Compass Parts and Directions - Introduction

A compass consists of a magnetized needle that can rotate freely on a pivot point. The needle aligns itself with the horizontal component of
the earth's magnetic field line.
The magnetized needle responds to any local magnetic force such as those generated by ferrous materials or by electromagnetic forces.
Watches, batteries, ice axes / poles, electrical equiptment, power lines, GPS, cell phones, climbing equipment, vehicles, etc. should be
tested to see if they affect the accuracy of the compass (i.e. cause any movement in the needle). Keep enough distance from these objects
when using the compass.
You may find the basic compass used in outdoors navigation go by different names, such as orienteering compass, baseplate
compass (base plate),sighting compass, hiking compass, mountaineering compass, etc. Such compasses usually consist of: magnetic
needle (north end usually colored red), transparent rectangular base plate, round rotating liquid-filled housing (dampens the vibration of the
needle), graduated dial from 0 to 360 degrees on the circumference of the housing, orienting arrow and parallel meridian lines under the
needle, index line for reading bearings, direction of travel arrow on base plate. More high-end compasses might include: declination scale
and adjustable orienting arrow for correction of magnetic declination, ruler with different scales on the base plate for measuring distances on
map, magnifier on base plate, sighting mirror, clinometer (inclinometer) for measuring slope angles. There are also lensatic compasses used
often by the military; however here we deal mainly with liquid-filled orienteering compasses with clear base plates popular for outdoors
recreational activities.

Directions on a Compass

Cardinal and ordinal directions:

North (N), East (E), West (W) and South (S) are the primary cardinal directions. Northeast (NE), Southeast (SE), Southwest (SW)
and Northwest (NW) are called ordinal, primary intercardinal or intermediate directions. Additional subdivisions North-Northeast
(NNE), East-Northeast (ENE), East-Southeast (ESE), South-Southeast (SSE), South-Southwest (SSW), West-Southwest (WSW),
West-Northwest (WNW), North-Northwest (NNW) are called secondary intercardinal directions. For any precise measurment of
bearings necessary for outdoors navigation, the azimuth or quadrant bearings rather than cardinal / intercardinal directions are
used.

Quadrant bearing:
In this method the compass dial is divided into four quadrants, namely NE, SE, SW, and NW. North and south are at 0 degrees,
and depending on the quadrant, angles (up to 90 degrees) are measured away from north or south (whichever is nearer) towards
East and West directions. For example since Northeast (NE) is 45 degrees towards east of North, using quadrant notation it would
be N45E (read North-45 degrees-East). Similarly NNW is equal to N22.5W. ESE is S67.5E.

Azimuth:
The compass dial is divided into 360 degrees. North is 0 or 360. Angles are measured clockwise from North. Therefore East is
90, South is 180 and West is 270. Converting azimuths to quadrant bearings or vice versa is easy. For example an azimuth of
140 is greater than 90 and less than 180, therefore it is in SE quadrant. There are 180 - 140 = 40 degrees between the South
and the point, therefore the quadrant bearing is S40E. Similarly 287 (greater than 270 and less than 360) is equal to N73W. A
quadrant bearing of S37W is in the SW quadrant and is equal to an azimuth of 180 + 37 = 217. Military lensatic compasses use
mil (milliradian) as a measurement unit instead of (or in addition to) degrees, with their dials usually divided into 6400 mils.

Sometimes you may see a compass rose on a map. The circles in a compass rose may be graduated in degrees from 0 to 360, or they
may show cardinal and intermediate points. The compass rose in nautical charts usually has two graduated rings in degrees, with the outer
ring representing true bearings (referenced to True North) and inner ring denoting magnetic bearings (referenced to Magnetic North). When
we take a bearing with a compass, the horizontal direction angle is measured clockwise relative to true north, magnetic north or grid north.
More on compass bearings and navigtion will be covered in a future section.