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Compass location distance thing

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:27 pm
by butterbean
Hi all,

Just a quick one.

Many moons ago, I was lent (leant? borrowed? given for a short amount of time with a promise of return) a compass come return to location device thing.
basically, it looked like an old fashion P.E teachers stop watch that they wore around the neck, and when in a location, you set that as your fixed location, and then wonder off to do as you wish, then when you want to return to the exact spot, you look at it and it tells you the distance to target and gives you an arrow to follow.

it didnt have any fancy built in maps or other gizmos, it was pretty much a digital compass, but instead of pointing north, it points to where you told it to.

does anybody know the name of the thing i am talking about? i have tried to google all sorts to find it and trawled through a number of hiking and camping websites, but with no luck.

cheers

Butterbean

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 3:16 pm
by Brambles
I have no idea wht it is either, but I'd be interested to find out. :)

EDIT: Had to Google is this it?

http://www.uttings.co.uk/p122492-bushne ... L7QDzvyjIV

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 6:18 pm
by kevprep85
Brambles wrote:I have no idea wht it is either, but I'd be interested to find out. :)

EDIT: Had to Google is this it?

http://www.uttings.co.uk/p122492-bushne ... L7QDzvyjIV
thps is brilliant i know what my next buy is :D maybe not in pink though.

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 11:29 pm
by sniper 55
Thats quite clever. wonder how it compares to a normal GPS type unit.
I remember testing a proper one in the Brecon Beacons many moons ago and being supprised, we went right around the beacons and followed the back track or whatever it was called then, brought us back to 3 feet from where we started (by the Storey arms burger van by pure chance..... :oops: )

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:39 am
by shocker
Three feet? With a GPS? That must have been more recent than when we tried them in the beacons. I was later told the US supplied the MOD with deliberately "vague" units. But a tanker pal told me we had them like-for-like... in exchange, we sold them Chobham armour that didnt, well, Chob. Or armour. ;)
He who laughs last, and all that :D :D

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:37 am
by sniper 55
shocker wrote:Three feet? With a GPS? That must have been more recent than when we tried them in the beacons. I was later told the US supplied the MOD with deliberately "vague" units. But a tanker pal told me we had them like-for-like... in exchange, we sold them Chobham armour that didnt, well, Chob. Or armour. ;)
He who laughs last, and all that :D :D
Would have been 1980/1990, somewhere in there, probably earlier rather than later. It really was that good it took us to the other side of the footpath and it counted down in metres (I wasn't the one using it my oppo was) it was being tested. We were well impressed, don't think it ever got issued though... probably too good... :roll:

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 12:58 pm
by shocker
My experience was in the latter bit of that time bracket, so I reckon you are right, the unit you were testing was just too good to issue ;)

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 1:42 pm
by Plymtom
I saw Funkyprepper using one of those Backtrack things in a video very nifty gadjet, i'm not likely to get lost on foot though... cant really keep going for long enough, I like that tip someone said about keep turning around and looking at the view behind you so it is familiar on your way back, the only time I'd need to find my way is if the car died and I had to return on foot, then anything that would take the car out and the RAC etc, would also take out that thing too :lol:

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 1:56 pm
by butterbean
THATS THE THING!

cheers for finding it. its really good, I used it on a trip to Wales, and we didnt know the area and just did a bit of wandering around, whilst we didnt need it, it was a nice to have, very simple to use.

Its going on my list

thanks

Re: Compass location distance thing

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:09 pm
by whenfires
The same site has a Bear Grylls branded one for £25.00 at the moment. Supposedly reduced from £65.00

http://www.uttings.co.uk/p115473-bushne ... MAP5H-Hi1I