Declination? Find your true declination and make adjustments simple. Map and Compass made Easy

The simple Recondo School solution to switching between grid and magnetic is useful for those without a Silva compass. The method requires paper and pencil and that is about it. To convert you draw a vertical line to represent grid and a left or right line intersecting at the bottom for magnetic. A right line for East declination or a left line for West Declination. If you are drawing it properly It should look like a check mark for west and a backwards check mark for east. I always write the declination in the gap and note the grid azimuth above the grid line.

The rest of the technique to convert from one to the other is simple but must be followed strictly. You will be drawing a circle clockwise, always clockwise, from what you want to what you need. You must go around in a circle at least 3/4 of the way around also.

Using the 38 degrees azimuth from the video and a 6 Degree West declination, it would work like this:

If you have a 38 Degrees grid and you want to convert it to magnetic, you draw the West checkmark and put your pencil on the grid line. You draw a clockwise circle from there and stop when you reach the Magnetic line on the check. This leaves you with a gap in your circle. That is “not enough pie” as my instructor used to say, so you need to add the 6 degrees declination to result in a 44 Degrees Magnetic.

If you have the Magnetic and want to convert to grid. you will be drawing your circle clockwise from the Magnetic line past the grid line and one full circle around the dial back to the grid line and stopping there as that is what you need. You should have passed through the gap between the Mag and Grid lines twice while drawing the circle. This is “Too much pie”, and you must subtract the 6 Degrees Declination to result in the 38 Grid azimuth with the same sample azimuths.

The rules again are very few but inflexible.

– Always draw the proper check or inverted check symbol depending upon whether you have an east or west declination.

-Always start drawing your circle from what you have and end on what you need.
-Always draw a full or nearly so clockwise circle.
– Too much pie means to subtract the declination
– Not a full pie means you add the declination.

This method is infallible if the rules are followed and you know how to add or subtract. It was taught to our Montagnard Allies in Vietnam who were semi-literate and I understand they had no problems with it.
It is a lot easier to show people this one than it is to describe, so try it for yourself.