NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Distance off useing a hand held compass
From: Doug Royer
Date: 2003 Mar 25, 12:06 -0800
From: Doug Royer
Date: 2003 Mar 25, 12:06 -0800
The following is a proceedure to find or estimate the distance off an object
using a handheld compass.This is a quick dirty way of finding distance when
other means are unavailiable.For you who are concerned with great accuracy
measurements just disreguard the following.A higher quality sighting compass
may yield more accurate results.This is a good method for getting the
distance off of an object that is hard to reach due to terrain.
o
.
|
|
|
| d
A | B
a.-------------------------------.b
ref.
d = distance to be calculated
A = greater value of measured bearing
B = lesser value of measured bearing
a = 1st point of referance distance
b = 2nd point of referance distance
ref = measured referance distance
d = (tan(90-(A -B))) x ref.
It is imperative to lay the ref. line perpendicular to the object for more
accurate results.
1. Lay out referance line.I use a 10 meter cord.
2. Take a compass bearing from a to o.
3. Walk to the end of the ref. line and take the bearing b to o
4. Subtract the larger bearing from the smaller bearing.If B is larger than
A switch positions in the equation.
5. Work the equation and the result will be the distance off the object.
Hopefully this diagram will be transmitted better than the one yesterday.In
fact if this diagram goes through it was basically the same set-up as
yesterday's diagram.
