Automobile Compasses

A compensated compass in a car is another way to learn directions. They have adjustments for errors produced by the car's metal. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to calibrate them. You will quickly get a sense of magnetic compass directions and where the sun is at during the day. If your compass declination is small, you might be able to calibrate your compass so it points to true north.

Get a compass with a 360 degree dial. Use the N-E-S-W directions but ignore the N-E, S-E, S-W AND N-W directions. Learn the 360 degree scales.

The dial on this type of compass is opposite a hand compass that you look down on, but reads correctly the direction that your car is pointed in. Find the directions on a map of some streets that you drive on regularly and mark them with their true directions. See if your regular compass agrees.

A regular compass will be inaccurate in a car because of the metal.

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