View single post by KenC
 Posted: Sun Jan 27th, 2008 09:32 pm
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KenC



Joined: Sun Sep 4th, 2005
Location: Florida &, Arizona USA
Posts: 11288
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 The Seiko "Atlas" is more commonly known among WIS as the "Land Shark".  It is an excellent watch.  As to how to use the compass, it would be the same as any analog watch with the convenience of having a bezel with azimiths that use can align.

From Wikipedia...

Watch Method: Northern Hemisphere

 



 

Find an analog watch (the kind with hour and minute hands) that is set accurately. Place it on a level surface, such as the ground, or hold it horizontal in your hand.
  1. Point the hour hand at the sun. You can use a stick to cast a shadow to aid in your alignment if you wish, but it is not necessary.
  2. Bisect (that is, find the center point of) the angle between the hour hand and the twelve o'clock mark (the number 12 on the watch). The center of the angle between the hour hand and twelve o'clock mark is the north-south line. If you don't know which way is north and which south, just remember that no matter where you are, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. In the northern hemisphere the sun is due south at midday. If your watch is set to daylight saving time bisect the angle between the hour hand and the one o'clock mark instead.
  3. If you have a 24h dial on your clock (like many pilot watches), then just point the hour hand at the sun, and north is at the 0/24h mark.
  4. In the night, you can use the shape of the moon to estimate where the sun is, and use the same method. If there is full moon, the sun is in the opposite direction. The guesstimate of the sun position influences the precision.