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Irish hillwalkers warned about magnets in clothing sending compasses the wrong way

Mobile phones are also a problem.

HILLWALKERS ARE BEING advised to be aware of how magnets can affect compasses and navigation after a recent incident in Scotland involving a mobile phone.

The incident occurred in Glen Shee when a group of walkers wrongly headed east instead of west and became “totally disoriented” in low cloud, miles away from a road and their intended destination.

Mountaineering Scotland has said it’s believed the error occurred after a compass that was used for navigation was disrupted after it was put in a pocket next to a mobile phone.

“The reason for the error was the compass. It had been stored in a pocket next to a mobile phone in a case which had a magnetic closure on it, and the magnet had reversed the polarity of the compass needle, so that the north arrow pointed south,”  Mountaineering Scotland Heather Morning said.

Morning went on to say that there is a “growing concern” in mountaineering circles about not only phones affecting compasses but also magnetic strapping on pieces of clothing.

The rescue group warned that some popular outdoor clothing brands have been using magnets instead of Velcro on gloves, jackets and all manner of gear.

“My advice is to steer well clear of any garments,” Morning said.

Asked by TheJournal.ie whether the incident should be a concern for Irish hillwalkers, the Dublin and Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team said that compasses being reversed can happen but can be spotted by following some simple tips.

“A compass having its polarity reversed is not very common, but it can happen relatively easily,” DWMRT’s spokesperson John Kavanagh said.

He then passed on this advice to avoid it happening:

It’s usually easy to spot if you check your compass in an area you’re very familiar with, ideally before you leave home. If it does happen, it can lead to what’s known as a 180 error, where a person takes the opposite direction to their intended heading. In poor visibility a 180 error can have very serious consequences, occasionally leading to fatal accidents.

A more difficult problem to spot is when the heading indicated by a compass is altered by less than 180 degrees. This can be the result of magnetic fasteners in clothing and equipment, usually close to the compass while it’s in use. It’s less obvious, but can be just as dangerous.

“Our advice is to learn to navigate, keep practicing, and stay alert. Take adequate breaks, and don’t go out walking if you’re too fatigued. The more alert and practiced you are, the more likely you are to catch a mistake before it becomes a problem.”

Read: Man arrested after stabbing at the Hell Fire Club in south Dublin >

Read: Heading for the hills today? Here are 18 tips to stay safe on Ireland’s mountains >

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    Mute David Sinclair
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:22 AM

    I think at this point it’s glaringly obvious that raising the age of ownership of mobile phones to 35 is vital for the survival of mankind.

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    Mute Jane
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:24 AM

    @David Sinclair: and where do you stand on compasses and magnets?

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    Mute David Sinclair
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:27 AM

    @Jane:
    Never stand on your compass Jane…a bent compass is not a reliable compass. Scout rule NO.1.

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    Mute Jane
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:32 AM

    @David Sinclair: or better still stay at home by the fire and don’t be going off up the mountain getting lost.

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    Mute Brendan Hughes
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:53 AM

    @Jane: no Jane. David’s idea is better.

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    Mute Brendan Hughes
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:53 AM

    @David Sinclair: the journal should do a poll on that.

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    Mute Mark Fields
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:25 AM

    In the article it says Mornings advice was to steer clear of wearing any garments. Naked hikers?

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    Mute Paul Brierley
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:38 AM

    @Mark Fields: where would you store your mobile phone?

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    Mute Brendan Hughes
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:55 AM

    @Mark Fields: naked hikers, I think are called cottagers. But I may be mistaken.

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:49 AM

    @Paul Brierley: beside your compass

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    Mute Coles
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:24 AM

    Also worth pointing out that if you are relying on your phone for navigation that the cold can very significantly reduce the battery life. Always have a compass.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:37 AM

    @Coles:

    A spare battery pack could be an idea

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    Mute Coles
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:44 AM

    @Nick Allen: As long as you keep it warm or they’ll be very low too when you go to use them. Batteries in older devices really suffer when they go below zero degrees.

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    Mute Walt Jabsco
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:08 AM

    @Coles:
    You should never be relying on your phone for navigation, only as a convenient supplement to proper map and compass skills.

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Feb 17th 2018, 2:29 PM

    @Walt Jabsco: I just need a couple of quick tests for my own benefit. Using a compass app on the phone I brought the handheld vhf radio near it and can move it around to get up to a 14 degree variation. I know that on a physical compass radios and even phones can swing the needle but I wasn’t expecting this result.

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    Mute Dr Rex Butts
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:26 AM

    Every piece of equipment should be checked before heading out and have 2 of everything, the motto goes “2 is 1, 1 is none”. It is no use checking it on the mountain when you need it. Was on a course were 4 out of 8 people had their compasses reversed and were completely walking in wrong direction. Never store in pocket near phone and keep spare in your bag.

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    Mute Paul Diskin
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:34 AM

    Most hillwalking groups are now using mobile phones to navigate with apps like ViewRanger, I think the new generation of hillwalkers will lose map reading and navigation skills sadly !!

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:40 AM

    @Paul Diskin:

    Is using ViewRanger not a navigation skill?

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    Mute Paul Diskin
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:50 AM

    @Nick Allen: compared to using a map and compass I would argue No, plus battery life of a phone a real issue when using these apps , personally I use both and if ever stuck always go to the map and compass.

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    Mute flexfinn
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:52 AM

    @Paul Diskin: no their not , some may use them but most clubs advocate learning navigation skills through mountaineering Ireland courses so the skills will continue

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    Mute Coles
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:53 AM

    @Paul Diskin: ViewRanger is excellent particularly with the OS maps.

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    Mute Paul Diskin
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:16 AM

    @flexfinn: I agree most if not all clubs advocate if not insist learning navigation skills but the problem is that what is thought is not been used and therefore lost. Much easier to grab your phone, apps tells you where you are and where you have to go , that’s my point anyway !!

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    Mute Thunder Snowman
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    Feb 17th 2018, 10:01 AM

    @flexfinn: “no *they’re not”

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    Mute flexfinn
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    Feb 17th 2018, 10:20 AM

    @Thunder Snowman: theiyr’re , all covered for you, Muppet

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    Mute Joe Conlon
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:48 AM

    @flexfinn: well done, you’ve just created the swiss army knife for the words there, their and they’re!

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:35 PM

    @Paul Diskin: I’m a cyclist, not a hill walker. But my father thought me how to read OS maps when I was about 8. I’m in my early 50s now and I still use the skills he thought me. A good map beats a phone any day.

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    Mute aoife✨
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:25 AM

    Carry a Garmin handheld GPS as a backup.

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:44 AM

    I think people should listen to Morning every night before they go out that morning instead of that night. Otherwise you could get caught out at night if you didn’t go out in the morning…ya know

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    Mute Francis Devenney
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:08 AM

    This is where paying attention to your pace count and map are important. If the contour lines on your map tell you you should be walking up hill and you’re walking down or on the flat you are not where you think you are so either your pace count or your compass is wrong. You may need to bivvy in place till visibility clears or call for help

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    Mute Walt Jabsco
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:12 AM

    @Francis Devenney:
    ‘Bivouac’, French for ‘f*** up’

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    Mute Red hurley
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:44 AM

    If you don’t have experience DON’T GO because VOLUNTEERS have to rescue you’re ass when you’re lost!.

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    Mute Coles
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:01 AM

    @Red hurley: Thankfully 90% of people who “go hiking in the mountains” don’t to more than 200m from their car.

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:26 AM

    Sounds a bit like “Wrongway” Corrigan in the 1930s!!!

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    Mute Missyb211
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:38 AM

    sounds like those people shouldn’t be anywhere they’d need to rely on a compass.

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    Mute 6ljJQRRU
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:18 AM

    Proves the point that you don’t need a compass. Old technology and WRONG. Use a smartphone compass instead.

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    Mute Walt Jabsco
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:05 PM

    @6ljJQRRU:
    Thankfully the people who’ll come out to rescue you will be proficient in map and compass skills as well as using GPS.

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    Mute Eileesh Buckley
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:52 PM

    Compass app on a smart watch, longer battery life than a phone and no risk of magnet interference.

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Feb 17th 2018, 2:15 PM

    @Eileesh Buckley: have a look at this. There seems to conflicting advice all over the place. https://www.charbycharge.com/will-magnetic-accessories-affect-your-smartphone/

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    Mute Mark Dawson
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:11 PM

    Anyone that knows how to read a map and navigate my compass it well aware of this or should be when I was navigating by map I put my rifle aside and moved away from those with me plus u held compsss near arms length away ok carrying it next to a mobile phone was never an issue and didn’t carry one but you knew not to put a compass near another magnetic source exactly for reason in article and what I cant understand is how they didn’t realise even in fog surely the terrain the steepness or lack of wouldnt have tallied with the map if they can read it correctly that is

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    Mute Mark Dawson
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:15 PM

    @Mark Dawson: also dense for is exactly why you carry an emergency survival kit walking around mountains blind is dangerous u go to ground and wait till safe any hill walker should be prepared and most are silly move

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    Mute Wade Wilson
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    Feb 18th 2018, 8:29 AM

    If you have a mobile phone with GPS why do you need a compass?

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    Mute Walt Jabsco
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    Feb 18th 2018, 10:57 AM

    @Wade Wilson:
    The battery in a compass won’t go dead.

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