Sighting Compass

G'day Willem.

Yes, it does have a compass, but it only works whilst you a moving, as you know.

Here's the thing.....

I am one of those people who has never been satisfied in just simply turning something on, or operating something to get a result.

I always want to know WHY it works, it's history, can it be improved, etc....

Enquiring mind.....

So, one thing became patently clear to me before my purchase of a GPS. It is an AID to navigation, not the cornerstone. Okay, some people use it as the main device, and that's okay, but I want to go a bit further.

After reading Len Beadell's works, and realizing how important good navigation skills are, I decided that I want to learn how to navigate WITHOUT the GPS, simply by using a good sighting compass & maps. I believe that learning this skill will be damn good fun, and may one day be of benefit.

On the net, there are some good sites pertaining to how some of the WW2 soldiers navigated in the African deserts, mind blowing stuff indeed.

I will still use the GPS, but hopefully, only to check my co-ordinates after I have taken some bearings.

One thing Will. I would like to know more info on how you guys navigated to the centre of Australia, because that would be interesting reading for all.

Wolfie

G'day Wolfie

I still carry my $6 Boy Scout compass with me. It works!

Ahhh those sweet Silva days WIllem I too have one in the car, and its helped me out a number of times, once in the Great Vic Desert, when we had gone a long way down a track I pulled out the trusty Silva and with a couple of landmarks set off in the right direction.... Much to Marie's amazement!

Lucky I getbleepevery night, or I'd be out sussing the stars as well, like Len Beadell did!!!

One interesting thing.....

Thor Heyerdhal, who was a Norwegian explorer ( Ra expeditions ), cottoned on to something interesting.

Instead of using a sextant, he mad up a Nase - Ometer, which was a copy of what the Egyptians probably used during their sea-faring voyages. this is quite a feat, considering that the Phonicians, who were the prime sea- farers, would have had to have compiled some vast tables, so as to be able to use the knowledge of sun bearings, and let's not forget about time keeping!

All good fun anyway.

Cheers

Wolfie

Homer Simpson used one of them Nase-Ometers Wolfie, when he was adrift with Bart & Ned and Rod Flanders. He smelt a trusty Krusty burger outlet on a nearby oil rig hahahahahaha

Lenny Beadell is such an inspirational writer and Australian isnt he? Going to Woomera in April on the way home from the Simpson, have read ALL his books and seen his Videos (available from the EO shop) and boy did I want to be there in the LandRover bashing the road thru to open up Central Australia.

Bush Dentistry in deed!

Rays Disposals have them so would any disposal shop I reckon

Rays Disposals have the Brunton 8099-Eclipse Sighting Compass ?

I reckon I saw something similar at North Geelong Ray's Ray

Johnno......

Strangest thing. I work RIGHT NEXTDOOR to Binks Yacht supplies, and never gave them a thought!

Guess where I'm going tomorrow.......

Wolfie

Glasses frames.......

Would that mean that if I choose a sighting compass, or lensamatic, I will have to get a diopter to compensate?

Cheers

Wolfie

Bonz, were you a surveyor?

This is something I have been meaning to read up on, like just the basics..... sort of surveying 101 or something. It has always interested me how when they come and survey your block of land, and the survey peg is around the other side of the street, they can still suss it out.

Wolfie

Been there Ian, done a bit, not celestial though

its that blasted Pythagorus that makes it easy