View Full Version : Declination and Silva Ranger
Ive been using my Silva Ranger more and more on Landnav courses as the idea of keeping the needle in the "North" indicator becomes more comfortable as opposed to just using the degree card on a lensatic. to sight in.
The question I have is do any of you just add or subtract the amount of degrees for declination on the Ranger, adjust the bezel, then move out?
Because the problem I am having on my specific compass is the little screw on the back for adjusting declination seems to move and I"ll find that it is off somewhere along one of my legs. It would seem more dependable to just not use that feature and add or subtract for the declination (as you would on a lensatic) and go from there.
Does this make sense?
Can someone sqaure me away on this?
Thanks-
.......Because the problem I am having on my specific compass is the little screw on the back for adjusting declination seems to move and I"ll find that it is off somewhere along one of my legs. It would seem more dependable to just not use that feature and add or subtract for the declination (as you would on a lensatic) and go from there.
Does this make sense?-
Yes, you make sense, but think about something. If it does not hold after you adjust it why would it hold after you adjust it back to zero/north? Would you trust it in the middle of the night?
My Silva Ranger, about 25/30 years old, has the adjusting screw on the top of the bezel ring and you need a fine standard screwdriver to adjust it. Pesky thing to do in the middle of the night. I never did that and just used it like a military lensatic compass. Practice makes perfect.
The Reaper
08-03-2009, 15:05
LARS/RALS.
TR
My Silva Ranger, about 25/30 years old, has the adjusting screw on the top of the bezel ring and you need a fine standard screwdriver to adjust it. Pesky thing to do in the middle of the night. I never did that and just used it like a military lensatic compass. Practice makes perfect.
Mine has the scew also only it is on the bottom of the compass, and you bring up a great point. In this case what I have been doing is leaving it on zero which is easier to check either at night or during the day while on the move, rather than having to stop and count the degrees by which it is set or off.
Perhaps I should just buy another one, but I hate to.
BTW Sir, thanks for the LARS/RALS reminder-
Thanks!
I've had/used silva Ranger's for.. well, over a decade now. If the declination adjustment is walking on you, just replace it for your primary gear and use a dallop of epoxy to "lock" it in place on zero dec... then mark it NODEC with a sharpie and relegate it to your fallback/spare gear pile. It still functions, but not as designed.
I liked using the declination adjustment because it made life simpler. I'd alternate between using the mil lensatic and my own compass for land nav during training just to keep up on having to do the math, but my primary compass was, and now that I'm out is, the Ranger.
It's also what I've trained the wife up on using and what she has in her gear.