Going astray? hopefully we are not magnetic

[RocksRock]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-43063365

[Mal Grey]

Read about this a short while ago, gloves with magnets in so you can pull back a "mitt" flap to expose fingers. Not a good idea for a compass user, but hopefully most of us would realise that.

More concerning, perhaps, is the accidental placing of compass next to mobile phone. I could well have been guilty of this, as the phone lives in the inside lid pocket of my pack, and the compass sometimes lives in the outside lid pocket.

[dav2930]

A really important thing to be aware of. Thanks for posting.

More concerning, perhaps, is the accidental placing of compass next to mobile phone. I could well have been guilty of this, as the phone lives in the inside lid pocket of my pack, and the compass sometimes lives in the outside lid pocket.

Same here!

[Dave Hewitt]

Is not the phone-next-to-compass thing pretty obvious? When I go on the standard Ochil loops I don't take a compass, so the phone (an old mobile that just does phone/text and is switched off most of the time) tends to go inside the bumbag. If I go elsewhere - even to familiar hills such as Ben Ledi - I'll put a compass in the bumbag and therefore the phone goes into a pocket in the rucksack, well away from the compass. I've done this for years and never thought it was at all unusual or worthy of mention.

[Mal Grey]

Is not the phone-next-to-compass thing pretty obvious? When I go on the standard Ochil loops I don't take a compass, so the phone (an old mobile that just does phone/text and is switched off most of the time) tends to go inside the bumbag. If I go elsewhere - even to familiar hills such as Ben Ledi - I'll put a compass in the bumbag and therefore the phone goes into a pocket in the rucksack, well away from the compass. I've done this for years and never thought it was at all unusual or worthy of mention.

It is when your mind isn't so absent that you forget that you've put your phone in the inside lid pocket, and just chuck your compass in the outside one without thinking at the end of the day... Hopefully I've learned my lesson...

[Sunset tripper]

The problem is there are electronic devices and magnets everywhere nowadays. I don't know how close your compass has to be to different devices to cause a problem. If your rucksack is sitting on the luggage rack on a train or bus and next to a laptop or tablet in someone elses bag, how likely is this to affect your compass?
Also is the electronic age making the compass a less reliable piece of kit? Do you need to check it more often? Can compass makers improve their resistance to electronic devices?
I can't think of anything you can do to make a compass less susceptible to outside influences apart from trying to be as careful as possible with it and having a spare.

At least maps cant be given reverse polarity and if you are freezing to death in a bothy you can always light a fire with your map as a last resort.

[Dave Hewitt]

It is when your mind isn't so absent that you forget that you've put your phone in the inside lid pocket, and just chuck your compass in the outside one without thinking at the end of the day... Hopefully I've learned my lesson...

I suppose it's to an extent an argument for wearing a bumbag, which clearly not everyone does, useful though such things are. I always wear one of those small Lowe-Alpine bumbags on the hill, into which go various essentials that I either want to keep handy or to check every now and then that I've not dropped them - compass along with pencil and paper come into the first category, car keys and dosh into the second.

In summer on half-day hills I often don't take a rucksack at all but carry one of those bigger bumbags as well as the small one, as the big one (which serves as my crampon bag inside my rucksack at this time of year) can cope with food, water, a runner's cag, hat, gloves, map etc, and a spare layer of clothing can be tied on the back using the straps. In those circumstances I am more likely to have the phone closer to the compass I guess, one in each bag but both round my waist. In the house I routinely keep the compass away from the phone and also from any other bits of metal that might be lying around on tables etc, and also keep it well away from the TV and any radios.

[madprof]

Is not the phone-next-to-compass thing pretty obvious?

No because phones aren't magnetic. It is the magnets in their cover clasps that are the problem. Choose a magnet-less case and you will be fine.

[Pastychomper]

Some time ago on the way up to Conival, we stopped for a rest and my brother tried to identify some of the peaks we could see. It was a clear day (up to then) and he knew exactly where we were, but somehow couldn't match the map to the landscape, until he realised his compass was 90° out. Further investigation showed the rock he was sitting on was magnetised - we could trace its field lines from one end to the other.

The cure there was to walk away from the offending rock. Having been clued in we kept noticing the orange colour in broken stones on the path, suggesting there was iron all the way up.

Since then I've been keen on taking several compass readings in different places, and often wonder whether there are any areas so locally magnetised that a compass would be wrong for an entire walk.

[Dave Hewitt]

Is not the phone-next-to-compass thing pretty obvious?

No because phones aren't magnetic. It is the magnets in their cover clasps that are the problem. Choose a magnet-less case and you will be fine.

Not in themselves, but the electrics are when they're switched on, are they not? Certainly judging by the audible radio interference if a phone that's been left nearby gets an incoming call (a frequent problem with radio interviewees who are routinely asked by producers to turn off their phones before going on air), then I'd not want a "live" one anywhere near my compass.

PS - My phone cover uses velcro!

[Sgurr]

Since then I've been keen on taking several compass readings in different places, and often wonder whether there are any areas so locally magnetised that a compass would be wrong for an entire walk.

Aren't some bits of the Cuillin like this? I know that rocks on Glamaig did this to our compass. We could see it swing around as we walked away from the rock.

[Ben Nachie]

Since then I've been keen on taking several compass readings in different places, and often wonder whether there are any areas so locally magnetised that a compass would be wrong for an entire walk.

Aren't some bits of the Cuillin like this? I know that rocks on Glamaig did this to our compass. We could see it swing around as we walked away from the rock.

Large parts of the Cuillin. You can't trust a compass on most of the black Cuillin. Also Ben More on Mull.

[Ben Nachie]

In summer on half-day hills I often don't take a rucksack at all but carry one of those bigger bumbags as well as the small one, as the big one (which serves as my crampon bag inside my rucksack at this time of year) can cope with food, water, a runner's cag, hat, gloves, map etc, and a spare layer of clothing can be tied on the back using the straps. In those circumstances I am more likely to have the phone closer to the compass I guess, one in each bag but both round my waist. In the house I routinely keep the compass away from the phone and also from any other bits of metal that might be lying around on tables etc, and also keep it well away from the TV and any radios.

I have a similar solution. Lumbar pack & sporran.

[Caberfeidh]

At least maps cant be given reverse polarity and if you are freezing to death in a bothy you can always light a fire with your map as a last resort.

Blasphemer!!!

[Dave Hewitt]

I have a similar solution. Lumbar pack & sporran.

Great picture - we could be setting a trend here. My version is somewhat more mundane however: small bumbag rather than sporran, Ronhills rather than kilt!