Hi all first time on the challenge and I cannot believe it’s less then two weeks away. I know this sounds a bit controversial but since marrying my wife i have never taken my wedding ring off, we’ve been married for 28 years and it’s very tight on my finger. The point to my question is it’s playing havoc with my compass, it’s a very thick platinum ring and I cannot trust the bearing it gives me as the pin fluctuates so badly especially under pylons and wind turbines. I refuse to use a GPS as I am a map and compass kind of guy. Has anyone got any good suggestions how I can overcome this problem.

Regards

Dave

Hold the compass in your other hand.

Hi, unfortunately I cannot use my right hand for long periods, I have been a woodworker for the last 35 years and have now retired but I have beat my hand badly over the years, very long story but my left hand has rejected the right so I very rarely use it, sometimes I don’t even think I have it anymore, just doing simple tasks like making coffee or putting up my vango is extremely frustrating but I try not to let it get me down, my wife Corrie has been my rock I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t have her. Anyway guys thank you for all the input and hope to see you along the way.

Regards

Dave

I know your ring is "precious" but can it not be removed for two weeks?

Alternatively have you considered rubber garden gloves to insulate the ring from the compass?

Yours Frodo

Dave,
pure platinum shouldn't affect a compass, but platinum is too soft to make effective jewellery, so it needs to be alloyed to make it more durable. I suspect your ring contains nickel or similar.

If you can use your right arm but not your hand how about using a wrist compass on your right arm? I know that you can buy compasses that resemble a wristwatch but I can't see how they would be much use for reading or setting an accurate bearing but how about strapping a mirror or prismatic compass to your wrist (or sleeve)? I'm sure a lightweight compass could be fixed to a nylon and Velcro wriststrap.


I think generally, more often than not, it is a case of find a landmark on the horizon that is in line with your target and walk towards that, the occasions where it is necessary to 'follow the needle' are limited. Using a wrist compass to measure a bearing from a couple of landmarks to establish your position or to locate a target to walk towards isn't much different to holding it in your hand.

Of course the other solution is, if you can get the ring off, to get a nice chain and wear your wedding ring around your neck for a couple of weeks, that way the person that it represents is still close but not sending you off in the wrong direction.

Just curious but how have you managed up to now if you’ve never removed it?

Hi Dave, it's quite commendable and I must say Romantic of you to think of your lovely wife in that way,
I've had problems in the past with my compass going mad and sending me nearly back to were I started from,I've never found out why??
Are you not going to have problems putting your tent up in bad stormy weather with only one hand??
But best of luck to you as I think you will need it,👍

See a GPS aversion therapist perhaps. They will rib your ring over a GPS device repeatedly to magnetize it and set the declination mice soaring. Good luck with the problem. Cheers

Ahoy Dave,

Back in the day, a ship's compass would have iron spheres (known as Kelvin's Balls, after the inventor) installed nearby to compensate for the iron in the ship's infrastructure. Perhaps you could have a jeweller fashion something in iron?

Horatio

Hi guys i am so overwhelmed by the response i have been getting off each and every one of you regarding my sensitive issue. Corrie my wife has come up with a awesome idea, I have decided i will strap it to my thigh and if i squat down i can get a direction. I had some old elasticated strapping in my trunk so i have modified it.

Regards

Dave

Glad to hear that you've found a solution Dave. I bet a few minds strayed towards little elasticated lacy things more appropriate for the bedroom.

Because you never mentioned it, I assume that you aren't using trekking poles because if you were you could fix a button compass onto the top of the handle allowing you to keep the ring out of the way when required. I don't think you would be able to do this with a proper sighting compass but good enough to keep you 'just to the left of east'.

Thanks Brian it wouldn't be for me to say about the lacy band, we come from a very strict church community and although i enjoyed things like that in my younger days i feel i would sin talking about it now. I have been going out of my mind, i really tried to take the ring off even with lubrication it wouldn't budge the dam thing. Anyway i wouldn't feel comfortable taking it off that way my wife is with me all the way with it on and if i lost the dam thing i wouldn't like to go back and explain that to Corrie. The button compass on my walking poles is a great idea but where we live the stores are very limited. I think i can work with the original way it works for me.

I hope to see you guys passing through.

Regards

Dave

I worry about the thigh strapping, Dave. Not because of any of the rude things some of our fellow Challengers might suggest, but because I think it could easily become dislodged and lost over a 2 week period. Easy to be careful for the first few days, but then you might be distracted by what's going on, say if you were digging a hole outside in a howling gale and were more concerned about getting the business over and back in the tent and didn't notice the tape was working loose. I thought the neck chain thing was a better idea.

I'm also wondering if there's any tape you can get that could block the effect on the compass so you could leave it on your finger . Maybe there's a materials expert on the board who could help out.

And for the long run, a bit of unasked for advice. As a woman who's had to have her wedding ring cut off 3 times, if it's now quite tight, get it enlarged while you can still get it off, so you don't have to have it cut off.

Best wishes and I hope you enjoy your Challenge.

Vanessa