Re: Basic navigational skills badly missing

Simon Caldwell wrote:

>> Traditional navigation is all very well if you can do it, but
>> clearly some people aren't that skilled at it, especially in a
>> whiteout. Yet even unskilled navigators would be able to ascertain
>> their exact position with a GPS. Of course, I'm not suggesting
>> taking *only* a GPS.
>
> OK, so they presumably need a compass as back-up in case the batteries
> fail in the GPS.

I didn't suggest taking a compass as a backup, I was suggesting taking a GPS
as a backup, for those who prefer to do it the old way.

> But if they always take a GPS, how do they get the
> skills needed to use a compass properly?

By learning and practicing them? Just because you take a GPS, that doesn't
prevent you learning how to use a compass too. It's simply a matter of
choosing to do it. A GPS is an excellent aid to learning compass work.
Start by planning a route that you intend to follow with a compass, upload
it into your GPS, then set off, using the GPS to track your walk but not for
navigation. At the end of the day, you can check the track to see how
accurate your compass work was. Alternatively, if you get hopelessly lost,
then you can use the GPS to get you back on track.

Besides, they apparently didn't have good compass skills anyway, so a GPS
could only have been of benefit to them. Irrespective whether you can use a
compass or not, a GPS is an excellent extra to have if there's any
likelihood of navigation problems. Whether you choose to use it or keep it
as a back up is up to you. Whether you choose to learn to use a compass
properly is up to you. Obviously it's best to do both and carry both, to
give you the best of both worlds, but ultimately it's the user's choice.

I just hate the continuation of the myth that a compass is essential but a
GPS merely optional. Both are quite capable of being used exclusively, but
it's better to cover all the options by learning both and carrying both,
especially in a potentially challenging situation.

Paul


.

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