The Silvas *are* recommended over Lensatic types because of their usefulness when plotting a course on a topo map. They are essential for teaching for the Compass merit or the Orienteering Merit.
A Silva stile compass must have the following features to be good: � Clear plastic base with a DIRECTION OF TRAVEL ARROW. Some compasses just have parallel lines on the base that serve this purpose but there should be a centered arrow and the "shaft" of the arrow should align with the compass needle pivot. This makes teaching clearer and more communicable. Some compasses leave this feature out all together which makes them nearly useless for the Silva system. � Rotating HOUSING with an ORIENTEERING ARROW printed on the bottom of the rotating part. � There needs to be a method of telling to which bearing the HOUSING is rotated. All compasses show which bearing the MAGNETIC NEEDLE points to, but for the rotating HOUSING to have any function at all, you need to be able to see where the DIRECTION OF TRAVEL ARROW is set at on the bearing (Degree) scale. When the tail end of the D.o.T. arrow and the edge of the bearing scale are a half inch apart and on different planes, any semblance of precision is out the window and the user is just guessing. � Other important features are a true "Degree" scale with 0�/360� at North. An engineering compass or one with "grads" instead of Degrees is not useful. Most compasses have fat degree marks or the dial is small enough that there's not enough room to show all 360 Degrees, so they leave marks out. That's fine if they leave out every other degree, but it can be very confusing to a boy (and to me) if the marks are on: 0�, 2-1/2�, 5�, 7-1/2�, 10�, 12-1/2�...etc. A variation on this confusing dial is having bearing marks on: 0�, 1-1/2�, 3�, 4-1/2�, 6�, 7-1/2�, 9�...etc. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Burke Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2004 11:32 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Sunil P. Ram Subject: Re: [RR] Silva style compasses I thought the Silvas were the ones we were recommending and not the lensatic ones? Be glad it's not a Sextant! LOL Iron Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sunil P. Ram" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2004 1:40 AM Subject: Re: [RR] Silva style compasses > Go to Wal-Mart, they sell the Silva Polaris model for $10.00. > There's a couple other Silva models also. > > Haven't seen the Explorer model though. > I saw it at one sporting goods store and they wanted $35.00 for it. > That's too much! > > > > > Sunil Ram - ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > Ranger Kids Commander - 2nd Grade > Northland Assembly of God Church - Outpost 87 > South San Joaquin Section - Northern Division - Southern California > District > FCF - Sequoia Chapter - Mountainmen Territory > > > ________________________________________________________________ > Get your name as your email address. > Includes spam protection, 1GB storage, no ads and more > Only $1.99/ month - visit http://www.mysite.com/name today! > _______ > > List host: http://Kahunapule.org List info: http://RangerNet.org/faq.htm > > To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > or visit http://RangerNet.org/subscribe.htm > > > _______ List host: http://Kahunapule.org List info: http://RangerNet.org/faq.htm To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://RangerNet.org/subscribe.htm _______ List host: http://Kahunapule.org List info: http://RangerNet.org/faq.htm To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://RangerNet.org/subscribe.htm
