Despite the abundance and availability of modern navigation devices, the good old compass will not go out of use anytime soon. And this is understandable. It is cheap, easy to use and depends little on external conditions. But even the most reliable compass should be checked periodically, especially if you are going on a long journey.
Necessary
- - compass;
- - a small iron object.
Instructions
Step 1
There are three fundamentally different types of compasses: magnetic, electronic and gyrocompass. The first interacts with the earth's magnetic field, the second with satellites, and the third is oriented towards the geographic north pole. Tourists and orienteers often use different modifications of the magnetic compass. When checking, it is necessary to find out if the arrow is demagnetized. It is labeled differently for different magnetic compasses. An arrow pointing north can be colored blue, marked with a dot, and ends with a point. There is a special lever to fix it. It is located under the arrow and serves so that you can press the arrow against the glass.
Step 2
Place the compass on a level surface. If the arrow is locked, release the lever. It is not necessary to orient it in the north-south direction in this case. Just let the arrow stop and notice the division on the dial.
Step 3
Bring the iron object to the compass, then remove it. This should be done very quickly, and the object itself should not be large. The nail is perfect. Do not touch the compass, let the needle wiggle a little and freeze again. Pay attention to the division. If the needle returns to its original position, everything is in order, the compass works as it should. If it deviates, it is better to replace the device.
