I want to check my understanding here. The goal is to determine your direction of travel by taking a bearing from a map using a compass, given that you know where on the map you are and where you want to go.
I'm assuming here that the compass doesn't have declination adjustment set. If this is the case, then the standard method of taking the bearing that I'm aware of is as follows:
- Orient the map to true north
- Draw a line from where you are to where you are going and lay compass parallel to this line
- Rotate compass bezel until the needle overlaps the orienting arrow
- The compass is now set to your proper direction of travel
Actually, if I understand it right, then when using this method the number on the bezel at the compass index line is not your bearing to true north, but to magnetic north - but that's okay since our goal is just to know our direction of travel.
I would like to know whether this method will work just as well:
- Orient map to magnetic north
- Draw a line from where you are to where you are going and lay compass parallel to this line
- Rotate compass bezel until the needle overlaps the orienting arrow
- Rotate bezel to adjust for declination
It seems to me that these two methods are equivalent and the only real difference is when you adjust your bearing for declination. Is this correct, or is there anything I am missing? Thanks!