Compass Surveying

Introduction
I. Brunton Compass and Parts
a. To help with keeping line
and sighting
i. Mirror
ii. Folding sight
iii. Axis line
iv. Sighting window
v. Sighting arm
vi. Peep sight
b. Leveling the compass
i. Bulls eye level
ii. Clinometer level
iii. Lift pin
iv. Weight
c. Reading the compass
i. Index pin
ii. Compass needle
iii. Clinometer scale
iv. Graduated circle
v. Vernier

II. How to Read a Compass

a. Looking at the face of the compass your reading is coming from the
north arrow.
b. Make sure you are looking at the right side of the arrow when you are
taking your reading.
c. When you are reading the compass, you are reading in azimuths.
d. Azimuths typically go from 0̊ to 360̊.
e. Bearings typically go from 0̊ to 90̊.
III. Converting
a. You can convert azimuths to bearings using this chart
Azimuth between Equation Quadrant
1 0̊ - 90̊ Keep azimuth North East
2 90̊ - 180̊ 180 - azimuth South East
3 180̊ - 270̊ Azimuth -180 South West
4 270̊ - 360̊ 360 - azimuth North West
IV. Magnetic Declination
a. Magnetic declination is the difference between the north geographic
pole and the north magnetic pole.

b. You will want to correct for this before you start surveying.
c. Find declination based on latitude and longitude.
i. https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag-web/#declination
ii. NOAA will help you find the magnetic declination where your
project is.
iii. You can even search by year if you are running a compass
survey from a later date.
a. To correct for declination you will need to turn the index pin however
many degrees your declination is off.
b. For example if you are 15̊ West you will need to move the index pin
15̊ to the left this will be 360̊-15̊ = 345̊
c. If you are 10̊ East you will need to move the index pin 10̊ right.
d. We use – for West and + for East.

e. To do this you will use a coin or flat object to turn the index pin
however many degrees you need.
i. J in diagram.
f. You now have the true bearing whenever you take a measurement.
V. Starting the Survey
a. Set up the compass.
b. There are a few ways to balance the compass
i. Jacobs staff
ii. Lath
iii. Yourself
c. Using a Jacobs staff will be the most effective way of keeping balance
and accuracy.
i. It is directly connected to the compass and you have the ability
to make small adjustments.

d. Using a lath eliminates the natural sway of the human body and you
are able to balance the compass a little easier.
e. If you are not going to use a tool to help balance the compass and are
going to just use yourself there are some steps you need to take.
i. Make sure that your belt buckle (if wearing one) does not affect
the needle.
ii. Hold the compass at waist height with arms pressed firmly
against your body.
f. Getting the correct azimuth reading.
i. Balance the compass using the bulls eye bubble.
ii. Get line of sight on object.
iii. Take the reading once you are on the object and the compass is
level.
g. To get a correct line of sight on the object
i. Extending the sighting arm you will be on line when, looking
down into the mirror you see the black center line in the middle
of the sighting arm and the object.
ii. Once you are level and you have the correct line of sight either
on an object or the arrow is on the correct azimuth if following
along from another survey take down the measurement from the
north arrow.
iii. That will be your azimuth reading for the first line.
iv. MAKE SURE YOU ARE LEVEL WITH THE BULLS EYE
BUBBLE!
VI. Chaining
a. While chaining you are going to need a steel tape or chain, plumb
bobs, nails, and flagging tape.
b. If you need to make several breaks in chain because the distance to
the next point is longer than the chain you have put down nails with
flagging at the points where you break chain.
c. The number one error that comes up during chaining is slack.
d. The appropriate tension you should but on a chain is 30 pounds for no
slack.
e. There are tools to help with this but otherwise pull until you see no
slack in the tape.
f. Starting at the point of origin pull the chain the length that is
necessary.
g. If you need to break chain use a plumb bob over the tape wait until it
is still and stick it into the ground and place a nail underneath and
continue until you reach the next point and set your point the same
way.
h. You will continue these procedures for chaining and using the
compass until you close the traverse.
VII. Errors and Tips
a. A compass is magnetic so if you have iron, certain metals, phones,
magnets, rocks, and etc. can interfere and sway the needle of the
compass.
b. So make sure that there is nothing conflicting with the needle of your
compass.
c. When you are trying to keep like use a large object like a range pole
or a lath to help see it in the compass.
d. When pulling chain start at the one foot mark and go an extra foot on
the other end so that you know you are accurate sometimes you can
reach the 0 on the tape and sometimes you cannot.
e. Its easy to practice and keep note of.
f. Putting the plumb bob over the tape helps keep it on the mark and at
the right distance otherwise you can easily lose the mark.
VIII. Calculations (Example for four sided traverse)
a. To find the misclosure you need to find the interior angles
b. The sum of interior angles should add up to a theoretical sum of
(2*number of lengths-4) * 90̊
i. For example a 4 sided traverse should add to
1. (2*4-4)*90̊
2. (8-4)*90̊
3. 4*90̊ = 360̊
c. The equation for that is BB of 4th angle – FB of 1st angle
i. BB of 1st angle – FB of 2nd angle
ii. BB of 2nd angle – FB of 3rd angle
iii. 360 - FB of 4th angle – BB of 3rd angle
d. The azimuth you take is the FB to find BB there is two rules
i. If FB is less than 180̊ add 180
ii. If FB is more than 180 subtract 180
e. Once you find all interior angles find the sum and find the difference
between what the theoretical sum and the sum of your interior angles
and that is the angular misclosure.