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article imageUse Your Wristwatch as a Compass

Posted Aug 17, 2007 by  Chris V. (cgull) in Lifestyle | 7 comments | 255 views
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If you are lost in the woods or in the mountains and want to find the south or north directions, all you need is a wrist watch and the sun. You can find the direction in a few easy steps.
Wired.com posted a simple method by which we can find the south direction using nothing but an analog watch and the sun. This is a handy method in case one is lost and disoriented.

This is how it is done.

1. Hold a watch on your hand and point the 12 o’clock towards left direction.

2. Move your arm so the hour hand points at the sun.

3. The mid point between the hour hand and the 12 is the south direction.



This method however will not work in the southern hemisphere, for which you have to change slightly the above method.

In the southern hemisphere do the following:

You would point 12 o'clock at the sun but still split the difference between 12 and the hour hand for north.

If you are in a region where daylight saving time is used, then you should subtract one hour from the hour hand.

Let me know if you have tried this method before.

Also, Guj* our fellow DJ writer wrote another article about finding directions, which uses a different method than the above.
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  • avatar Posted Aug 17, 2007 by  wiccania
    #1
    Interesting. Good information to have if you're lost in the woods. Especially since you can't always find moss to direct you north.
  • avatar Posted Aug 17, 2007 by  givemetruth
    #2
    Yet another reason why I like to live where mountains are clearly visible - for direction finding purposes! Thanks for the info...I'm going to try this out soon.
  • avatar Posted Aug 18, 2007 by  MDee
    #3
    Well, I guess I answered my own question, and this watch is what they will think up next!
    Interesting post.
    Thanks,
    MDee
  • avatar Posted Aug 18, 2007 by  Debra Myers (skyangel)
    #4
    Okay...that's if you have that specific kind of watch...but it wouldn't work with a digital one I wouldn't think. (?) I will keep it in mind though...stuff like this I like remembering just in case!
  • avatar Posted Aug 18, 2007 by  Chris V. (cgull)
    #5
    @ Debra Myers (skyangel)
    Okay...that's if you have that specific kind of watch...but it wouldn't work with a digital one I wouldn't think. (?) I will keep it in mind though...stuff like this I like remembering just in case!
    Maybe you can assume it as analog watch based on the time shown :) and try the above method. I tested the analog watch this morning it worked fine.
  • avatar Posted Aug 18, 2007 by  Debra Myers (skyangel)
    #6
    I'm wondering if you can use that same principle with a round object, mentally knowing where each hour would fall if it were really a watch face. Just curious!
  • avatar Posted Aug 18, 2007 by  jaguar
    #7
    Mom & I needed this yesterday when we were at the park on the hiking trails. We were so hot, tired & about to pass out (Poor mom is 70 yrs old & not in the greatest shape!) & just could NOT find our way out of all the maze of trails. Thankfully we finally ran into another hiker who knew the trails well & he helped us out!
    Then I had to get home & have John take that picture for muses' post on his DJ photo album thing. If my face looked a bit tired & sweaty, you know the reason now! LOL I did quickly apply some blush before he took the photos, but I see now it was way TOO much! Darn it!
    ;-P

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