I. LAB EXERCISE NO.

7: OPEN COMPASS TRAVERSE

Objectives: a) To determine the magnetic bearings of each line of an open compass
traverse.
b) To learn how to adjust an open compass.

II. INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES

Surveyors or Brunton Pocket Compass, steel tape, Range Poles, and Pegs or Chaining Pins

III. PROCEDURE
1. Establish at least 8 distant stations for an open traverse, call these station A, B, C
and so forth.
2. Set up and level the compass at A and release the needle of the compass so that it
will swing freely on its pivot.
3. Sight B and read the compass box for the direction pointed by the north end of the
needle. Record this as the forward bearing of line AB.
4. Transfer the compass to B and sight on A. Read the compass box ad record this as
the back reading of line BC.
5. Turn towards the direction of C, then read and record the forward bearing of line
BC.
6. Transfer to C and sight on B, then read and record the back bearing of line BC, then
sight on D and also read and record the forward bearing of line CD.
7. Proceed to next station and repeat the same process until last traverse station is
occupied and a back bearing I taken on the last line of the traverse.
8. Tabulate observed and adjusted values accordingly.
IV. RESULTS: FIELD DATA AND COMPUTATIONS

A. TABULATION OF DATA

ADJUSTMENT OF AN OPEN COMPASS TRAVERSE

OBSERVED BEARINGS ADJUSTED BEARINGS

LINE LENGTH
FORWARD BACK FORWARD BACK
AB 7.6 N 85°00’ E S 85°02’ W
BC 19.1 N 83°30’ E S 83°00’ W
CD 7.7 S 12°05’ E N 12°10’ W
DE 19.1 S 42°00’ W N 42°00’ E
EF 7.5 S 82°10’ W N 82°00’ E
FG 19.3 N 45°03’ W S 45°00’ E

COMPUTATION:

1. Adjustment of line BC:

a. Isolating station B and solving for 𝜃𝑑
` Given:
∝𝑏𝑐 = 𝑁 83°30’ 𝐸 (𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝐶)
∝𝑏𝑎 = 𝑆 85°02’ 𝑊 (𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝐴)
𝜃𝑏 = ∝𝑏𝑐 +∝𝑏𝑎 Correct value of
= 83°30′ + 85°02′ included angle at
= 168°32′ station D. regardless of
local attraction
 b. Solving for the adjusted bearing of lines BC and CB
Given:
∝′𝑏𝑐 = 𝑁 83°00’ 𝐸 (𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝐶)
𝜃𝑏 = 168°00′
∝′
𝑜𝑟

V. CONCLUSION