Saturday, March 16, 2013

HOW TO USE AN ANALOG WATCH AS A COMPASS

I mentioned to somebody today that the reason I wear a Rolex is because I can use it as a compass. This information amazed the person I was talking to, which in turn amazed me. I thought everybody knew how to do this . . . S.L.


Step 1: Determine if you are in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.




Step 2: In the Northern Hemisphere:

1. Hold the watch horizontal.




2. Point the hour hand in the direction of the sun.




3. Bisect the angle between the hour hand and the twelve o'clock mark to get the north-south line (substitute 1 o'clock mark during Daylight Saving Time). North will be the direction further from the sun.




Step 3: In the Southern Hemisphere:

1. Hold the watch horizontal.




2. Point twelve o'clock in the direction of the sun.




3. Bisect the angle between the hour hand and the twelve o'clock mark to get the north-south line.




4.North will be the direction closer to the sun, south the other way.





Using a watch as a compass is the Green Beret way . . . but something else I learned in my travels was how to tell time WITHOUT a watch - this is the advanced technique:




- STORMBRINGER SENDS

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9 comments:

  1. wirecutterMarch 16, 2013 at 3:00 AM

    I'm with you, I thought it was common knowledge.
    Beats the fire out of the 'moss only grows on the north side of a tree' adage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Abby NormalMarch 24, 2013 at 6:39 PM

      Yah I never knew why people thought that knowing where to find moss in case you got lost was so important - unless they get so hungry that they want to eat moss and need to know where to find it in a hurry....

      Delete
    2. UnknownJanuary 25, 2014 at 6:14 PM

      Moss on the North of a tree is a wives tale don't use that to determine direction it will get you lost!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMarch 16, 2013 at 2:14 PM

    I "know" how to do it but when required I need to rethink through the process. It usually takes enough time to do it that clouds come along and block out the sun.
    Lazarus Long

    ReplyDelete
  3. StretchMarch 17, 2013 at 2:02 AM

    My buddy was stunned when his cub-scouts correctly pointed south during an outing.
    No compasses.
    No watches.
    "How'd you do that?"
    "Gee, everyone knows satellite dishes point south."

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMarch 21, 2013 at 1:58 AM

    We learned this in Boy Scouts, on how to do this. This was part of the map reading information in the Boy Scout Field Book.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownDecember 15, 2016 at 6:18 AM

    Thank

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownDecember 25, 2016 at 6:00 AM

    I for one do not know how to use an analog watch as a compass. This is an amazing tutorial; I will follow each and every point until I learn the trick. Thanks for sharing this, by the way. Similarly, I found more navigation tips from the following post: http://survival-mastery.com/skills/bushcraft/how-to-use-a-compass.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. newoneMarch 1, 2017 at 6:20 AM

    Dazon watches are the latest craze for all wrist watch lovers across india. with Moto "Made in India" with very good mouth talk spreading like wild fire. Dazon Watches selling hot cakes and best part pretty much less compared to other wrist watches.

    ReplyDelete