Hold the compass still in your hand. The correct positioning of a compass is essential to its effective usage. The compass should be held still and as parallel to the ground as possible.
Look at the face of the compass and take note of the direction the red portion of the floating needle is facing. This direction is polar North, not to be confused with true North. The North marker needle on virtually any compass will be red.
Ignore the directional signs on the outer edge of the compass. These are used for more complex direction finding activities such as ascertaining topographical variations over terrain or using a known direction other than North to judge the direction of travel. These sorts of uses are utilized by travelers over sloping terrain or where the direction of North can not be determined due to geological factors which hinder the accuracy a compass to show magnetic North.
Look at the direction North is in. Plot your route according to the arrow. For example, if you want to go south, turn directly 180 degrees and recheck your compass to ensure that north is to your back.
Recheck the compass every 100 meters or more to ensure your course is correct and that you have not strayed.
