Lensatic is a very tough piece of equipment, as compasses go, but I have never been convinced by it from the point of view of accuracy. You start of with a potential 1.5 degree error due to the dial clicking into place every 3 degrees. On top of that, you have a really sketchy system for transferring a bearing to or from a map with the compass alone. Add together those problems and you'd be as well buying an AliExpress silva knock-off for a pound. It is surely meant for use with the US DoD GTA protractor, or similar tools like the UK's RA protractor, which are designed for the job of transferring a bearing to or from a map accurately. You are then left with the dial clicking error which makes you up to 27m out at 1000m which seems insignificant until you are operating near a cliff edge in cloud.
Spot on mate. Thank you for the video. You answered all my questions and made it simple and easy to understand. Right on man. - Chris Beaverdam, Virginia. USA
Your instruction at the end was to follow a bearing of 345 and then you set compass for bearing 354. I assumed you were taking into account a hypothetical 9 degree declination!!!! Very well explained video nevertheless. I'd love to practice more with declination but its only about 0 degrees11min at present in Northern England. Too small to deal with.
Thanks for making this very informative video. I grew up knowing how to use lensatic compasses, but it's years since I've used one, so I've forgotten a lot of it. I don't know how reliable that particular compass is, though. The company can't even spell metres correctly. 🧐
Be aware that you may react to the tritium. I used mine every day,practice with it and would get a rash inside my elbows. Could never figure out why, then realized that it only happened when I handled the compass daily. I stopped using it and got a phosphorescent Camenga, no more problems. Also don’t disassembled old compasses that are tritium or WW2 compasses as they are not safe.
I have this same compass, I see the date stamped on yours is 23-04-77, and mine has 14-11-77, which just happens to have been my 22nd birthday. I had no idea when I bought it several years ago off of eBay, what are the odds of that!
I actually still use compass 😊 they are very reliable unlike mobile phones what can lose signal or battery dies. I love going on adventures just setting my home cords then getting lost in the middle of nowhere land and then following the pointer all the way back home never fails unless you are totally lost then a map helps but still very useful tools
Everything is so damn expensive anymore. This is the worst inflation I’ve ever seen. I bought mine about 20 years ago brand new for around $70. I know that 20 years is quite some time, but the price has almost doubled! Peoples’ salaries certainly haven’t risen by an equivalent degree.
@TheMapReadingCompany >>> FWIW, I have one of these compasses. From a young age, I thought lensatic compasses were 'cool'. Same for the tritium glow tubes. Also, I have had other things {magnetic compasses, wristwatches, etc.} that used luminous paint. They never seemed to 'glow' for long enough to be useful. The tritium tubes solve that problem.
If you take a bearing to a distant object the declination still remains an issue presuming any reference to that point on a map with N at the top. So the true bearing has been corrected from the compass magnetic reference. Only then can a true back angle be determined.
It's worth mentioning that the tritium lights have a half life of 10 t0 12 years. Thereafter, their function falls off rapidly. For civilian use the phosphorescent version is better and slightly cheaper.
I was lost in the dark in a pitch black night out in the country with an overcast sky once when I was a kid. I was only able to find my way back by slowly finding and walking to and then along a road based on the feel and sound of it under me. At one point some dogs came up and ran around me barking. I couldn't see them at all, so I just stood there and waited for them to go away. Fortunately they eventually did. I guess they figured I wasn't a threat. Anyway, would have been nice to have this compass then. Cheers.
Great channel. I suggest doing a video about navigating by hiking and drawing your own map. The thing is that in Europe we have mountains covered with thick bushes ...often very hard to go through in straight line. You can basically walk where it is possible. Not like you british guys....nothing but open space :-)))
Are you familiar with the acronym, “LARS”? It is for declination diagrams. West being left, East being right. Simply remember LEFT ADD / RIGHT SUBTRACT. LARS. Its easy to use because the declination drawing either has the declination on the left or right of the Grid North line. I am dyslectic and I can only use memory techniques. Trying to think about declination in 3d would cause my head to explode.
I have just filmed a video answering this exact question about the two lines on the glass. It will take me a while to edit it but as soon as I have I'll post it. These types of compass are NOT used in the same way as a cammenga - - - - and yes I've seen the videos where he says it is ??
This video at least u explained where to get the declaration (sp) on the map. Now when your siting in your compass, where do u set your degrees??? East is least -, West is best +.
I'm your follower and all video you had are very informative but in 13:27 on the video made me a little bit confused. Is there no need to align the north arrow of the compass to the north line of the map? Thank you for the answer.
And if you're near a building, car, or anything that might contain steel, move away from it before using the compass. Steel effects the compass needle magnetic tip.
I loved this video. But I can't get the idea out of my head that if I can communicate with the other person by cell phone, nowadays the most likely thing is that I will pass on my GPS coordinates to him. I understand that cell phones can run out of battery and signal, but maybe the cell phone thing wasn't the best example ;-)
Nice video and great help with my new Cammenga. Question: you plotted 63 degrees on the map before you accounted for the declination. Is your declination in your area insignificant. In my case I have 11 degrees East so from compass to map, I need to draw 74 Degrees.
The compass used in this video isn’t a Cammenga and it’s used differently. For details of a simple method of using a Cammenga see my video here: ruclips.net/video/FI7C8VlbYfI/видео.html Yes at the moment there is virtually no declination in the UK. You say that in your area the Dec. is 11 degrees east. In this case I would just take a bearing straight from the map (for example 123 or 345 degrees) and then take the 11 degree from this (123 = 122, 345 = 334). There is no need to need draw lines on a map when using a Cammenga. Oh and note that the map does NOT need orienting north when taking a bearing from a map, it can be pointing in any direction.
@@TheMapReadingCompany Fully understood, I am in Melbourne Australia. Yes taking bearing from map I need to subtract. But, if I am taking a bearing with a compass to transfer to map, say 100 Degrees, in my case I will add the 11 and then find it on map. This is my summary: "FOR MAPS ALIGNED TO TN" Magnetic Bearing to TN Bearing=MB+MD [Compass to Map] TN Bearing to Magnetic Bearing = TNB-MD [Map to Compass]
1 Find two points of your map which you can identify on the ground and go to one of those points. This could be a road or wall junction, a trig point, a bridge, junction of two rivers, etc. Basically anything which is the same now as it was when the map was printed. 2 Take a compass bearing from your location to the other point. 3 Take a bearing from the map your location to the other point. 4 Compare the two bearings. The difference is the current local declination.
Thank you so much for this simple explanation! But I do have one question...do you have to be actually on site to take a proper map bearing with a Lensatic Compass? I am practicing plotting bearings (at home) using a map & compass, and checking my numbers with Google Earth; but my numbers are off :( Even when I account for declination. Not sure what I am, or not, doing correctly. Going from a transparent baseplate (with alignment lines) to a floating dial with degrees, is a learning curve for me apparently.
Google Earth compass is not normally correct - I don't know why. I have just tested 5 different lines and they are all out by between 3 and 6 degrees. You don't have to be "on-site" to check a bearing - you can be anywhere. Remember that Cammenga say their compasses are only accurate to within 40mils / 2.25 degrees Suggestion. Take the bearing with your baseplate compass and then do it with your lensatic and see if you get the same results. If not then make sure (try to be accurate) that when you point the north magnetic part of the disk northwards, it really is pointing north.
@@TheMapReadingCompany Thank you so much for the reply! I don't know why I didn't even think of comparing the results with my Baseplate! And the very fact that there is a margin of error could play into my seemingly inaccurate results. Thank you again, really enjoy your videos. Watching them from the US, New York!
I don't think anyone has ever made a lensatic compass that's useful for civilian, international use. The problem with the Cammenga is that the main scale is in mils, which is perfectly fine if you're in the US Army, but somewhat useless for anyone else. The degree scale only has a 5 degree accuracy. I suppose you can simply use mils instead of degrees, but that's a bit backwards if you're not travelling alone. All the other non-Cammenga lensatic compasses are pretty much useless, as none of them have a reference hairline, so you can't actually get an accurate bearing from them. And getting accurate bearings is what a lensatic compass excels at. It is by a very wide margin the absolute best type of compass for taking bearings. Unfortunately, to be that good at taking bearings, it had to sacrifice the quality of map work. Turning the bezel to align it with the map like you do at 7:43 is very, very imprecise. The 3 degree accuracy of the bezel is irrelevant, as aligning that tiny, tiny tritium mark with your map grid is very difficult. It's not that great for map work. It's also not ideal for following bearings. You need to get it out of your pocket, open it up, wait for it to stabilise, and then align it properly. A baseplate compass, on the other hand, is absolutely the best at map work, and very good at following bearings. But it is absolutely hopeless when taking bearings. So I am really wondering how come no one has combined the two? Why not have a lensatic style compass body and magnetic needle in a baseplate capsule that is transparent and with a cage and parallel lines? That would allow such a compass to be just as good as a normal lensatic at taking bearings, but also almost as good as the baseplate for map work since it can be used as a protractor. Oh well, once can only dream and hope... Either way, I agree with the rest of the comments. This is the best video on the internet on how to use a Cammenga lensatic.
The Cammenga Destinate (their base plate compass) is one of the videos in my "Three Minute Gear Review" series of videos. I've done about 15 up to now. I'll post them when I have about 20, to see if anyone watches. If they do I'll make more.
I still have my dads WD issue prismatic compass which works on the same basic method as the lensatic. The dial has a hand operated lock which lifts the dial slightly and puts the scale numbers out of focus through the viewing prism. Most irritating - ! 😅
I might have missed it but I never heard an explanation for how to set up the map... the map needs to be oriented to north prior to using the compass. I personally set my map up to account for magnetic declination so everything is a straight forward transfer whether reading from or to the map...
Yes. The type of compass used has no effect on declination. But it depends on the type of compass being used and the skill of the user as to how accurately it can be adjusted.
It won't work in the North AND south, but in only the North OR South. I think (but may be wrong) that the default is a Northern Hemisphere compass but you can pay a small suppliment when ordering for the Southern Hemisphere option.
@@TheMapReadingCompany , I heard about it. In my country (Brazil), we are rarely warned about this difference. Most people uses compasses made in China, and only Silva and Suunto has dealers in Brazil that offer "global compasses". Our main problem with US-made compasses are the map reading scales: many are graduated in feet or miles, like a Brunton Eclipse Pro that I have (totally useless here), but the standard 1:25000 or 1:50000 is very useful. I never paid attention to "North" or "South" Hemisphere calibration (indeed, I never had or saw a compass specified for South Hemisphere), and American, Chinese and Japanese compasses always worked here (about 23°S 46°W). Could you explain it better, please?
I remember at school we all had to learn how to use a compass and went orienteering a couple of times a year. God knows what kids these days would do if the internet went down.
Tritium or phosphorus is the same price for the US Mil compasses. Most people buy phosphorus as the tritium starts breaking down after ~10 years. Whereas the phosphorus lasts a lifetime. The military use tritium because they don't care if they have to throw them away (which they do) after that time.
This is what I was taught to use in the US Army (before the advent of GPS). It was a valuable skill to master, and armed with a lensatic compass and a map, one could effectively negotiate any terrain, direct fire upon a target, or effect a swift exit from an area. The maps were graduated into 100 meter grid squares, and with a compass one could further narrow that down to a ten meter square. We also kept pace counters (one could use pebbles or beads as well), and with practice, soldiers learned how to gauge distances travelled.
And no batteries to fail! 😉
up until a couple years ago .I taught Hunters scouts, soldiers, prospectors and geologist trainees .. in map reading and navigation in Canada from the West coast to the high Arctic to Labrador .. for here .mag dec is vital to know and to set ..
Canadian Gov maps have a scale on the side of the map.. given a fixed dec, and date recorded and the number of degrees that it varies per year.. you calculate the date then to now add the number of degrees it changes per year multiplied by the years, adjust compass ..
Too often hunters and hikers especially find electronics useless .. especially on cell phones .. It's one thing to read an OS map and hike from one sheep pen to farm to lake .. another to travel 20 odd km in the bush without landmarks ..
I still have my issue compass, but prefer my silva .. and or Brunton pocket transit
GPS is very useful, but much more prone to fail and makes the brain lazy. Youngest people are too dependant of modern technology.
As a police officer assigned to Missing Persons Unit of São Paulo Police, Brazil, we often need to locate lost hikers in jungle areas between our city and the South Atlantic. No signal of radio, mobile phone or GPS in some areas. Only the good old compass and map works. Sometimes I carry even boat flares to keep contact with our Tactical Air Service (police helicopters, aka "Pelican Units").
& it's still a very valuable skill. I carry a GPS when hunting, but I NEVER leave for a hunt without my maps & compass. Taught my kids, & been teaching my grandkids, which has been a challenge since they believe technology is the only way, but they're slowly catching on & having fun doing it.
Just don't give it to a lieutenant
IMPORTANT for those new to compass land navigation!!
When following a bearing cross country, 'drift' needs to be accounted for. You can move sideways while keeping on the same bearing, so a good idea is to alternate the direction you go around obstacles; right, left, right, left. If you go around the same way, the tendency to drift off in one direction is magnified, even if the actual compass bearing never changes!
Also, geological variation can take place, I've worked in Indonesia, Canada Bush and Sub Sahara.. prospecting ( mineral exploration ) or security .. Sometimes you must be aware that Rocks containing high Iron and Magnetite ..can swing compasses quite drastically, and If suspected generally good practice is to ensure that you have a decent fore and "back" site .. try to never aim at one single object, always if possible try to line up two or more aim points.
Obviously, the situation and methodology will change depending on the requirement whether rec, or tactical.
That is why it is better practice to sight an object that is on the bearing you are traveling, walk to it, and then shoot the azimuth again to another object, walk to it, repeat. It is certainly bad practice to simply use the compass reading alone for the reasons you mentioned
Can iron and/or magnetite concentrations be so high in places that they render a compass useless? I thought that as long as metal and magnets were not very close to the compass it would function properly. What can one do in such a situation?
@@1mataleo1 Yes, indeed!
@@1mataleo1 Yes; large metallic deposits can influence compasses. If not noted on the map, you have to watch for observed error, then correct for it. This is also why it's wise to double-check using other methods, if they are available.
This is, bar none, the finest explanation of the lensatic compass anywhere on the net. Thanks for sharing!!!
Wow, thanks!
@@tomweickmann6414What more could you want? There is nothing fancy going on. You set the dial and it determines which way you are facing. That's what a compass does. There is no magic technique here.
This video is the best I’ve seen on lensatic compasses. For that matter your videos in general are the best period!
Definitely agree with you.
ruclips.net/video/FI7C8VlbYfI/видео.html
As a United States Marine I can say this is the best example of using this compass. Semper Fidelis from Texas
Thanks. Much appreciated.
It takes Marines a little bit longer to get things lol
He forgot to ORIENT the map first. The demonstration is worthless and dangerous.
@@manuelvazquez8758 Hm, or maybe orienting the map is so fundamental to the practice of orienteering he didn’t bother to mention it. He has many other videos. Look deeper if you need more information on that part of the task.
@manuelvazquez8758 you don't need to orient the map. He set the bezzle to be in line with map north. The angle between the bezle and the sight marker doesn't change based on the direction you are facing.
Once you have the angle, and it's adjusted for magnetic declination you line it up with the needle and you're set.
This is the clearest and most useful video on the Cammenga I've see, and I've watch loads of them. Thanks
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
On a course last week in south England (The Chiltern Hills) I was showing the participants lots of different types of compasses and I was asked how to use a lensatic with a map. So I thought I’d make a video showing one method. I know lensatic compasses have been covered in many videos but not many of them show how to use it, simply, with a map.
I like the Cammega, but if I'm honest, I like it more as an object than as a practical compass. That said, your video shows it can be used effectively with a map and without a protractor. But is it really worth the hassle? Do you think it actually has any navigational advantages over a baseplate or mirror compass?
The Cammega 3H is a really good compass that’s built for a very specific group of people to use (just like the Barker M73). For this it needs to be able to operate in very rough conditions, so I imagine that why it’s made like it is.
The method of using it which I demonstrated on the video is fine for what I need it to do - to be used by walkers and trekkers. It’s not as precise as using a protractor, but we (walkers and trekkers) don’t need to be. There obviously are times when those who the compass is designed for would need to be very accurate when passing on bearings to others, who may use them in very serious situations.
I tend to use just a very standard base plate compass, as that’s what I’m used to. If someone learned to navigate using a Cammega then I’d guess they will also continue to do so. It doesn’t make much difference which compass you use as long as you’re able to use it to navigate safely.
@@TheMapReadingCompany You should do a video on using an analogue watch as a compass.
So far this video hands down does the best job of explaining how to use a compass with and without a map. Fantastic!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I was in the army. I do remember how complicated the orientation lessons seem to me those days. True the army ask for a lot o things more, but it would have been wonderful to start with the basics with somebody so pegadogic and clear as you. Thank you very much fo the refresh.
Watched the video to learn how to use a lensatic compass, came down into the comments and learned a new word. "Pedagogy" 'The study of the methodology of teaching.'
I then realised that accidental vocabulary taught via the medium of RUclips comments could make for a pedagogical study. Allowing me (with this comment) to use it in a sentence to further re-enforce it in my mind. Which is one of the fundamentals of pedagogic theories of learning.
All in all, a very good day. Many thanks!
@@theoriginaldylangreene A good use of a Greek word.
NOTE: For those who wear glasses; the metal in your glasses can interfere with the arrow when you put your eye up to close to take a bearing. I have found that my Cammenga is affected by 2-3 degrees so I remove my glasses before sighting thru the lens.
Other items can also interfere, like helmets, dog tags ans even orthodontic appliances!
You are correct sir. I had glasses that had sunglasses that clip on the main glasses. Guess how they were secured? Thats right magnets. So I was getting wrong readings when I was wearing my glasses. Made it hard to get readings without glasses on.
There's magnifier while reading?@@SavageVoyageur
Great memories of my dad. I was in Boy Scouts and we were doing navigation. We had some kind of funky map and cheap compass. I showed my dad, he went down to "his trunk" where he kept his old army stuff and gave me his lensatic compass. He asked if I was serious about finding my way in the woods. We went to Appalachia Outfitters and he bought some topo maps. We went into the woods one time and the first thing he asked is where are you (an important point in navigation). Find it on the map. We drilled and drilled and I can say I'm pretty confident in my navigation, until I get lost
I personally am never lost. I always know exactly where I am. I just may not know where that is in relation to where I want to be!
Always Enjoyed the Phrase, "Be Here Now"
Now With a Map and a Compass, I Can Put My Finger On the Map, An Logistically Say,
"Be Here Now."
Tnks
The correct phrase is: Never truely lost! 😁
I'm learning a little every video,I'm even going through the previous videos.great education
Thanks, I really appreciate your comments.
Thanks for a great video. I've had a Lensatic compass for more than 50 years, inherited from my dad. I had no idea about how to use it or the purpose of each of the parts. While I may never get to use it 'in the wild', I really appreciate knowing what it is and how to use it.
Mark Miller, Canton, Ohio USA
Thanks for finally giving a rationale why there are two reference lines (the longer and shorter one) and what the point about them is!
I was in the army and going through Primary NCO Academy, PNOC for short. We did a night compass course, no map. You would get the azmithus to the next location and use the compass to get you there. You had to be precise as there would be 3 post with your next location and you had to be on the right post. The 3 post were only about 12 feet apart. If you got the wrong post you flunked the compass course.
Hi Mike,
That's really interesting. Thanks for joining the conversation.
Same thing…except it was in Boy Scouts, if you followed it all correctly there’d be a bag of doughnuts in a tree 😂. 10 years later in the Army learning landnav in the desert I was happy for the Boy Scouts.
More or less the same thing ..
Also when I trained exploration crews in survey grid and claim staking etc, back before click (online/paper) staking became the norm in Canada.
We set out a system of 1 km square (no slope correction) We then after the basics of sighting and use of compass set declinations etc, then would set them off , each working from a common LCP .
They had to navigate and correctly locate intermediate posts every 500 meters and make the 90-degree turn at 1km returning to the start point mock LCP (Legal Corner Post) which we removed when they left, they then place a ribbon where they thought they had to finish.
Initialy very few were able to get within 50 meters of their correct point, some ended up several hundred meters away. Then We'd throw everything at them, changed the declination on compasses, place the grid on top of magnetite/sulphide outcrops (your nows knows) Given MRC is or was in SW England .. Sulphides and magnetic rocks are abundant..
As unit training NCO I setup courses like that along with other land nav courses.
Sounds like a fun game too. Cheers.
Simple straightforward tutorial, it’s good to know that the compass is still being used. Its a good skill to have when out and about it’s so much more interesting then using and relying on GPS, in my opinion.
I still insist on using a Compass, Prismatic mainly it’s so easy to use.
My way of remembering how to add or subtract was a way that had been taught to me many years ago was this.
Grid to Mag Add and Mag to Grid get rid and any variations that the Map might have, would be adjusted accordingly.
Just subscribed. 👍
Appreciate your the concise lesson, Map Reading Company.
I now see that the Index Line (3:00) on my cheap Lensatic compass has been painted ON the screen, not within it!
When I rotate the Bezel to adjust the marker, the damn Index Line moves with the marker.
And I bought this compass; me, a former Scout, tramping around Fiordland! Just shows what 50 years of suburban living can do.
Thanks, TMRC, and hello from New Zealand.
I think you can order a southern hemisphere cammenga direct from the company - but check before you buy.
The line painted on the screen is universal for non-Cammenga compasses. Cammenga lensatics are the only lensatic compasses I have ever seen that have a proper, static index line. I imagine it's probably technically difficult to manufacture, because I can't think of any other reason why Chinese compass manufacturers have universally avoided making their compasses in such a manner.
Great. We used to use these and baseplate compasses in Boy Scouts in the US. Great fun and I miss it. Thanks for the info and memories.
An easy way to do reciprocal directions.
Instead of adding or subtracting 180°, you remember that any heading is three digits. The first digit can be 0,1, 2 or 3. (ie 60° is 060°). If the first digit is either 0 or 1, you add 2 to it and subtract 2 from the next digit. For example 180 becomes 360, 050 becomes 230.
If the first digit is 2 or 3 subtract 2, from the first digit and then add 2 to the next digit. For example, 360 becomes 180.
Cool little trick, it would shave off about 1 second from my mental calculations ... If the azimuth is under 180 degrees, you add 180. If it's over 180 degrees, you subtract 180. or, why not just look at where the other end of the friggin needle is pointing at while you're aiming at the object? lol
That's a useful video. Something I have found when following a bearing is not to try and walk while watching the dial. You can easily crab off to one side or the other while keeping the needle spot on. What works for me is to find something identifiable on my bearing, walk to that, then repeat. It's quite accurate over significant distances.
Really? Just how else do you think you'd use a compass?
@@byteme9718 Some people walk watching the needle while physically drifting off to the left or right as they go. The needle shows they are pointing the compass in the right direction but their travel on the ground can be way off.
@@Crusty_Camper My comment was very clear, that's how you use a compass. Obviously no one ever taught you, if they had you'd have known that in the first few minutes.
@@byteme9718 Yeah, we seem to have our wires crossed. As part of a Mountain Rescue Team for the last 30 years, accurate compass use is an essential skill for me. My comment was aimed at the large number of people who don't know how to use one and we end up sorting the problem out for them. It was a suggestion, not a revelation.
And alternating which side of obstacles you walk around also helps reduce drift.
I've had a version of one of these compasses for years without knowing how to use it, there are also some peaks I would like to Identify in the distance from my house. This is really awesome, I believe I already have the maps as well. In New Mexico, there is always a mountain range in the distance, this would be a cool road trip distraction, identifying distant land marks and ranges.
T Y, Sir! Never had the 3-degree increment on the bezel explained before. I have a lensatic without a manufacturer's label. Takes forever to settle compared to a Silva baseplate, but is very useful when set on top of a stable surface.
Really great explanation, thank uou very much for sharing this knowledge. I’ve never found a video so useful expecially to explain simply how to know “what am I looking at?!!”🤣 now I can finally look at a mountain top hiking on the Dolomites and know its name! Thank you very much!
To find "what am I looking at" try this video
ruclips.net/video/pTNJOpLcT4k/видео.html
@@TheMapReadingCompany just saw the video, immediately saved into my “Trekking Advices” playlist, I’m going to write down some infos you shared to keep them with me in my next trekking in case of need!
Thank you very much for your kind advice!
This video is very helpful. This is the first video I have seen that explained what the smaller numbers mean. NATO mils good to know. I will have to check out your video on degrees vs. NATO mils. Thank you, I just subscribed and liked.
It's hard to believe that people still use a compass and a topo map. I learned this skill in the boy scouts there was no GPS. That was 50 some odd years ago.
I'm glad the skill is being passed along. In Canada it was considered essential
Yeah, GPS is wonderful, but if the batteries or signal die...well, I hope they know their terrain.
My friends that are very active in my States "Search and Rescue" Units tell me it is VERY COMMON to "Rescue" lost hikers/hunters who have a GPS with DEAD BATTERIES 🔋 or trying to use just some free GPS app they got for their cell phone!
The "Moral" being.......
There is simply NO SUBSTITUTE for map, compass and THE SMARTS TO USE THEM !!!!!
I think that in the US and in Northern Europe it should be pretty much mandatory to know how to use a topo map and compass, and to have them with you at all times. In the UK it's all about having a bit of fun. In most cases, if your GPS runs out of batteries in the UK, worst case scenario is your day is not going to go to plan. But it's not like you're at risk of falling off the face of the Earth, never to be seen again. Just pick a random direction, avoid obvious ravines, and just keep walking. You'll run into a river or a road very soon, and in a few hours at most you will hit civilisation.
Nothing can replace actual compasses, and hard copy maps
Some things are still worth doing. They haven't turned us all into socialized zombies yet. Cheers.
I trained with this compass back in the 80’s, thanks for the refresher.
At last a simple use explanation on a map close up great thanks
Glad you liked it!
Not quite, when you sight a bearing to a feature, you line it up with the notch on top of the lens and the wire in the observation slot. Then you look through the lens, which is there to magnify the compass card, and read the bearing from the bezel markings under the black index line. Best way is to tilt the lens at a 45 degree angle and the compass cover straight up at a 90 degree angle.
Two acronyms: for declination from Magnetic North to True North or Grid North on the map declination diagram, use LARS (To the LEFT, ADD the amount of degrees indicated on the declination diagram; and to the RIGHT, SUBTRACT); and for back azimuths, use the acronym LAMS (LESS than 180 degrees from the sighted bearing, ADD 180 degrees, and if your bearing is MORE than 180 degrees, SUBTRACT 180 degrees... For example, a bearing of 78 degrees, being less than 180, gets 180 degrees added to get a back azimuth of 258 degrees, and a bearing of 301 degrees, being more than 180, gets 180 degrees subtracted to get a back azimuth of 121 degrees).
This is useful when plotting your position on a map from observable features: if you take a bearing from a water tower, a hilltop, any fixed point feature, you then draw a line from the feature on the map through your position using a back azimuth. You can plot your position using a resection with two identifiable features on the map, use a cross section to find a point along a linear feature such as a road, powerlines, or a stream, or use an intersection to obtain the location of an observable point from two different physical locations from which you shoot an azimuth to this feature.
When using a map it helps to use a protractor along with the compass marked with degrees all the way around, and mils if you're using that scale (mostly military).
People should be aware that the compass can be affected by metallic components on your body, so keep it away from belt buckles and other things while you use it. In the military it is very important, since we carry weapons, knives, binoculars, metal clips on our gear, snaps, lighters, bolt cutters, magazines, pack frames, camp stoves, trip wire, and many other things.
Also, using a lensatic compass on slopes requires attention in order to keep it level, since a certain amount of tilt in any direction can provide an inaccurate bearing, even though the compass card seems to be rotating freely. Wobble it around just a little before you take a bearing so you can observe in which position it indicates that it is level with the ground and is pointing at Magnetic North accurately.
good description. for more accuracy use a plumb line on the wire, as this compass has no gravity bubble
Isn't that exactly what he said?
@@CristiNeagu no, close, but a little off. Precision counts. Understanding each component counts.
@@davidcruz8667You said "not quite" in relation to sighting a feature. What you said is exactly what he said. Care do detail what did you mean by that?
@@CristiNeagu OK. One ergonomic detail: the angles of the lens and the cover are specific, the lens serves two purposes, as a rear sight when taking a bearing by sighting through the top notch, and as a magnifier for the numbers on the compass card under the black index line, generally set at approximately 45 degrees looking straight at the heading numbers; and thus the cover itself is set straight up at an 80-degree angle, with the sighting wire in the slot used as a front sight.
Bringing the cover down greatly diminishes your sight picture, and can lead to errors by a degree or two. If you do this navigating in thick brush for an extended period, you can end up off track by several miles. Bad juju.
Great videos. Takes me back to my Boy Scouting days, orienteering merit badge, camping and hikes.
well done video and tutorial.. I agree about mag dec, especially in the UK as the variance is minimal and you are more likely to observe a fixed feature that will correct your course ..
good explanation, i beliee its similar to how we did in the scouts however some differences are:
we always took the map, lined the compass north to the map north, then you know you are aligned to real life landmarks. you then place the compass on the map, and you twist the mark to match the NORTH of the needle, taking the Azimuth. We never took a landmark further than maybe max 300 steps if i vaguely remember, and we always checked that were on the right azimuth. the wire and the black sight can act like basically a scope, where you aim at a tree and go for it, then reevaluate, that way you dont need to count your steps.
we never calculated for declination, we never needed to, and we also never got lost. this might only be relevant in larger, thicker woods perhaps, but normally, i dont think you really need to account for it if you know what youre up to.
*hint; it helps to see mountains in the distance, then you can align those directly to the map using the compass sight. that way you can be sure that youre not off track.
It's a very good idea to align the map with North when using a lensatic because it doesn't have the protractor function of a baseplate compass. This makes the aligning procedure we see at 7:43 pretty imprecise. It's much more precise to align the map with North and then align the tritium mark with the compass North.
Brilliant, thanks buddy, it all came back to me after watching your video, memories from school some 40 years ago refreshed 😎✌️
Thanks for your comment Dan
"East is Least" (subtract declination) - "West is Best" (add declination)
I learned how to operate this back in 1968 while training with the US Army at Fort Ord, CA.
That is a northern hemisphere model. There are a couple of pre use steps to take to Normalise the compass for southern hemisphere operations
Your explanations are wonderful, cheers!
Very good video, detailed and informative, and never boring.
Thank you so much
I am on my way to understanding my new lensatic compass !!
It is essential to know how to use a compass for the infantry soldier or a sextant for the seaman. There is GPS now, but one day it may be neutralized by an electromagnetic event, and you have to know how to navigate the old way.
While that is most certainly true, learning to use a compass and a topo map is about 10 times easier than using a sextant.
I could never feel comfortable relying on GPS. It is an expedient convenience at best. I’d have to have a death wish to navigate in the middle of nowhere without a map and compass. All it takes is one malfunction or breakage and you’re screwed. Technology is great, but it never should be relied on
@@1mataleo1 ... what if that malfunction or breakage happens to your compass?
I always carry two compasses: a Sunto MC2 Global base plate compass which is the one I use, mostly because it is accurate and I can set and forget the declination. However, I always keep my Camenga Lensatic Compass in my pack in case the Sunto breaks, which is a possibility since it is plastic. The Camenga is practically bombproof, so if my luck was so bad that I broke both of them, I suppose I would spend the rest of my time writing goodbye letters.
Still have a stocker & Yale from the just post Vietnam era. Works as good today as when it was built though the tritium is about gone after almost 50 years. Had it since I was 10 and back then it shined quite bright.
I love stuff like this maps, compass, hiking....
Like always, absolutely clear
simply brilliant explanations
In the US military, using the compass to get a bearing to a specific object or point is (or was) called 'shooting an azimuth'.
Thank you for such a clear and good teaching! 🙏🤗
I'm glad it was helpful!
Nice) thanks for a proper explanation. Now I need one of these )))))
The Cammenga Lensatic is a very tough piece of equipment, as compasses go, but I have never been convinced by it from the point of view of accuracy. You start of with a potential 1.5 degree error due to the dial clicking into place every 3 degrees. On top of that, you have a really sketchy system for transferring a bearing to or from a map with the compass alone. Add together those problems and you'd be as well buying an AliExpress silva knock-off for a pound. It is surely meant for use with the US DoD GTA protractor, or similar tools like the UK's RA protractor, which are designed for the job of transferring a bearing to or from a map accurately. You are then left with the dial clicking error which makes you up to 27m out at 1000m which seems insignificant until you are operating near a cliff edge in cloud.
Spot on mate. Thank you for the video. You answered all my questions and made it simple and easy to understand. Right on man.
- Chris
Beaverdam, Virginia. USA
Glad it helped
Your instruction at the end was to follow a bearing of 345 and then you set compass for bearing 354. I assumed you were taking into account a hypothetical 9 degree declination!!!! Very well explained video nevertheless. I'd love to practice more with declination but its only about 0 degrees11min at present in Northern England. Too small to deal with.
Great work! Great explanation
Thanks for making this very informative video. I grew up knowing how to use lensatic compasses, but it's years since I've used one, so I've forgotten a lot of it.
I don't know how reliable that particular compass is, though. The company can't even spell metres correctly. 🧐
For us Yanks, the spelling is quite accurate! 😜
Meaters... 🥩
Nice clear explanation.
I can't help thinking that if you both have mobile phones, use what three words 🙂
Excellent as always thanks
Be aware that you may react to the tritium. I used mine every day,practice with it and would get a rash inside my elbows. Could never figure out why, then realized that it only happened when I handled the compass daily.
I stopped using it and got a phosphorescent Camenga, no more problems.
Also don’t disassembled old compasses that are tritium or WW2 compasses as they are not safe.
Well done again and very much appreciated. 16:23
Reminds me of the OCS map reading exam at Benning in January.Very stressful.A few candidates didnt pass,even with retest.
My best friend's father was foreman at stocker&yale that had the DOD contract for that style of compass thru the 70s
good video. informative and concise
Great information. Thank you for sharing.
I have this same compass, I see the date stamped on yours is 23-04-77, and mine has 14-11-77, which just happens to have been my 22nd birthday. I had no idea when I bought it several years ago off of eBay, what are the odds of that!
I actually still use compass 😊 they are very reliable unlike mobile phones what can lose signal or battery dies. I love going on adventures just setting my home cords then getting lost in the middle of nowhere land and then following the pointer all the way back home never fails unless you are totally lost then a map helps but still very useful tools
I will need to watch this a couple times
To say it’s expensive is an understatement. $134 currently!
Everything is so damn expensive anymore. This is the worst inflation I’ve ever seen. I bought mine about 20 years ago brand new for around $70. I know that 20 years is quite some time, but the price has almost doubled! Peoples’ salaries certainly haven’t risen by an equivalent degree.
They figured out how to spend your money for you while you still have it. Inflation is a crime, honestly.
"They"
@TheMapReadingCompany >>> FWIW, I have one of these compasses.
From a young age, I thought lensatic compasses were 'cool'.
Same for the tritium glow tubes. Also, I have had other things {magnetic compasses, wristwatches, etc.} that used luminous paint. They never seemed to 'glow' for long enough to be useful. The tritium tubes solve that problem.
Great video! I only have a US compass rebuild, not the original german army one, but the system is the same!
If you take a bearing to a distant object the declination still remains an issue presuming any reference to that point on a map with N at the top. So the true bearing has been corrected from the compass magnetic reference. Only then can a true back angle be determined.
Another good presentation.
It's worth mentioning that the tritium lights have a half life of 10 t0 12 years. Thereafter, their function falls off rapidly. For civilian use the phosphorescent version is better and slightly cheaper.
I was lost in the dark in a pitch black night out in the country with an overcast sky once when I was a kid. I was only able to find my way back by slowly finding and walking to and then along a road based on the feel and sound of it under me. At one point some dogs came up and ran around me barking. I couldn't see them at all, so I just stood there and waited for them to go away. Fortunately they eventually did. I guess they figured I wasn't a threat. Anyway, would have been nice to have this compass then. Cheers.
Great channel. I suggest doing a video about navigating by hiking and drawing your own map. The thing is that in Europe we have mountains covered with thick bushes ...often very hard to go through in straight line. You can basically walk where it is possible. Not like you british guys....nothing but open space :-)))
Great video! Excellent lesson! 🤩🇺🇸👍
Are you familiar with the acronym, “LARS”? It is for declination diagrams. West being left, East being right. Simply remember LEFT ADD / RIGHT SUBTRACT. LARS. Its easy to use because the declination drawing either has the declination on the left or right of the Grid North line. I am dyslectic and I can only use memory techniques. Trying to think about declination in 3d would cause my head to explode.
I cover the LARS methods in this video:
ruclips.net/video/Tf9rrmq5Vf8/видео.html
thanks for your help，this is a good guide
Outstanding.
great video Thanks , sometimes there are two line on bezel (one with magnifying lens). which one should be used ?
I have just filmed a video answering this exact question about the two lines on the glass. It will take me a while to edit it but as soon as I have I'll post it.
These types of compass are NOT used in the same way as a cammenga - - - - and yes I've seen the videos where he says it is ??
@@TheMapReadingCompany looking forward to watch your new video. Regards
Great video, I fancy trying a prismatic for my self, can't justify the Cammenga price, what do you recommended as a budget alternative?
The best tutorial!
This video at least u explained where to get the declaration (sp) on the map.
Now when your siting in your compass, where do u set your degrees???
East is least -, West is best +.
I'm your follower and all video you had are very informative but in 13:27 on the video made me a little bit confused. Is there no need to align the north arrow of the compass to the north line of the map? Thank you for the answer.
And if you're near a building, car, or anything that might contain steel, move away from it before using the compass. Steel effects the compass needle magnetic tip.
I loved this video. But I can't get the idea out of my head that if I can communicate with the other person by cell phone, nowadays the most likely thing is that I will pass on my GPS coordinates to him.
I understand that cell phones can run out of battery and signal, but maybe the cell phone thing wasn't the best example ;-)
Nice video and great help with my new Cammenga.
Question: you plotted 63 degrees on the map before you accounted for the declination. Is your declination in your area insignificant. In my case I have 11 degrees East so from compass to map, I need to draw 74 Degrees.
The compass used in this video isn’t a Cammenga and it’s used differently. For details of a simple method of using a Cammenga see my video here: ruclips.net/video/FI7C8VlbYfI/видео.html
Yes at the moment there is virtually no declination in the UK. You say that in your area the Dec. is 11 degrees east. In this case I would just take a bearing straight from the map (for example 123 or 345 degrees) and then take the 11 degree from this (123 = 122, 345 = 334). There is no need to need draw lines on a map when using a Cammenga. Oh and note that the map does NOT need orienting north when taking a bearing from a map, it can be pointing in any direction.
@@TheMapReadingCompany Fully understood, I am in Melbourne Australia.
Yes taking bearing from map I need to subtract. But, if I am taking a bearing with a compass to transfer to map, say 100 Degrees, in my case I will add the 11 and then find it on map. This is my summary: "FOR MAPS ALIGNED TO TN"
Magnetic Bearing to TN Bearing=MB+MD [Compass to Map]
TN Bearing to Magnetic Bearing = TNB-MD [Map to Compass]
How do you know the declination from magnetic north if you are in unfamiliar territory, & thus what adjustment to make?
1 Find two points of your map which you can identify on the ground and go to one of those points. This could be a road or wall junction, a trig point, a bridge, junction of two rivers, etc. Basically anything which is the same now as it was when the map was printed.
2 Take a compass bearing from your location to the other point.
3 Take a bearing from the map your location to the other point.
4 Compare the two bearings. The difference is the current local declination.
Thank you so much for this simple explanation! But I do have one question...do you have to be actually on site to take a proper map bearing with a Lensatic Compass? I am practicing plotting bearings (at home) using a map & compass, and checking my numbers with Google Earth; but my numbers are off :( Even when I account for declination.
Not sure what I am, or not, doing correctly. Going from a transparent baseplate (with alignment lines) to a floating dial with degrees, is a learning curve for me apparently.
Google Earth compass is not normally correct - I don't know why. I have just tested 5 different lines and they are all out by between 3 and 6 degrees.
You don't have to be "on-site" to check a bearing - you can be anywhere.
Remember that Cammenga say their compasses are only accurate to within 40mils / 2.25 degrees
Suggestion. Take the bearing with your baseplate compass and then do it with your lensatic and see if you get the same results. If not then make sure (try to be accurate) that when you point the north magnetic part of the disk northwards, it really is pointing north.
@@TheMapReadingCompany Thank you so much for the reply! I don't know why I didn't even think of comparing the results with my Baseplate! And the very fact that there is a margin of error could play into my seemingly inaccurate results. Thank you again, really enjoy your videos. Watching them from the US, New York!
EXCELLENT!
THANK YOU!
I don't think anyone has ever made a lensatic compass that's useful for civilian, international use. The problem with the Cammenga is that the main scale is in mils, which is perfectly fine if you're in the US Army, but somewhat useless for anyone else. The degree scale only has a 5 degree accuracy. I suppose you can simply use mils instead of degrees, but that's a bit backwards if you're not travelling alone. All the other non-Cammenga lensatic compasses are pretty much useless, as none of them have a reference hairline, so you can't actually get an accurate bearing from them.
And getting accurate bearings is what a lensatic compass excels at. It is by a very wide margin the absolute best type of compass for taking bearings. Unfortunately, to be that good at taking bearings, it had to sacrifice the quality of map work. Turning the bezel to align it with the map like you do at 7:43 is very, very imprecise. The 3 degree accuracy of the bezel is irrelevant, as aligning that tiny, tiny tritium mark with your map grid is very difficult. It's not that great for map work.
It's also not ideal for following bearings. You need to get it out of your pocket, open it up, wait for it to stabilise, and then align it properly.
A baseplate compass, on the other hand, is absolutely the best at map work, and very good at following bearings. But it is absolutely hopeless when taking bearings. So I am really wondering how come no one has combined the two? Why not have a lensatic style compass body and magnetic needle in a baseplate capsule that is transparent and with a cage and parallel lines? That would allow such a compass to be just as good as a normal lensatic at taking bearings, but also almost as good as the baseplate for map work since it can be used as a protractor. Oh well, once can only dream and hope...
Either way, I agree with the rest of the comments. This is the best video on the internet on how to use a Cammenga lensatic.
I just saw on the comenga website they have a baseplate compas with the same dial as the 3 h. Not seen videos on it yet
The Cammenga Destinate (their base plate compass) is one of the videos in my "Three Minute Gear Review" series of videos.
I've done about 15 up to now. I'll post them when I have about 20, to see if anyone watches. If they do I'll make more.
I still have my dads WD issue prismatic compass which works on the same basic method as the lensatic. The dial has a hand operated lock which lifts the dial slightly and puts the scale numbers out of focus through the viewing prism. Most irritating - ! 😅
When you're using the compass and map at the 7-8 minute mark of the video do you need to orient your map first before taking a bearing?
Orienting a map when taking a bearing is not necessary.
See here - ruclips.net/video/AWiMV4T5kPc/видео.html
I watched the video twice but I still couldn't get all confidently 😂.
I feel like the suunto mc-2 is better and easier to use. But these are really cool
I might have missed it but I never heard an explanation for how to set up the map... the map needs to be oriented to north prior to using the compass.
I personally set my map up to account for magnetic declination so everything is a straight forward transfer whether reading from or to the map...
It isn't advisable to try and orientate a map to account for declination. You should adjust your compass.
Are we going to have the same number when we shoot the baring with baseplate compass and lensatic compass?
Yes. The type of compass used has no effect on declination. But it depends on the type of compass being used and the skill of the user as to how accurately it can be adjusted.
Ehich model shild I use in India? Northern hemisphere,or Southern?
Northern
That was instructive :-)
Does the lensatic compass work in the southern hemisphere as well as northern hemisphere ?
It won't work in the North AND south, but in only the North OR South. I think (but may be wrong) that the default is a Northern Hemisphere compass but you can pay a small suppliment when ordering for the Southern Hemisphere option.
@@TheMapReadingCompany , I heard about it. In my country (Brazil), we are rarely warned about this difference. Most people uses compasses made in China, and only Silva and Suunto has dealers in Brazil that offer "global compasses".
Our main problem with US-made compasses are the map reading scales: many are graduated in feet or miles, like a Brunton Eclipse Pro that I have (totally useless here), but the standard 1:25000 or 1:50000 is very useful.
I never paid attention to "North" or "South" Hemisphere calibration (indeed, I never had or saw a compass specified for South Hemisphere), and American, Chinese and Japanese compasses always worked here (about 23°S 46°W).
Could you explain it better, please?
Thank you sir
That compass looks like an awkward form of marching compass.
I remember at school we all had to learn how to use a compass and went orienteering a couple of times a year. God knows what kids these days would do if the internet went down.
do you need to make the compass north point to the map north?
No it’s no necessary. See this video: ruclips.net/video/AWiMV4T5kPc/видео.html
Very good tutorial, but is there not a way to use it to work out where on a map you are? If you can take 2 bearings?
Yes there is. You can see how it's done on these two videos:
ruclips.net/video/pTNJOpLcT4k/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/61uMkv19Uyw/видео.html
Yes, the army called it resection in the 1970s. The answer below probably can help.
Thanks
Tritium or phosphorus is the same price for the US Mil compasses. Most people buy phosphorus as the tritium starts breaking down after ~10 years. Whereas the phosphorus lasts a lifetime. The military use tritium because they don't care if they have to throw them away (which they do) after that time.
My tritium model is about 35 years old, still glows enough to be seen.
yes, it varies by amount put in. The manufacturer only guarantees 10 years. See half life info@@asmith7876