What are the use of a compass?

Answer 1

StoryThe uses, what are they you ask.... IMO.. a life saver! true story.

After a 21+ hour flight in a puddle jumper, the four of us get off the plane, while a very very sick man is being helped onto the plane. As the man walks by, he hands me a note, in the distance i see the two black range roovers with the doors open(same ones from the lst two times i was there) keep this in mind.. two lane strip, one hanger, large carport that's the entire airport = one grounds keeper. the roover is loaded up, andnow we are just waiting for the driver, (maybe hes in the restroom) still waiting... long story short, the sick man was the driver the note was directions, directions read by compass only, we lost the road, and walked 16 miles through the jungle at night, thank god for the flashlights had build=in compass in the mud and pouring rain, can't find the walking talking, the compass was all we had....

p.s.a home-made compass, is a bowl of water a small cork and a straight pin poked into the cork, it will usually points to magnetic north, because of the magnetic pull at the north pole. There may be problems if you are in an area with iron ore deposits.

Other answerA compass with an area topographic map is fairly decent for navigation in the field. This author prefers a lensatic compass, though an orienteering compass works also. The main use of a compass in the United States today is when hunting for distress beacons.