What alternative ways of using compass other than finding direction?

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BBorNot@reddit

You can take a bearing on two objects and use triangulation to find your location on a map.

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Dehydratedmoist@reddit

Is there a tutorial for this somewhere. Would love to learn this

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I learned this pre-internet, so I don't have any links for you. But there are tons of navigation tricks you can do with a compass. Obviously, you need one that can take a bearing -- some fancy binoculars do this too. Hikers use Silva compasses a lot. Usually, if you can, you take three bearings and transfer them to your chart. Now, if you are perfect those lines will all meet at a single spot, which is your location. Usually you will get a little triangle. If you only have one target but know your speed you can make a running fix to determine your location.

I used to love this stuff, but GPS ruined everything. It is too easy, fast, and too accurate.

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_learned_foot_@reddit

No need for a compass, though that is much more accurate. You can be raw reckoning with rough guesses at the angles needed, then plot the triangle out. With a major landmark and walking, as I describe above, you can then do even more. If you want a compass and don't have, because you CANT plot marks, stick method - follow the shadow as the day moves and you have cardinal (assuming you don't drift).

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dittybopper_05H@reddit

You can be really precise by using a sextant for this.

Measure the angle between the two objects on a map, and that will tell you pretty precisely where you are.

Though the wider the angle, the more precise the location will be.

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_learned_foot_@reddit

Assuming you have the item for it I absolutely agree (and of course you can make a rough one with a plumb method), but I was more thinking without any possible tools except that map (or even a rough knowledge instead).

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dittybopper_05H@reddit

Why wouldn’t you have a sextant? Dont you want to know where you are when GPS goes down?

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_learned_foot_@reddit

I hang my head in shame.

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qbg@reddit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snellius%E2%80%93Pothenot_problem

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EricaDeVine@reddit

Go on ebay and pick up a Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks.

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wanderingpeddlar@reddit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WohhHM3vVME&t=6s
Here you go

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shikkonin@reddit

Is there a tutorial for this somewhere.

Primary school? High school trigonometry?

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_learned_foot_@reddit

You remember trig? Apply it. Depending how you do it gives you the approach. You are the point on a triangle or you traveled between the two points. You can calculate those angles roughly either to two points (if not walking) or one point (if walking). Now you have a triangle, find one of the points.

If you walk you can now calculate a lot more, including height, by adding your average stride now knowing how far you walked. Sextants worked similarly, as does wayfinding with stars.

I would suggest any scouting book from 60-90s, not joking. These contain practical way finding, first aid, security, fun stuff to do, bush craft, etc. one of my favorites was the star maps (no longer as accurate for older books), letting you roughly calculate at night.

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Rhodoran@reddit

Creek Stewart on the survival show on Weather Channel said you could empty the mineral oil that makes it float to flush bugs out of your ear. Mineral oil supposed to suffocate them and then make easy to rinse out

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TheDev1ce@reddit

The obvious one, with a map, you can find your position with some landmarks. They actually make special compasses to assist with this; they're generally clear, so you can see through to the map. You can kinda tell time, but you can wing it pretty close without it. Other than that? IDK, detect magnetic fields?

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blacksmithMael@reddit

You can also do this with the help of a map protractor, such as when using a prismatic compass like the M73.

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EricaDeVine@reddit

You can use a compass, a pace count, and basic trigonometric functions to determine the rough height of something (mountain, skyscraper, etc) from a distance

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pile_of_fish@reddit

Use it to draw a perfect Olympic logo?

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TweegsCannonShop@reddit

Throw it in self defense, but you must yell "You shall not com-pass!"

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PrisonerV@reddit

If its in a cell phone, you can call for help?

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whagon-wheel@reddit

Also, if it’s in a microwave, you could take it out of the microwave, and then cook dinner

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Pat0san@reddit

If it is integrated with your rear view mirror, you can just drive to a nice restaurant.

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canoegal4@reddit

Fidget spinner or if you have one of those compasses with the mirror you can use the mirror for a fire starter

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Seth0351USMC@reddit

Could also use to make a bobber. The trapped air in it should be enough make it float in the cheap plastic compases. The metal one or map compass not so much.

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dachjaw@reddit

The heavy ones can be used as a sinker.

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Seth0351USMC@reddit

Or use the mirror for signaling or to see around corners.

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greenman5252@reddit

You can trade it for a pizza and your favorite beverage

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

Triangulate on a shooter.

100 years ago in the field we did this- a base camp and a patrol group. Both hear a shot. Immediately both shoot an azimuth in the direction they hear it. Patrol radios base camp with their location and the azimuth and it's plotted on a map.

Did this "more than a few" times and got it accurate to within 100 meters on the ground.

Back before the proliferation of thermals, this was the answer to the often regurgitated "retreat sniper gonna get ya" question. Until you've done it, you'd don't realize how easy it is.

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_learned_foot_@reddit

There's a challenge now of find something by a sound a week and get millions, don't by end of year die. Every single hunter, army, sound nerd, etc would have it by end of second month latest.

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sargsauce@reddit

It's always amazed me how well we can locate something by sight after hearing it because of the offset of our ears. Like when you hear a bird in the trees but can't pinpoint it until you're focused on the sound.

Having two groups like you said is like having a giant set of offset ears.

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