thanks for all that you do brother! as silly as it may seem, my hat is off to you to be able to wear that heavy skookum as a neck knife! After 61 years my neck says "no way " be safe... Ted
I just thought about that trees are there whole year round, most 'plants' are gone in the winter. I know you can eat the inner bark of pine but that's about it...
Because of the coming micronova, declination is moving much farther, and much faster and so declination information is likely incorrect but there is still a way to recalibrate magnetic declination using the shadow of sticks recording the path of the sun---rotation of the earth has not yet changed. First stick will show East. Mark it with a sharp stick pushed in. After a few minutes you can mark sun shadow travel where the shadow has moved - Push another stick in to mark West. Lay a straight stick from the E mark to the W mark. Geographic north or True North is 90 degrees from the E-W line. With your compass pointing toward True North, note how far off your compass is now. That is your true up-to-date declination. My up-to-date declination is 30 degrees, 15 degrees off from the official declination for my area. More on micronova in my 2nd book, Surviving the Micronova: This Train Is on the Tracks will be available in September.
The problem with declination and maps is two fold. You first need a map, then set easting or westing depending on where you're at. If you travel out of map you need to buy more maps that cover that area. Then you need large quadrant to smaller ones that give better detail. This weight adds up and all the maps need to be remarked every few years as declination changes. I learned S.O.C.K navigation, Sum Of Components Known and never had the need to carry maps in the woods again. All you need is compass, watch and pencil and paper. You will never get lost again. I also won't bet my life on a GPS, they do break, use batteries and if that happens you better have backup notes.
+Claude “Reviews4U” Rains Hi Claude, I am quite familiar with vector addition. I was hoping you could help me understand the strategy of using vectors without a map for navigation. Thanks!
taiden What parts you need help on? As this requires practical hands on experience to really trust it. Here is some graphical teaching on the uses. books.google.com/books?id=-z0SAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=sum+of+components+known+navigation&source=bl&ots=iGTQ5Vrgdm&sig=hFNyEQk9Z8IWW2QL5DDe3Uix9Cg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAWoVChMIp8yhnceayAIV0KSICh0oIgsx#v=onepage&q=sum%20of%20components%20known%20navigation&f=false
+Claude “Reviews4U” Rains Hey Claude, I guess I do understand it but I'm trying to imagine how it could totally replace a map. SOCKNav is 100% relative measurements! With each additional vector you are adding in error. With a map, your measurements are always absolute, so error creep is minimal. Plus, a map has a record of terrain features while a vector does not. Not trying to argue, just trying to figure out where SOCKNav is useful and not. Thanks again :)
If you want a correct compass reading do NOT use them around anything metal. Like the neck knife Mr Kochanski is wearing. Or leaning on the hood of your car or any other metallic objects. There's no doubt he knows that but forgot to mention it. My apologies for being critical of a man who's an expert at his bushcraft and survival skills. His skills far exceed mine but I thought I'd better mention it because it's very important.
