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  • From: <forgednstl@windstream.net>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Compass for SAR
  • Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:06:35 -0600

Una,

Sorry, that someone went off on partial information. A compass is one tool,
but in my Marine Corps training and Naval Flight Training and later Tactics
Instructor Training, it was not the main tool. Terrain reading, by eye, by
forward looking radar, night vision goggles and sophisticated software, the
compass was one of the crosschecks and at times unreadable with goggles. My
emphasis is on terrain reading and staying oriented on horseback with the
compass as one of the tools. We are starting with volunteers and selling the
importance of land nav and not asking them to show up at session one with a
$70 compass, when my tests have shown this infamous $4.88 compass giving
good results.

My apologies for any transgression of what may be percieved as the only way
to navigate, just 40 years experience and two wars sugesting that it is not
the only way and I never depend on only one device if possible. Still,
obviously, feeling my way in an all volunteer organization and selling
concepts.

Respectfully,

Bob Eikenberry
---- Una Smith <una.smith@att.net> wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 05:27:31PM -0700, E.S. wrote:
> >save on your lunch not on your emergency tools
>
> I don't eat crap for lunch and I don't buy crap tools. Some low cost
> compasses are fine tools for SAR.
>
> I own a $500 compass, one of the best for some field work I do, but I
> don't use it for SAR. It is far more accurate than needed for SAR, has
> other features not needed for SAR, and lacks some features I want for
> SAR, especially for MSAR. In particular, it lacks any way to attach a
> lanyard. For SAR I want a compass I can use horseback, in rain, while
> wearing thick gloves or even mittens, without danger of losing it.
>
> Una Smith
> New Mexico
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