What is the correct way to use a pocket compas?

Answer 1

Pocket compasses are great. First thing to do is to make sure that you are not holding the compass near a metal belt buckle or any other metal object. Metal belt buckles have caused many people to wander off in the wrong direction. The metal will effect the needle on the compass.

Hold the compass in front of you. Line up the north arrow and the "N" on the compass card. That is the part that has all the compass points on it. N, S, E, W. Then turn your body until the direction that you need to travel on the compass is in front of you while keeping the North arrow lined up with the "N" on the compass card.

Then look in the direction that the compass directs you and pick an object in the distance that lines up with your direction of travel. You may now put the compass away and travel to that point or object. Then re-do the steps over and pick out a new object in the distance. This will keep you going in a straight line. Just looking at the compass all the time will cause you to walk a lot farther than you need to and you may even miss where you want to go.