Navigation Articles Stop Using Your Compass Like A Watch Navigation Book on Cataloglink Find navigation book on CatalogLink. Request Free Catalogs Online. Perhaps one of the most basic and essential tools in all kinds of navigation is the compass. This little round thing assists the navigator to find directions. There are different kinds of compasses. There's the lensatic compass, the artillery M2 compass and the wrist/pocket compass. A lensatic compass is composed of a cover which protects the actual compass, a base which is the actual body and is made up of movable parts, and the lens which is used to read the dial. You're compass is a precision instrument and needs to be take care of. Any mishandling may cause the compass to show inaccurate directions. You must inspect or let experts check your compass on a regular basis or before you embark on an adventure that will require you to use one. Likewise, when buying your compass, you need to spend time checking the parts especially the floating dial. This contains the magnetic needle so it is important that you inspect it carefully. Other parts that you need to check are the sighting wire, the glass and crystal parts, and the numbers on the dial. Illustrated Navigation Thoroughly illustrated manual on traditional navigation, electronic navigation (using GPS and radar) and celestial navigation (using sextant). Since your compass is magnetic, remember that metal and electricity will have an effect on the instrument. Nonmagnetic metals and alloys, on the other hand, have no effect on the performance or compass readings. When you are near high-tension power lines it is ideal to keep a minimum distance of about 55 meters from between you and the power lines in order to have no effect on the compass. For field gun, truck, or tank you need about 18 meters. Telegraph or telephone wires and barbed wire will need a clearance of 10 meters. Buy Affordable GPS Navigation Systems Satellite radios and portable GPS navigation systems. $50 rebate. Watch out for the compass' accuracy. If you find that the compass is off by more than 3°, then you shouldn't use the instrument unless you want to get lost or failed to reach the target destination. Perhaps the easiest technique to use a lensatic compass is the centerhold technique. You fully open the compass and then move the lens to the rearmost position. This will allow the dial to float freely. Then, you need to place your thumb through the thumb loop. As the thumb is through the loop, you need to form a steady base with your third and fourth fingers. Make sure that your index finger is extended along the side of the compass. Maine Maritime Seamanship Training College of Marine Transportation with seamanship, marlinspike, ship operations, sail training, coastal piloting, meteorology, celestial navigation. USCG mate license or commission. Now for the other hand, make sure that the thumb is between the lens (rear sight) and the bezel ring. You have to extend the index finger on the side of the compass, while you let the rest of the fingers surround the other hand. Keep your elbows firmly to your sides and position the compass between your chin and your belt. Navigation Compare Prices on a Variety of Electronics & more at PriceGrabber. Once this position is achieved, you only need to turn your entire body towards the direction of the object in order to measure an azimuth. After you have positioned the compass towards the direction of the target object, look down and read the azimuth which is right below the fixed black index line. Navigation: Compare Price Research and Purchase the latest navigation. Shop Smarter, Compare Prices, and Save Money. There are other techniques for using the compass. But the centerhold technique is by far the fastest and easiest to use. Ainuddin Mohamad is the Webmaster of the Online Reading Center at http://onlinereadingcenter.com which features online reading resources.