Map and Compass

The compass has long been a tool used by Boy Scouts. Compasses lead the explorers to the new world and across our country.

We have been talking about compasses every year since Tigers. There have been opportunities at different camps to use different compasses and to earn the old "Map and Compass" belt loop.

If you only have a compass, you can make a map of the area you are exploring. If you have a map and compass, you can navigate.

Different compasses have different characteristics.

This is probably the kind of compass we have all seen. It is made from clear plastic so it can be laid on a map. There is a small ruler and protractor on the base, so you can measure distances and angles. This type of compass is usually reliable and reasonably priced.

This is called a Lensatic Compass.  There is a lens you can look through and a sight.  This type compass is made from rugged aluminum.  This compass has the unique feature of a "glow in the dark" dial. You would be able to orient yourself at night using this type of compass.

This is a liquid filled compass.  This type of compass uses liquid to control the spin of the dial.  There is a sight on this type of compass that you would look through and read your bearing.

This type compass is actually more properly called a Hand Transit. It is really a scientific instrument that has a compass inside of it. You can use this device to determine the height of a hill, the slope of a valley and you can layout a map. The mirror can be used to signal for help too.

The GPS Unit has not yet replaced the compass.  This little gadget will take you from point A to point B very easily, provided you have batteries and satellite reception. A GPS unit triangulates your location by bouncing your point off of orbiting satellites. It takes three satellites to be able to triangulate your position.

 

The old compass may eventually be replaced with the compass app. With a smart phone or an iPod you can have at your fingertips a compass and a GPS unit.

Bobcat Merit Badges

When you join Cub Scouts the first merit badge you earn is the Bobcat Badge. This is earned without regard to your grade level or age. The bobcat journey is the introduction to scouting. It starts the scout along the path by teaching the most fundamental elements of boy scouts. These elements are the Cub Scout Motto, the Cub Scout Sign, the Cub Scout Salute, the Cub Scout Handshake, the Scout Law and the Scout Oath.

Cub Scout motto
Do Your Best

Cub Scout sign

Two separated fingers held up high (like a peace sign)

Cub Scout salute
Two fingers together held above the brow

Cub Scout handshake
Handshake with two fingers extended

In years past, we have learned the Cub Scout Oath and Law. This year we will be learning the Boy Scout Oath and Law.

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.


Scout Law

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,
brave, clean, and reverent.

The final step of the Journey to Bobcat is the review of the Parents Guide to Protecting Your Child From Abuse. 

Camp Cooking

You can make camp cooking very simple or very complicated.

If you are on a day hike, you might just bring some trail mix and beef jerky to keep you from getting too hungry, but if you are on a multi-day camp out you will want to have hot food. Your cooking options are only limited to how much you want to carry.

Open flame cooking can be as simple as a hot dog on a stick or it can be a complete meal cooked inside a dutch oven.                   

A two burner camp stove can make cooking as easy as it is at home. This type of stove is about the size of a briefcase. It is not very light but with two burners, you can cook more food, faster.

A one burner stove like this one weighs just a few ounces. It has only one burner and a small fuel tank. This is a great little stove, but would only meet the needs of one or two people. The gas canisters for this type of stove can be hard to find outside of specialty stores.

These two stoves are very small, the little brass stove on the left burns rubbing alcohol. The steel one on the right burns fuel pellets. These two stoves can be brought on airplanes because of the types of fuels they use.