“Map used with permission of the Bay Area Orienteering Club baoc.org“

Features

1. Outer-rim is a protractor that rotates just like oil-bath compass
2. Protractor can be locked, and stays locked
3. Compass needle responds to magnetic north
4. Day and night views
5. Designed to perform correctly in airplane mode (GPS disabled)
6. No cellular signal nor GPS signal required needed
7. Accurate rulers graduated with 2.5 inches and 6 cm (Based on iPhone @ 163 ppi)
8. No setting. Pick it up, it works

Since the Orienteering Compass performs equally well with or without Global Positioning System enabled, it can be used to simulate a physical protractor compass used under similar conditions. While it is not intended to be used during orienteering competitions, it certainly makes a great and realistic training apparatus.

Its minimalistic and intuitive interface makes it an ideal learning and teaching tool, complete with rotating protractor and glow-in-the-dark appearance.
Since it is designed primarily around the stringent needs of orienteering (accuracy, readability, no setup or preferences to fiddle with, protractor and rulers, no cellular signal), it makes it a perfect compass for outdoors activities such as backpacking, hiking and trekking. The simple fact that it runs in “Airplane Mode”  allows Orienteering Compass to be a low consumption, energy efficient application.

Hardware Requirements

1. An iPhone 4
2. or an iPhone 3Gs (with internal magnetometer)
3. or an iPad (any version) Note that the rulers are not accurate on iPad

(Not to worry, you will not be able to buy this application from the App Store if your device does not have an internal magnetometer.)

About the Compasses…

1. Familiar Interface

All protractors’ outer rims rotate the same way.
Use the outer rim to adjust, and a single lock button to fix.

A lock prevents the compass-heading information from drifting.
The heading can be set once, and will stick until changed. Quitting the application will not affect the heading. Just like an oil-bath compass, only one heading is stored at a time.

2. Different looks

Regular protractor ; Large and Off-centered ; Night ; Nautical.
Day, twilight and night (low light screen).

The protractor lines in the Nautical style make it easy to adjust the heading using an iPhone. After all, the iPhone is not transparent and the practical layout makes it a useful tool.

Headings are remembered across all compasses styles.

The night-look interface featured here is particularly dim and readable in low-light situations.

3. A tool, not a toy

Simplicity has not been sacrificed to the interface

While most compass applications give the geographic (true) and magnetic north, the approach to Orienteering compass is to make it a straight substitution for a physical device. Where others may have created eye-candy, most of the time relying on the GPS for current coordinates and even links to actual maps (using precious battery power in the field), Orienteering Compass is explicitly replicates the simple and elegant oil-bath compass.

4. Rulers, Direction Of Travel and other features

Rulers

All iPhones (and iPod Touch) come with a screen resolution of 320×480 pixels at 163 ppi. This means that, when measured vertically or horizontally, exactly 163 pixels will fit in a linear inch. Using this characteristic, Orienteering Compass is able to provide two different rulers, one 2.5 inches long on one side, and one 6 cm long on the other.

DOT

The Direction Of Travel is clearly marked by an arrow on all screens.

Independent Outer-Rim and lock

The outer-rim rotates and locks independently of the compass needle. Once locked, it is not at risk of being accidentally changed. The application can also be safely exited, the setting of the outer rim is not affected.

Airplane Mode

Orienteering Compass does not rely on the GPS nor the cellular signal to calculate it’s orientation. It relies upon the internal magnetometer embedded in the iPhone 4, 3Gs and the iPad. If you are using Orienteering Compass in an outdoor setting where a source of power may not be readily available, it is recommended to put your phone in Airplane Mode to conserve battery. As a matter of fact, Orienteering Compass will work in an airplane!

How to use…

“Map used with permission of the Bay Area Orienteering Club baoc.org“

1. Align the Direction Of Travel

Put the device on top of the map.
Align the course to the side of the phone. It matters not to align the current position with the rulers. Only the direction of travel matters.

2. Adjust the outer-ring

Unlock the outer-rim.
Align the protractor with the magnetic north of the map. There is no need to orient the map, since the protractor rotates freely. Make sure you use the maps’s magnetic north, or compensate for local declination. Orienteering maps indicate the magnetic north. When set, tap “lock”. Note that the rim would lock on it’s own after a short delay.

3. Orient the compass

Rotate the device until the needle and the protractor overlap.
When the compass needle and the protractor overlap, the DOT arrow (the front of the phone when held flat) points to the direction of travel.

Get it now.

Orienteering Compass is available on the App Store.

Click here to visit Orienteering Compass on the App Store.

(http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/orienteering-compass/id372749402?mt=8)

Technical Support

• orienteeringcompass@thegothicparty.com

End-User License Agreement (EULA)

No guaranties, implicit or explicit.
The complete End-User License Agreement can be read at:

thegothicparty.com/dev/wp-content/extras/orienteering-compass-EULA.html

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Features

1. Magnetic north, to suit the traditional behavior of good old compasses
2. Compass moves independently of background
3. 4 compasses to choose from, using the i button.
   

Hardware Requirements

1. iPhone 4
2. or iPhone 3Gs (with internal compass)
3. or an iPad (any version)

(Not to worry, you will not be able to buy this application from the App Store if your device does not have an internal magnetometer.)

About the Compasses…

1. E. L. Holmes

Master Compass, a navigating apparatus.

Inspired by an apparatus patented by Edward L. Holmes on February 1, 1926. Patent No 1,702,405.

…Fig. 1 shows schematically the several units comprising the master-compass and a repeater-compass illustrative of mechanism which may be actuated and  controlled by said master-compass – together with a wiring diagram of an electrical system which may be employed in connection therewith; …

A single drawing from E. L. Holmes has been carefully and faithfully reproduced, to bring this invention to life in Old Compass. The only modification added for convenience and use as a compass is the addition of three typewriter characters indicating west, south and east, not present in the original graphic.

2. J. Schiessler

Sound-Indicator for Vessels.
An apparatus patented by Josef Schiessler on October 18, 1904. Patent No 772,676.

…The principal object of the invention is to indicate the direction of movement or the approach of a vessel not yet seen, maybe at night or in a fog. … The apparatus consists of two main parts, one of which is arranged on the deck of ship, whereas the other is submerged into the water and connected with the other main part by means of a tube …

While not actually a compass in the original J. Schiessler invention, the device has as similar needle pointer in the author’s drawings. The device comes to like in Old Compass, as the magnetic heading is indicated by the floating arrow.

3. T. Dawson

Navigational mariner’s compass, composed of two systems.

By the end of the sixteenth century, several features of the compass were established conventions: the image of the rose at the axis ; the eight-pointed star ; the points of the compass such as “north by north-east” ; the Fleur de Lys indicating north ; the Cross indicating east; four quadrants of 90 degrees each ; and sometimes a sundial. This compass rose has it all, including the sundial which the mariner could use to tell the time as well as heading. The sundial’s marking were designed to be used on the northern hemisphere.

You too can use the Old Compass to tell time from the secondary dial using the sun’s position, or find the geographical north independently of the compass position when knowing the local time.

As published in “The Seaman’s Secrets”, Thomas Dawson, 1607. First appeared in a 1596 document.
National Library of Canada

The image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

4. J. Aguiar

A 32-point compass rose
From a nautical chart drawn by Jorge de Aguiar. This is apparently the oldest personally signed Portuguese nautical chart, dated 1492.

Original is in the Beinecke Library, Yale University, USA.

The image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

The rose hovers over the map.

Get it now.

Old Compass is available on the App Store.

Click here to visit Old Compass on the App Store.
(http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/old-compass/id370131301?mt=8)

Technical Support

• oldcompass@thegothicparty.com

End-User License Agreement (EULA)

No guaranties, implicit or explicit.
The complete End-User License Agreement can be read at:

thegothicparty.com/dev/wp-content/extras/oldcompass-EULA.html

Old Compass iPhone App On The Web…

Old Compass iPhone App (Vieille Boussole appli) is featured on
Chasses-aux-trésor.com.

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