Originally Posted By: Chris Kavanaugh
I mapped a archaeologic site previous to excavation using my Silva( present Suunto in the USA) Ranger. A visitng archaeologist decided I was seriously in error and proceeded to remap everything with his tripod mounted, solid brass surveyor's BRUNTON compass with assistance from a comely coed.


This past summer another geo and I were tasked with some mapping...our maps didn't agree with El Jefe's Tripod-Mounted Brunton, so we were obviously wrong...even though we KNEW we were, if not 'right,' at least 'more correct.'

//by the by, no Bruntons were EVER made from brass; they've always been aluminum.

So, halfway through the project, El Jefe had all of his employees CHANGE THEIR DECLINATION FROM NOAA'S REPORTED so that their results more closely resembled El Jefe's plots...accuracy aside, this confounded everybody's interpretation - except for El Jefe's, since 'corrected' declination or not (he wasn't too clear between the two even when he wasn't drunk), El Jefe was the boss.

By the by, El Jefe is under charges. Spend a few million bucks over a season and the client expects results. Who coulda guessed?

So yeah, trust your equipment. And knowledge. And be ready to suggest work gets audited. And know your declination.
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(posting this as someone that has unintentionally done a bunch of stupid stuff in the past and will again...)