Compass for Southern Hemisphere recommendation?

[geoff rath]

That would be great if I could identify the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere sky. I suck at astronomy.

Don't mean to be rude, but north is north, and south is south, whichever side of the Equator you're on. Think James Cook, Shackleton and more. What do you think the great explorers of the past did when they "crossed the line? As far as identifying the Southern Cross goes, come on Down Under, any decent hunter/bushie will show you ...

 

[BeeMaa]

If you already have an analog watch, you can get very close just by doing it this way…

 

[V.Veritas]

It has to do with the construction method of the compass. In the past the compass needle was balancing on a pin. Once the technology changed, it start floating in a liquid bubble. It helps settle the needle quicker for accurate reading.
If all one needs is a general direction, this is not that important, as the compass needs to be tilted/compensated manually and if one forgets to do it the error will be minimal. (The friction will stop the needle in almost the correct position).

Understanding balancing zones

www.suunto.com

 

[BeeMaa]

Explained further here...
https://www.thecompassstore.com/whatisglobne.html

A global compass can be bought for as little as $25 and of course it goes up from there. But it doesn't cost too much to get a standard one, certainly less than $100.

 

[jpr9954]

The first time ever I hear of a North or South compass. Our military use the normal Silva flip top compass made in England. Direction is the magnetic field west of North pole. Remember the magnetic declination moves from East to West to maximum point and then back to East to maximum point over a span of about 25 years. According to the age off your map and magnetic field movement you can calculate the offset and then add or subtract the degree offsett. A compass shows magnetic North and a map True North. Hence the difference to calculate mag declination.

Don't break your head on it. Reading general North and having a general idea of direction will get you there. No compass that shows South, unless you use the white (not red) needle as a reference point. LOL. On no course has I ever heard to make sure you have a South compass. Even all our boats that is built and fitted overseas comes with compasses sold in that country and point North and works perfect in the Southen hemisphere. All our outdoor and sports shops sell a normal/vehicle compass that is freely available anywhere in the world that point North. We use the same map reading tactics as in the Northern hemisphere. So any of your compasses will work fine in our country.

This is a newer Mills (not Degree) compass
View attachment 551494

SA BORDER WAR PERIOD ARMY ISSUE COMPASS-M-73 MILLS MADE IN THE UK-WORKING | bobshop.co.za

Buy SA BORDER WAR PERIOD ARMY ISSUE COMPASS-M-73 MILLS MADE IN THE UK-WORKING for R350.00

www.bobshop.co.za

The military use normal 1:50 000 topographic maps. These maps were freely available and can be purchased at the Government Print. Unfortunately I don't know what current state of the Government Print is, probable the same as Eskom, Transnet, SAA etc.

I learned something here. I never realized that compasses were or could be in anything other than degrees. I had to look up mills compasses and why they broke the circle into 64 gradations and not 60.

 

[Dewald]

https://www.gim-international.com/content/company/chief-directorate-surveys-mapping[/URL]

 

[Hunter4752001]

You'll generally find southern hemisphere compasses on the shelf next to the left handed screwdrivers and across the aisle from the cans of striped paint. Then again, the world is full of marketing types dedicated to selling you stuff you didn't know you needed, likewise plenty of outdoors 'writers' willing to sing the praises (for a price) of whatever junk is on offer.

 

[Datchew]

Safety tip:
If you use a southern compass in the northern hemisphere, your toilet will swirl counter to normal due to localized coriolis distortion field.

Mind how you flush

 

[Sideshow]

Extend the line between the upper and lower stars of the Southern Cross until it intersects with a line extended perpendicular between the two pointer stars. Directly underneath this intersection is south.

Cloudy nights and daytime? I can’t help ya.

My apologies. I just couldn’t help myself.

And for the day time. Use your watch!
Point the 12 at the sun and north is halfway between 12 and the hour hand.
Not much help in heavy bush our cloudy days. But will get you out of trouble if you can get out of that and wait.

 

[Sideshow]

By the way there are compasses that are made for northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere.
Compasses that are made for the military, boat and explores have the needle weighted to compensate. But your bog standard civilian one is not.
Have a read here.

Compass Confusion: The Answers

See the question hereYou can compare the earth's near-dipole field to a short magnet with its south magnetic "pole" directed toward the north geographic pole of the earth. The magnetic pole of a compass needle is defined to be the "north-seeking" end, i.e., the end that "seeks" (points generally...

www.spsnational.org

For finding north south with your time peace’s

How to Use an Analog Watch as a Compass: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

If you ever find yourself lost in the wilderness or adrift at sea with no way to tell which direction you're traveling, an analog watch (or any similar clock face) can act as a compass and help you get your bearings. All you'll need for...

www.wikihow.com

 

[IvW]

Just use a watch....many things can interfere with a compass.....

 

[spike.t]

I learned in Scouts that another way to tell direction is that moss grows on the North side of a tree.

Would it be the same in the Southern Hemisphere or just the opposite. I.e., moss grows on the South side as that would be the darker, moister side.

Now you ask I have never actually looked for that...then again I don't think I have ever seen moss on a tree here.....

 

[mark-hunter]

Just use a watch....many things can interfere with a compass.....

Agreed.
Cars, made of steel, create their own magnetic field influencing the compass.
Keeping the rifle (usually made of steel) in one hand, and compass in another, can influence as well.
etc

 

[Foxi]

I am currently working with what3words on my app.
The entire world is divided into 3x3 meter squares.
With what3words you can find, share and save precise locations extremely quickly and easily. The system transforms GPS coordinates into three-word address.
It's amazing what the programmer came up with
I can also find your lost cartridges in Matetsi with it.
With solar power and power banks, the phonebattery is no longer a problem.
Those who go to real epeditions know what they need anyway.
Foxi

old but good.
I still have an old military compass(Deutsche Wehrmacht,producer Max Kohl) that works until today.

@jpr9954
wasnt it the westside??.
The mainwind direction in northern hemisphare.

 

[jpr9954]

I am currently working with what3words on my app.
The entire world is divided into 3x3 meter squares.
With what3words you can find, share and save precise locations extremely quickly and easily. The system transforms GPS coordinates into three-word address.
It's amazing what the programmer came up with
I can also find your lost cartridges in Matetsi with it.
With solar power and power banks, the phonebattery is no longer a problem.
Those who go to real epeditions know what they need anyway.
Foxi
View attachment 551683
old but good.
I still have an old military compass(Deutsche Wehrmacht,producer Max Kohl) that works until today.

@jpr9954
wasnt it the westside??.
The mainwind direction in northern hemisphare.

what3words sound interesting and I plan to follow up on it.

If you mean does the moss grow on the westside in the Northern Hemisphere, it can but it predominantly grows on the north side of a tree. That is because it is the side that gets the least sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere. It is light and not prevailing winds that help determine where moss grows.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/01/moss-and-trees/

https://raleighnc.gov/parks/service...s will grow on any,are perfect homes for them.

 

[Foxi]

what3words sound interesting and I plan to follow up on it.

If you mean does the moss grow on the westside in the Northern Hemisphere, it can but it predominantly grows on the north side of a tree. That is because it is the side that gets the least sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere. It is light and not prevailing winds that help determine where moss grows.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/01/moss-and-trees/

https://raleighnc.gov/parks/services/nature-parks-preserves-and-programs/how-read-nature-compass#:~:text=Mosses will grow on any,are perfect homes for them.

I was wrong.
Moss grows on the north side,it likes the shadow.
Sorry

 

[AZDAVE]

Like many here I tried a number of compasses from a number of different makers but have always gone back to my GI issue lensatic that I got as a young soldier a number of decades ago. It is the one that is always in my pack anymore.

 

[IvW]

Now you ask I have never actually looked for that...then again I don't think I have ever seen moss on a tree here.....

Yip too dry here....

 

[WAB]

Like many here I tried a number of compasses from a number of different makers but have always gone back to my GI issue lensatic that I got as a young soldier a number of decades ago. It is the one that is always in my pack anymore.

I learned orienteering with a Silva Ranger 45 years ago.
I’m still using the same compass.

 

[Sideshow]

I was wrong.
Moss grows on the north side,it likes the shadow.
Sorry

Man that dark side of the moon must be one hairy place