Magnetic Declination Demystified

10 years later, still appreciate this video. Thank you!

I have been an elementary school teacher for 33 years and as a result I can’t help but to notice sound teaching techniques in every instructional video I view. You, sir, have done a masterful job of putting yourself into the head-space of the learner, and you have managed to create the clearest lesson on this subject that I have yet seen on Youtube. You chose your words carefully, you were methodical, you used visual aids, and you “thought out loud” as you worked your way through the process of adjusting your compass. Thanks to you I am far more likely to use my compass correctly the next time I am scrambling around in the mountains. You are putting Youtube to its most noble use. My hat is off to you.

This should be the ONLY Declination video on YouTube. 👍 Thank you Sir for posting.

It's been 55 years since I was a young Marine Infantry Officer running patrols in the mountains along the border with Laos in I Corps. I don't get out in the bush any more but i was driven to rehash my map and compass technique and I vaguely remembered the techniques taught by this former Marine. Anyone thinking about hiking in the woods should watch this video. This stuff saved my life in the Ashau Valley when i ran patrols back in "69". Semper Fi !

For you power users who want a thorough explanation of declination, this video is terrific. For more casual users, who may have watched the whole video and are still confused, just go buy a compass with adjustable declination. This is discussed in the video starting at 5:29. The presenter mentions adjustable declination compasses, and then states: "the reason I don't like them is because if you move to a new area, you need to reset your declination." This is not a valid argument against this style of compass. When you move to new area, you need to account for your new declination anyway, so when I take 15 seconds and reset your compass?

This is probably one of the most easily-understood presentations of this that I’ve seen. Well done. I don’t think I’m a dummy, but declination has just been one of those things that I repeatedly have to refresh myself on every so often, but I think this discussion will stick a little better than it has in the past for me.

FINALLY, Someone who gets how to educate an audience! Great job and thank you. Even the compass manufacturers can’t explain it without giving the audience a STROKE!

i've watched three videos explaining declination and this is the best one because it links the concepts of declination with the map and explains the direction you want to travel, instead of just telling you, "turn the compass here.....ok now you're good" without showing any of the geographic concepts

Great explanation. One observation on marking maps is that the declination changes so the lines go out of date. Over a few years the change, could get you significantly off your route. The longer the route section distance, the further off. Here also enters the importance of paying attention to map features (terrain/summits/woodland/rivers/buildings/...) as navigation aid to staying on the right track. ATB.

I don't know how many people I've asked to explain "declaration" to me with regards to using my compass accurately. I've asked skippers of boats, hikers, science teachers, friends, and so on. All of their explanations left me more confused than I was before. Very few informed people have the gift of how to explain clearly complex concepts. YOU have that art, that genius! Thank you!! Now I know that my problem was not one of being "stupid".

Great in-depth explanation that is easy to follow. Personally I find that the easiest way to deal with declination when on a trail is to use the orientation markings on a base plate compass to align the map with magnetic north. No need to worry about any addition or subtraction. So long as map and compass north both point in exactly the same direction whenever you are working with them you can't go wrong.

The agonic map really put things into perspective for me. Thanks!

As a geologist, better explanation I heard about this subject. Great script, great video quality. Congratulations, thank you very much from Brazil.

... wish I had all my teachers explain things this well and this clear ...

Absolutely best explanation and practical guide to handling declination when navigating via map, well done!

I learned it LARS (left add, right subtract) which I'm sure your familiar with being a Marine, thanks for your service by the way. While LARS works, like many other things, it really does help to see "why" and "how" behind the method laid out mechanically and explained. This is laid out so nicely for people with brains like mine that I'll be passing this on whenever I go over declination with people. The ruler idea for simplifying it on the map itself is handy too so long as you keep up to date with the shift of earths magnetic fields...which have been less than helpful over the last couple decades in their shift rate.

That is the first I’ve ever seen the isogonic chart/map. Also I appreciate the concise definition of declination as the variance between true north and magnetic north. That’s such a great explanation.

By far the best explanation of a subject that can easily get confusing, you my friend have taken this and given it clarity and in the simplest way I have ever seen it done. Pretty much you removed yourself from being a master of it and put yourself in the minds of first time learners. You done this with no ego in the way and demonstrated communication very well. I personally thank you because after watching several videos I nearly gave up furthering skills in understanding declination until I stumbled on your video.

This is the best explanation so far I have watched about Declination.Thanks to you Sir,I finally got it.I was having headaches with other guys until you showed up and taught this brilliantly.

Out of the dozens of explanation videos of adjusting a compass for declination, your video made it all come together and make sense without using mneumonics and memory aids that have a tendency to be forgotten. Thanks for putting together an amazing learner centered video about the subject.