#1
When taking a bearing from the map
Being 180 degrees in the wrong direction
When taking a bearing, the navigator first lines up the the starting point and destination on the same line on the baseplate, or edge, of the compass.
Remember the direction of travel arrow on the compass needs to point to where you are traveling to on the map, not where you are now.
Next the housing is turned to match up the orienting lines on the compass with the vertical grid lines on the map. MISTAKE It is quite common for beginners to have the orienting arrow (N of the housing ) pointing towards the bottom of the map i.e. south. It should of course point to the top of the map.
Tip
Always estimate the bearing before you measure it with the compass. This will enable you to see really quickly if you are doing something wrong.
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