Budget Compass/Clinometer

martinm

New member
Thanks for that Julie, that looks very interesting! (Good price too.) I've been using a Silva 15TDCL Compass for years but you have to turn the bezel to a certain position and turn it on it's side to get a clinometer reading. That would save a lot of hassle!  8)

Mel.
 

Blakethwaite

New member
Quite tempted by that actually.

Anyone know if the transit time they quote is typical for eBay Chinese stuff?

Our mode of transport:  China Post Registered Airmail. Time :25-30 days.

Sounds more like a slow boat from China...
 

martinm

New member
Blakethwaite said:
Quite tempted by that actually. Anyone know if the transit time they quote is typical for eBay Chinese stuff? Our mode of transport:  China Post Registered Airmail. Time :25-30 days.
Sounds more like a slow boat from China...

I believe it's usually a lot quicker. I guess they're just erring on the side of caution...
 

SamT

Moderator
Not really convinced by the clinometer.  Surely, if you are to bother with the effort of surveying, you would want your survey to be as accurate as possible, and its not beyond the realms of possibility to borrow the required kit (i.e. a suunto clino and compass).  I imagine there are a few sets gathering dust now that a lot of folks have moved over to digital methods.
 

cavermark

New member
SamT said:
Not really convinced by the clinometer.  Surely, if you are to bother with the effort of surveying, you would want your survey to be as accurate as possible, and its not beyond the realms of possibility to borrow the required kit (i.e. a suunto clino and compass).  I imagine there are a few sets gathering dust now that a lot of folks have moved over to digital methods.

Ditto - the clino looks like it will easily get fouled with dust, dirt or water.
I'm happy to loan my set of suunto's in return for a couple of beers in Sheffield area.
Many clubs have sets or a generous person like me too...
 

Blakethwaite

New member
Horses for courses really. My immediate group doesn't do anything which could be considered surveying in the caving sence of the word however do occaisionaly have need to do some back of a fag packet stuff. On one particular occaision a cack-handed mixture of measurements, guestimates & pythag led to us discounting something which a couple years later proved to be an extremely vital connection so a rudimentary clino would be of assistance but not something which would be used often enough to justify the expense of a more expensive and largely unused set-up.
 

Les W

Active member
Need to be confident the compass is calibrated for th UK as if not there may be problems with the card sticking...
 

Speleokitty

New member
I don't think anyone is suggesting this is a replacement for a pair of Suntos. I'm sure it isn't the best surveying instrument in the world but it is an option for those on a tight budget and the last time I lent my Suntos out it took me several years to get them back.

I generally use a LS25  surveying compass from Ushikata for most of my surveying and just use Suntos for the really tight and arkward stuff but its an expensive bit of kit and not everyone has that kind of money to spare.

 

martinm

New member
droid said:

Even more interesting!  (y) Wonder how easy it is to sight in the dark. Guess you'd need to shine a torch on the instrument faces, but I had to do that when I used Suuntos in the past anyway. Will ask the treasurer of DPC if the club could buy one in the new year, would make my job a lot easier / quicker...
 

droid

Active member
I have one.

Not used it underground, but showed it to the club survey expert and  he reckoned it was OK. It's a Chinese copy of the Suunto job. Seems pretty well made, and a cursory pratabout with it proved it worked OK.

And yes, you do need a torch/caplamp with it.... :LOL:

 

martinm

New member
droid said:
And yes, you do need a torch/caplamp with it.... :LOL:

Obviously, I would have a helmet mounted light anyway, but I always found the light wasn't shining in the right place to illuminate the sights, scales, etc. so I had to shine a torch onto the faces as well to be able to get a clear reading.

Maybe with modern led lights that wouldn't be necessary?  :-\
 

JRL

Member
A top tip for Suunto compass & clinos. Get some fishermens' green snap lights from a fishing shop and get them glowing. Tape them over the glass bits and, Hey Presto, no need to mess about taking your hat off!
 

cavermark

New member
mmilner said:
droid said:
And yes, you do need a torch/caplamp with it.... :LOL:

Obviously, I would have a helmet mounted light anyway, but I always found the light wasn't shining in the right place to illuminate the sights, scales, etc. so I had to shine a torch onto the faces as well to be able to get a clear reading.

Maybe with modern led lights that wouldn't be necessary?  :-\

I've used versions of the combined unit (may have been Suunto or Silva) before - no problem.

Modern LED lights can illuminate the capsules.. or I often use a keyring type LED or AA zebralight on my wrist etc.
(the snap lights are a good idea but you will need a lot for an expedition)

BE AWARE - the electronics in many LED lamps can affect the compass readings - to check - sight your compass on a point, then lift your lamp away from the compass to arms length and back in close (if the reading changes you may need to consider a different lamp for surveying (or keep lifting your helmet off!)
 

martinm

New member
cavermark said:
mmilner said:
droid said:
And yes, you do need a torch/caplamp with it.... :LOL:

Obviously, I would have a helmet mounted light anyway, but I always found the light wasn't shining in the right place to illuminate the sights, scales, etc. so I had to shine a torch onto the faces as well to be able to get a clear reading.

Maybe with modern led lights that wouldn't be necessary?  :-\

I've used versions of the combined unit (may have been Suunto or Silva) before - no problem.

Modern LED lights can illuminate the capsules.. or I often use a keyring type LED or AA zebralight on my wrist etc.
(the snap lights are a good idea but you will need a lot for an expedition)

BE AWARE - the electronics in many LED lamps can affect the compass readings - to check - sight your compass on a point, then lift your lamp away from the compass to arms length and back in close (if the reading changes you may need to consider a different lamp for surveying (or keep lifting your helmet off!)

Good point.  (y) Even a Disto A3 affects them. I had to redo several legs of my survey of lower Limepits Mine a few months ago, cos I suddenly noticed the compass needle was being deflected by me holding the Disto too close to the compass. Doh! Lesson learnt...
 

SamT

Moderator
cavermark said:
the snap lights are a good idea but you will need a lot for an expedition

8 week expedition - 56 days - 2 a day - perhaps not surveying every day...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-STARLITE-SL15-Bulb-Mini-Standard-Pack-Fishing-Glow-Sticks-Qty-50-/330744788287?pt=UK_SportingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item4d01ecf53f

Hardly going to break the bank,  At 2.9 mm by 39mm they are not going to take up much room on the flight either.

So, self illuminating suunto's with no magnetic interference, what's not to like. 

 

snoboy

Member
JRL said:
A top tip for Suunto compass & clinos. Get some fishermens' green snap lights from a fishing shop and get them glowing. Tape them over the glass bits and, Hey Presto, no need to mess about taking your hat off!

These look like a good idea, and I will add them to my survey instruments when I get some...

Swaygo Sight Lights
 
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