Compass online - how to determine the cardinal directions in an apartment

One of the basic principles of the Taoist practice of space exploration, known as “Feng Shui,” is the correct location of your home, as well as the interior inside it, relative to parts of the world. Where is your bed and other pieces of furniture, how is a person positioned while sleeping, where are the flowers, which way do the doors open, and so on. All this, according to Feng Shui, is important for our lives, contributing or hindering our happiness and prosperity. But how can you determine where your apartment is north and where it is south if you don’t have a standard compass at hand? In this article I will tell you how to determine the cardinal directions in an apartment, what tools will help us with this, and also how to work with a compass online.

How to determine the cardinal directions online in an apartment using a compass

The most basic method is to look out the window at dawn, when the sun rises, or at sunset, when it sets.
After all, everyone knows from school that it rises in the east and sets in the west. And according to this, you can find out where is north and where is south. You can determine the cardinal directions in your apartment using a compass. How it works is usually also taught at school. However, few people come across the use of this invention in practice. And the process is very simple. The compass sight is mounted on the zero of the device, while the compass itself is held horizontally. Next, we release the brake of the magnetic needle and rotate around its axis so that the blue part of the needle stops at zero. That's where our north will be. Accordingly, behind is south, on the left is west, on the right is east.

Compass

If you don’t have a compass at hand, you can make one yourself. To do this, take a non-metallic container and fill it with water. Next, put any light object (for example, a piece of paper or foam) into the water, and put a needle on top. On one side, its tip should be magnetized (rub it on your hair or fur). As a result, the magnetized tip of the needle will turn towards the south, and the normal one - towards the north.

You can determine the cardinal directions by a clock with arrows if the weather is sunny outside. Aim the short arrow towards the sun. Mentally draw a bisector through the angle between it and the number 12. It will show where south is located.

Sides of the world by hour

Thanks to the development of the Internet, it is now possible to understand where and what part of the world is in an apartment online. Enter your address on the map of your city. Maps on the Internet always indicate cardinal directions. Next, we find our home and determine which part of the world is in which direction. You can also learn how to use an online compass. Typically, such resources are linked to either Google maps or Yandex maps. On the screen we will see a large compass. We also enter the city and address, and, according to what the compass shows, we determine which regions - northern or southern - the windows of your home face.

Watch the sunrise and sunset

As you know, our star rises in the east and sets in the west. Therefore, if you stand in such a way that your right hand points to the place where the sun rises (to the east), and your left hand points to the place where the sun sets (to the west), then north will be in front of you, and south behind you. And no online compass is needed to determine the direction of the world in an apartment.

Watch where the sun rises and where it sets

Methods for determining cardinal directions in the forest

There are several ways to navigate the terrain without a map. If such a need arises, then both nature and man have prepared many options on how to do this.

The first thing that comes to mind is to use a compass. We have already discussed the principle of operation of the compass earlier: whether in an apartment or in a forest, the procedure is identical. After finding the north direction, select a distant landmark and move towards it.

If this device is not in the immediate vicinity, remember: in the forest there are a lot of natural signs of how to recognize where is north and where is south.

At night you can navigate by the stars. Remember from the school curriculum about the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, which resemble the shape of a ladle. At the end of the “handle” of the Ursa Minor dipper lives the North Star, and it shines brightly in the north. You can detect it in the following way: mentally measure the distance between the lower rightmost star of the Big Dipper and the upper one and put it five times in a straight line towards the constellation Ursa Minor. The Polar Star hides at the end of the delayed segment. This is the north.

polar Star

You can determine the cardinal directions by the sun, what and where. An elementary way is to record from which side it rises and from which it sets, therefore, at sunrise - east, at sunset - west. When the sun is at its zenith, that is, at its highest point, and this is usually noon, you need to turn your back to it, and the north will be in front of you.

Nowadays, many mobile applications have been developed to help in determining the cardinal directions. Some of them, for example, focus precisely on the location of the sun. Just enter information about the hemisphere in which you are currently located. The application determines the current time indicators and builds a north-south, west-east crosshair. Turn your mobile phone towards the sun, and the program will show the correct location of the cardinal directions.

It happens that you get lost while in the city. Even city dwellers cannot always say with certainty which way is north and which way is south. A satellite navigator will help you. Just say or enter the address of the building closest to you and navigate according to the data received. Ordinary cards will also help. the operating principle is the same. You just have to search for the desired address on the map manually.

Deciding which part of the world is where by the clock is the same in an apartment, as we wrote about earlier today. But let us remind you: we point the short arrow at the sun. We draw a bisector between it and the number 12. It will show where south is.

Natural signs have more than once helped lost tourists find the right path. The cardinal directions can be determined, for example,

on the anthill. Usually it is located on the south of some tree, bush, boulder, and on the south side its slope will always be flatter.

Anthill

How to determine the cardinal directions by a stump? Very simple. You can clearly see the growth rings on the stumps of trees that have been cut down. From the northern part they are narrower than from the south. If the rings are not visible, mark which side of the stump the moss grows on. This is the north.

The Moon can help in determining the cardinal directions at night. You need to remember the following: on a full moon at midnight, the Moon is always in the south. Well, what if the moon is not full? There is such a way. Visually divide the lunar disk into 12 parts and mentally estimate how many parts of the Moon are illuminated. Based on this, move the hands to the same number of hours as how many illuminated parts you see. And then, focusing on the Moon, as on the Sun, establish what and where.

During the daytime, you can determine the cardinal directions by the shadow. You need to poke a stick into the ground and remember when the length of the shadow is the smallest. This means that the Sun is at its zenith, and the shadow line points to the north.

How to determine the cardinal directions from a tree? Here, experienced tourists have noticed several ways. The first and most popular is to look where the tree is overgrown with moss. This is the north. If you are staying next to a pine or other coniferous tree, pay attention to which side produces more resin. Usually it's south.

If such a tree stands on a slope, then it is most likely north, since coniferous trees like to grow there. Deciduous ones prefer southern slopes. If there are mushrooms growing at the base of the tree, mark which side has more of them. That's north. And the branches of the trees grow thicker from the south.

If you decide to go hiking, keep in mind that one or two signs may not be enough if something happens. Remember that there must be at least five of them. Whatever the situation you find yourself in, the main thing is to remain calm and not let your guard down. If you realize that you are completely lost, and modern gadgets do not help due to the lack of a network signal or a dead battery, stop, take a breath and look around you.

Remember everything that this article or the advice of experienced travelers taught you. Find the nearest landmark by which you can determine the direction of the world. And then use the knowledge that has been deposited in your head.

Signs based on natural phenomena are not always 100 percent accurate. At different times of the year, the sun rises and sets at different times, and it also depends on the region where you decide to go. Carefully study the local climatic and weather conditions, as well as the availability of transfer points where campsites or hunting lodges may be located.

There is also a calculation method for this. In short:

We need to find a clean piece of land that receives enough direct sunlight. Then we need to find a straight stick and stick it at a 90 degree angle into the ground.

A shadow will fall from the stick. Let's put a mark where the edge of the shadow falls (mark this place with a pebble or peg). After about 15-30 minutes the shadow will move, mark the edge of the shadow again.

Now that we have two points, we can connect them with a line. This line will give us a rough idea of ​​the east-west direction. In this case, the first point placed will point to the west, the second - to the east.

Unfortunately, this option will only work on a sunny day, but it will allow you to quickly navigate the terrain during a rest stop with greater accuracy than simply navigating by the sun at sunrise or sunset.

Another logical piece of advice. Never look at the sun directly. Even with sunglasses. This can cause eye injury.

Orientation using Google Maps

The simplest and fastest solution so as not to bother with a bunch of programs and devices on your laptop. Although if we are talking about a compass in a smartphone, then the task would be generally elementary (we’ll tell you more at the end of the review)

• Go to the official website of the service (in a computer browser or from a phone);
• Using the search bar we find the desired address:

• By default, North is at the top, South is at the bottom, East is on the right, and West is on the left. But this is not enough, because if you are indoors, it is difficult to figure out which side the windows face;
• For more information, click on the yellow man symbol in the corner to display routes and panoramic viewpoints:

• Select a point or line that is as close as possible to your object, and after loading the photo, you need to visually find it, and then look at the red compass arrow (it points to North):

Method number 1. Using the compass online

To determine the location of your apartment relative to the cardinal directions, and also to understand where the windows of your room face, you can use the online map from Google below.

This map with cardinal directions works correctly with the Google Chrome browser and other browsers based on the Chromium core, but when working with Firerox the resource has problems.

The operating principle of this service is as follows. There is a large compass on the screen, you just need to find your city on the map, and then your house, and in accordance with the compass image (N - north, S - south, W - west, E - east) see which side of the world you are facing the windows of your home are directed. Then, in relation to this, you can understand how correctly you are sleeping.

Feng Shui believes that if your head is positioned on:

North - this helps the development of intuition; Northeast - will help in scientific activities; East – guarantees a restful sleep; Southeast - will help in developing determination; South - will give fame and reputation; South-West - will give help in Love; West - bestows fertility; North-west - will ensure true friendship. The location of the human body during sleep according to Feng Shui is very important

Online compass - determine the cardinal directions in the apartment

What to do if you don’t have a real compass at hand, but you need to determine the cardinal directions? It doesn’t matter, you can do it online: on your computer or in a mobile application.

How to determine cardinal directions from a computer using Google Maps

Despite the fact that the monitor does not rotate, and the north is always at the top, you can still navigate by cardinal directions in Google Maps.

First, find your location. For this:

• Open maps.google.com.
• Enter your address and press Enter.
• You will see a view of the area from above, which you need to somehow navigate.
• Remember that north is now at the top of the map. It would seem that this is enough.

But looking at the area from above, many find it difficult to find the side where their windows face. Panoramas will help simplify this task. To open a panorama:

• Click on the yellow man.
• Blue lines will appear - these are the places you can click to open the panorama. These places were driven around by Google car and photographed.

• A 3D picture that is already familiar to the human eye will open, in which you can move. And it has a compass!

An important point is that in Google maps the red end of the arrow points north and not south, as is customary in school textbooks. Because in all serious maps the southern end is not marked at all, only the northern end is highlighted in color. So north is red.

It’s easier to navigate in this picture. For example, I see that my windows look to the right - towards the road. Which side of the world this is can be seen by the compass arrow on the right side of the screen. It is directed with the red end to the right and slightly upward. That means north and a little up. How to determine whether it is east or west (above)? Easily. Just imagine that you are facing north. Then the east will be on the right hand, and the west will be on the left. Thus, the arrow is directed to the northwest. This means that the windows face northeast - this is the direction perpendicular to the road from left to right.

You can rotate the 3D image, the compass needle will rotate with it - because north is always in the same direction. Move through the panorama in the way that is most convenient for you – even right up to the windows. And rotate the 3D layout in a way that is more convenient. North will still be marked with a red arrow. This is how you can determine the cardinal directions online at home from your computer. A minimum of orientation is required. If you don’t want to navigate in your head at all, but need something exactly like a real compass, then a mobile application will come to the rescue. You can turn the phone in your hands any way you want, and the arrow on the screen will always remain pointing in the same direction.

Similarly, you can determine the sides on Yandex.Maps, only there is no compass arrow, but there are panoramas.

How to determine cardinal directions using mobile applications

Almost every phone is already sold with the Compass app .

• There is definitely a Compass application on iPhone and iPad.
• It is also available on Android. For example, on a Xiaomi phone the Compass application is located in the Tools folder (in the same place as Contacts, Clock, Calculator...):

Built-in Compass application on Xiaomi Open the application

• When you open the application, you need to move the phone, holding it at arm's length in a figure eight in space. This is how the application is configured. After this, the compass will “orient” and the needle will stop twitching. It will consistently show the direction of north and south.
• In general, there are many mobile compass applications for all operating systems. But it's better to use the app that comes with your phone.

Please note that these apps require a magnetic sensor on your phone to work. Sometimes it's called just "compass," but it's a technical sensor, not an app; the application is installed on top. This is the technical specification of the phone.

To test your phone for the presence of a sensor, find it on the Yandex Market and in the “detailed specifications” look at the “Other functions->Sensors” section. For example, the Apple iPhone 7 has a sensor:

If your phone has a magnetic sensor but not an app (unlikely), here are some mobile apps that show a compass needle on the screen:

The Internet is usually not required for applications to work. And if there is no sensor, the application will not work.

I tested a couple of apps on an old tablet that didn't have its own compass app. Honestly, it's terrible. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab, it seems to have a magnetic sensor, but you can’t get out of the woods with such compasses. Slowly, like a snail, the arrow rotates around the screen and points first in one direction, then in the other. I do not exclude that this is a technical malfunction. In the new Xiaomi phone, the built-in Compass worked perfectly.

There are also traditional ways to determine cardinal directions.

Watch the sunrise and sunset

It is known that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. To determine north, extend your arms out to your sides and stand with your right hand pointing east. Then there will be north in front and south behind.

Like this:

Where should the apartment windows face: north, south, west or east?

When buying a home, you should think about an important parameter such as insolation (natural light). By law, when constructing an apartment building, the developer must comply with SanPiN (sanitary rules and regulations) for lighting residential premises. According to these requirements, studios and one-room apartments cannot face north, and in 2 and 3-room apartments at least one room must be south.

Sanitary and epidemiological services closely monitor compliance with all standards, but it should be noted that the apartments, although suitable for long-term living, can be built without taking into account the “requirements for insolation of residential premises.”

Regardless of what you are planning to buy - housing or apartments, it is worth figuring out where it is preferable to place an office or a bedroom, because the lack of light directly affects a person’s mood and health.

The “northern” room will be comfortable for people who cannot stand the heat. Here you can enjoy the coolness at any time of the year. A properly selected design will help to visually enlarge a poorly lit room: light wallpaper, a minimum of furniture, a large amount of artificial light. It is not uncommon for a developer to design non-residential rooms on the north side that are suitable for short stays - a kitchen, a bathroom, a wardrobe/storage room, etc.

“Southern” rooms are suitable for those who like to enjoy the sun. Heat-loving plants grow well in such rooms. The sun's rays illuminate the room all day, so you will definitely save on your electricity bills. In summer, this amount of light can cause inconvenience - the room will heat up. In this case, the heat in the room will remain all day. But if you remember how many sunny days there are in Yekaterinburg a year, then the south side is suitable for a living room or nursery.

If you are a night owl, then a bedroom in the west will allow you to sleep well, because... These rooms are illuminated by the sun from noon until sunset. It’s also a good place for an office; here you can avoid using artificial light for a long time.

The eastern side is considered the most universal. There will be no constant hot sun here, and you won’t notice a shortage of light. The East is a good place for your bedroom if you have to get up early every day. Otherwise, either take care of thick curtains in advance, or choose the west.

Our experts confirm that many apartment buyers pay attention to the direction of the world where the windows of their future home face. But there are several more factors related to the lighting of the room: the choice of floor, the view from the window (are there trees or buildings opposite), the size of the window openings and the presence of a loggia or balcony are important.

“At the design stage, we provided some options that increase the amount of light and sun in the apartments. Firstly, these are expanded window openings. Both in width and height. Agree, when the window is “to the ceiling”, the perception of the world is completely different. Secondly, this is the presence of upper panoramic floors, when the balconies and loggias are glazed from floor to ceiling. This, of course, further increases the value of such apartments; people are willing to significantly overpay for them. Thirdly, this is work with lighting the space of small apartments. For example, the format of studio apartments is now very popular, where the cooking area is located in a single living space. At the same time, there are a huge number of studios on the market designed as elongated “carriages”, where the light at the end of the tunnel enters the room through one small window on the far wall. In Astoria, all the studios have a regular, almost square shape, and each one has two windows. This way, the studio spaces are well lit.”

“In our projects, we pay great attention to architecture and design, including thinking through interesting windows that residents will appreciate from both a practical and aesthetic point of view. For example, in the first building of the Newton Park residential complex there are apartments with large-format panoramic windows 5.2 m wide. Window sills in all apartments are 70 cm from the floor (standard window sill is 90 cm from the floor). In apartments on high floors, we installed window sills even lower - at a level of 40 cm. It is very convenient to admire the view from the window - your gaze does not rest on the window sill. The second house has even more different windows in location and design. There will be floor-to-ceiling French windows, apartments with panoramic windows in the kitchen, a window in the bathroom, and double narrow and tall windows in the New York style.”

© Analytical LLC, 2015

Product from Google Corporation

First of all, it must be said that Google Compass is the best resource in this area today. It should be immediately noted that it is English-language, but at the same time it can offer a convenient interface and great information content. The instructions for using the service are simple; first you need to switch to the developer.

In the upper left area there is a description of the site’s functions, the main ones:

• firstly, there is no need to manually search for declination, Google’s tool does everything automatically and accurately determines the difference between real and magnetic north;
• secondly, it is possible to save and, if necessary, use routes created while working with the service.

There are 2 important tabs in the lower right corner:

• Test Yourself - to test your own skills in using this compass, you need to answer five questions;
• Using Compass - contains usage data, a trial version of the tool from Google.

If you decide to use an online compass to determine the sides of an apartment, use the following algorithm:

How to use a compass online and determine cardinal directions and directions

The virtual instrument itself is a central circular disk that rotates relative to a rectangular board. In the center of the disk there is a magnetic needle, it is always directed north and immediately on top of it there is another one, also movable.

• Rotate the rectangle itself so that the red arrow “looks” at the final waypoint; to do this, click on the image of the circular arrow;

• Turn in the desired direction while holding the above arrow. If necessary, the length of the red arrow can be increased. To do this, use the green diamond icon, it is located above the end of the arrow, hold it and drag the arrow to the desired location;

• After this, you can see the azimuth - located in the right corner;

• There is an option to instantly create a route; to do this, click on the “Drow Route” tab and confirm the action by clicking on the “OK” button;
• You can close the compass by left clicking on “HIDE COMPASS”.

It is possible to switch the map view; there is a “Map” tab for this. After clicking on it, a list of cards will open from which you can select the one you need.

Compass on your phone

The most remarkable thing is that the developers have created many programs for determining the cardinal directions for different operating systems, which are easy to download for free. It’s worth noting right away that for normal, correct operation of such products, you need a magnetic sensor on your smartphone.

Today it is available in almost every device. And there is even no need to install third-party software. For example, on my Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 the following application is available by default:

If you do not have such built-in tools, then among the most popular utilities for Android are:

• Compass
• Compass 360 Pro Free

And for iOS there are:

• Free HD Compass
• Compass

Usually, such utilities do NOT require an Internet connection to work, but if there is no sensor on your device, the software will not work.

The methods listed in the article are quite enough to use a compass online and determine the cardinal directions without even leaving your apartment or office.

Calibration

If you have Android:

1. Open the Google Maps app;
2. Click on the blue circle with a white outline on the map;
3. In the lower left corner of the screen, click on “Set up compass”;
4. Tilt your phone as shown on the screen and follow the image three times to properly calibrate the compass.
5. After that, click on the “Done” button;

As a result, your map will be successfully calibrated using the compass on your Android phone. It will now display more accurate results.

For iPhone owners:

Compass calibration is slightly different on iOS phones, but the trailer is the same. So for this:

• Go to settings;
• Go down and click on "Privacy";
• Now go to “Location Services”, and in the first paragraph turn on the slider;
• Scroll down a little and click on “System Services”;
• Turn on “Compass calibration”;
• Open the Home screen and find the Compass application on it.

As you noticed, nothing complicated. Any novice user can handle this. In the app store on your device, you can find many compasses, but when you use them, you may encounter inaccurate results. It is better to use the standard application that is built into your smartphone.

High precision mode

High-precision mode - allows you to speed up the Google Maps application. This feature is available on the Android operating system:

1. Go to settings;
2. Click on the “Location” item. Depending on your device, the name of the section may be different, or something like “Security and location”;
3. If necessary, enable the location option;
4. Select High Accuracy.

Once turned on, you will improve the signal and performance of your GPS navigator, but be prepared to experience a slight increase in battery usage. You can always turn this mode off to save battery power.

How to use

Having a compass app on your phone will help you know where north, south, west is and also know the direction. To start working with it:

1. Launch the compass on the main screen;
2. Hold your phone in your palm;
3. Rotate while holding the phone in your hand until you reach the mark (degrees) you want to follow;
4. Tap the screen to lock your current position.

When you deviate from the desired direction, a red stripe will appear. The application displays at the bottom of the display the exact latitude and longitude, as well as sunrise and sunset times. All this can be very convenient when hiking in the mountains.

pros

• The application is very convenient for those who travel frequently, as it is built into the smartphone and can also be downloaded for free from the Google Play or App Store;
• You won't have to buy a mechanical compass, and you'll save money and time;
• You can use it at night.

Minuses

• If you use Compass frequently, the load on your phone will increase and it will begin to discharge quickly;
• The application may not show accurate values.

"Compass 360 Pro Free" - online application for Android smartphones

For Android smartphones, application developers offer a lot of online compass options. From which we can choose the best one for ourselves. Electronic compasses are even more accurate than the mechanical devices we had to hold in our hands. Or seen in feature films on TV. Therefore, there is no doubt about determining the cardinal directions in the Compass 360 Pro Free application.

For those who simply cannot live without tourism, boating, camping, picnics, etc., this application will be indispensable:

• The compass will only work if you give it access to your smartphone's gallery. And also to your location. Since the principle of its operation includes data exchange using GPS technology.
• The online compass on a mobile phone also requires location detection to be enabled in the general settings of the device.
• After the first launch, the application will calibrate the compass automatically.

And you can choose any skin to your liking, of which there are several in the set.

All you have to do is place your smartphone in your palm to find out where this or that side of the world is. In the application, you can make manual adjustments by changing the location of the arrow or other objects on the screen.

The pleasant animation of searching for sides and the movement of the arrow is a pleasant surprise. There is a small drawback - in the free version you need to watch ads all the time. You can disable it using a paid subscription.

Online service “compass on the map” Open Street Map Compass

OSMCompass (Open Street Map Compass) is one of the best online compass resources. It has a convenient, intuitive interface and rich functionality. The service allows you to automatically determine the difference between real and magnetic north, as well as save user-created routes.

The OSMCompass website is in English, but it is not difficult to understand if you follow our instructions.

How to enable OSMCompass if it is not displayed

To get started, follow these steps:

1. Open the service website.
2. Choose one of the available route building options: a simple “Draw Single Leg Route” or a complex “Draw Multi-Legged”.

3. At the next information message, click OK.

4. Enter the name of your city and select the correct one from the options provided.

5. Click on the green "SHOW COMPASS" button located in the upper left corner. After which a compass icon will appear on the map.

How to use the online compass

After the widget appears, we see that it consists of two red arrows, one of which is always directed to the north, and the second can be moved independently using the white circular arrow.

Using the online compass is easy:

1. Expand the widget so that the second arrow points to your destination. In this case, the center of the compass should correspond to your location.
2. The length of the arrow can be adjusted using the round green button. To do this, press and hold it, moving it in the desired direction. The azimuth will be indicated in the upper right corner.

3. Click on the red “Drow Route” button to navigate to the specified point and confirm the action with the “OK” button.

4. If necessary, save the constructed route by going to the “Compass Menu” tab and select “SaveRoute”. In the window that appears, enter your email address so that the data will be sent there.

5. You can hide the compass using the green “HIDE COMPASS” button.

The service allows you to delete a constructed path, view previously saved routes, and print them on a printer.

Compass by Fulmine Software

In a convenient application from Google Play, you can mark individual places on the map, and then get directions to them. Record in the program memory the direction in which the return journey begins. This will help you find your way home.

Longitude and latitude are displayed in different formats. Using the built-in map you can find out the exact address of your location.

In this case, the program works without Internet access and GPS. You will also see the elevation difference between your destination and your current location.

TOP 5 mobile applications with a compass

On some smartphones, compass applications are included in the basic package and are built into the menu. However, if your device does not have this, you should not be upset. This function is successfully compensated by programs that can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Market or App Store.

Let's look at the most popular electronic compasses for Android smartphones equipped with a magnetic field sensor.

Just a compass

The Simply Compass application accurately determines the cardinal directions and also has a number of additional functions. To install it, you will need Android version 4.1 or later. The app has been downloaded over 1 million times and has a rating of 4.7 stars out of a maximum of 5.

The undoubted advantages of “Simply Compass”:

• works for free and without advertising;
• shows magnetic and geographic north;
• displays information about the time of sunrise and sunset, altitude above sea level;
• It is small in size - installation requires only 5.3 MB of free memory.

To determine the cardinal directions using the “Simply Compass”, follow these steps:

1. Allow the program to access data about the device's location (turn on geolocation).
2. Place your smartphone horizontally on your palm.
3. Turn with the phone until the arrow points north (N).

The top panel of the program contains data on what altitude above sea level you are, the time of sunrise or sunset for your region. Below - under the compass itself, the exact coordinates of the location are indicated.

Compass from Melon Soft

“Compass from Melon Soft” is another application that allows you to determine the cardinal directions based on your current geoposition. The program has been downloaded more than 10 million times and has a rating of 4.4 stars out of 5. Installation requires Android 4.0 and higher.

Pros of the application:

• menu in Russian;
• there is information about the time of sunrise and sunset, as well as current coordinates;
• shows the tilt angle of the phone;
• magnetic field strength data is displayed;
• can be connected to Google maps;
• Installation requires only 1.9 MB of free memory.

Compass from KWT Apps

A simple and reliable Compass application is available on Google Play. With it you can:

• Set your current location. Here you can see latitude, longitude, address data. The device also shows the altitude at which you are relative to sea level.
• Get a summary of information about the geomagnetic sensor built into your smartphone. At the same time, check how accurate the compass readings are. If they do not correspond to reality, be sure to calibrate the device.
• Find out the strength of nearby magnetic fields.

To avoid getting lost, add an arrow pointing in the right direction. Like all other applications, KWT needs calibration.

Compass online for Android and iOS phones without downloading

Developers of mobile operating systems include only the most important applications in the default list. The user will download the rest, if necessary, from the Play Market or App Store. Until now, the compass was not included in this list. And according to the developers, it is not a mandatory program. Therefore, if you need a compass, you will have to download it as a separate application on your smartphone. If you don't want to download it, you can use the online map app without downloading.

It is a regular web map with a graphic compass in the center. Using it as a guide, you can easily determine the cardinal directions by choosing your location. The compass has letters from the Latin alphabet for the four cardinal directions, which are the generally accepted standard for this device.

Legend: Direction:

Try to find your city on the map where you live. To enlarge the map, use the buttons with the signs: plus, minus.

Or press the CTRL key on your computer keyboard and use the mouse wheel to zoom out or zoom in.

On the left side of the map in the lower corner there is a button to change the map view.

Determining the cardinal directions with a map becomes much more convenient. After finding your point, you can find out in which direction relative to your city certain objects are located on the map. Next, we will tell you in more detail what kind of compass is, which can be used through online applications on your phone.

Compass mobile application for IOS phones

In the App Store you can download an online compass for iPhone. The Compass X application works on the IOS system without any additional settings.

After downloading and installation, the application icon will appear on one of the desktops of the mobile device.

Having launched the program, it displays the cardinal directions by default with 16 compass points and a sign of degrees around the circumference. The lower part of the compass also displays the location of the smartphone above sea level. And detailed coordinates of the place where you are staying with address and other data.

For the application to provide this information, your phone must have GPS technology and data transfer enabled. Otherwise, the mobile device will refuse to provide some information. To enable the compass to accurately display cardinal directions, it must be placed parallel to the ground. Usually, placing it in the palm of your hand is quite enough.

If the application on your smartphone for some reason refuses to show the coordinates or cardinal direction, check the application settings. You need to check that the Geolocation function is activated. And also check the permissions of the Compass X application.

It may also not work in areas with strong magnetic or electromagnetic fields. For example, you may notice performance problems if your smartphone is located under a high-voltage power line.

Gyro-compass

To verify compliance with true north, a gyrocompass was created. It is based on a gyroscope (measures the angular velocity of a rotating object). This device is used on ships (sea, air) to determine the four cardinal directions. The gyrocompass finds real poles, not magnetic ones, so it is not influenced by interference from the latter.

Gyro-compass

Features of using a compass

Many people, when going on a hike, a walk in the forest, or on a trip, make a big mistake by not taking a compass with them. Even without additional devices, it can help you get out of any dense thicket.

The human body is not symmetrical. Because of this, people often walk in circles in the forest without landmarks. This is due to the fact that each person's steps have different lengths. And over time, moving through the forest, people gradually turn in one direction.

But if you have a compass, this can be avoided. You need to open it and place it on your palm.

Remember the azimuth at which you enter the forest. Then, when leaving it, use the opposite course to reach the same point from which you came.

A compass with any device - mechanical or electronic - must be placed on the palm of your hand, parallel to the ground. You can write down the azimuth in your smartphone’s notepad or on a piece of paper so you don’t forget.