Compass configuration prefered?

[treidm]

With all the different types of configurations offered in compasses, I am wondering which styles are preferred and why?

Configurations I have seen (All are in clockwise order, showing Bezel / then capsule, needle or card markings):

1) Bezel 360-0 / Cardinal points No Degrees
2) Bezel 0-360 / Cardinal points No Degrees
3) Bezel 360-0 / Cardinal points with N E S W Degrees 0-360 [S at 0]
4) Bezel 360-0 / Cardinal points with N W S E - Degrees 360-0 [N at 0]
5) Bezel 0-360 / Cardinal points with N E S W Degrees 0-360 [S at 0]
6) Bezel 0-360 / Cardinal points with N E S W Degrees 0-360 [N at 0]

There may be others, so if you have another style, please include

 

[beanojones]

I bet the N at 0 S at 0 thing has more to do with North South hemisphere labeling than design choice.

 

[Hatul]

With all the different types of configurations offered in compasses, I am wondering which styles are preferred and why?

Configurations I have seen (All are in clockwise order, showing Bezel / then capsule, needle or card markings):

1) Bezel 360-0 / Cardinal points No Degrees
2) Bezel 0-360 / Cardinal points No Degrees
3) Bezel 360-0 / Cardinal points with N E S W Degrees 0-360 [S at 0]
4) Bezel 360-0 / Cardinal points with N W S E - Degrees 360-0 [N at 0]
5) Bezel 0-360 / Cardinal points with N E S W Degrees 0-360 [S at 0]
6) Bezel 0-360 / Cardinal points with N E S W Degrees 0-360 [N at 0]

There may be others, so if you have another style, please include

I think you want degree markings, because occassionally you want to take a bearing and remember the number, or you may want to add 90 to the bearing to swim a square. Or you may want to record the bearing to locate a site by triangulation.

I would stick with a standard compass configuration like an Oceanic compass, with the standard bezel, lubber line and sighting window.

Adam

 

[captndale]

I bet the N at 0 S at 0 thing has more to do with North South hemisphere labeling than design choice.

The position of North and south on the compass card is a function of how the compass is intended to be read. Generally, compasses that are intended to be read by looking down on them have the north on the north part of the card. Compasses that are intended to be read from the edge or across the card are printed oppositely.

Compasses that are intended to be used in the southern hemisphere printed the same but are balanced differently because of the differences in the vertical component of the earth's magnetism.