by Cy Tymony
Direction Finding Methods
If you’re stranded without a magnetic compass, all is not lost. Even without a compass, there are numerous ways to find directions in desolate areas. Three methods are covered here.
Method 1: Use a Watch
What’s Needed
Standard analog watch
Clear day where you can see the sun
What to Do
The sun always rises in the east and sets in the west. You can use this fact to find north and south with a standard nondigital watch. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere (north of the equator), point the hour hand of the watch in the direction of the sun. Midway between the hour hand and 12 o’clock will be south. See Figure 1.
FIGURE 1
Method 2: Use the Stars
What’s Needed
A clear evening when stars can be viewed
What to Do
In the Northern Hemisphere, locate the Big Dipper constellation in the sky; see Figure 2. Follow the direction of the two stars that make up the front of the dipper to the North Star. (It is about four times the distance between the two stars that make up the front of the dipper.) Then follow the path of the North Star down to the ground. This direction is north.
In the Southern Hemisphere, locate the Southern Cross constellation in the sky; see Figure 3. Also notice the two stars below the Cross. Imagine two lines extending at right angles, one from a point midway between the two stars and the other from the Cross, to see where they intersect. Follow this path down to the ground. This direction is due south.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3
Method 3: Use a Stick
What’s Needed
Stick or branch about 3 feet long
Rock or leaf
What to Do
On a sunny day, you can find out which direction is north, south, east, or west by using shadows. Stand a stick upright in the ground, as shown in Figure 4. Notice the shadow it casts and, using a rock or leaf, mark the shadow’s edge.
Wait about fifteen minutes and notice the new shadow that appears. Mark its tip, too. See Figure 5. Draw an imaginary line between the two marks. This is the east-west line (west is the first tip, and the second marker represents east). You can draw an imaginary or real line across the east-west line to determine the north and south directions. See Figure 6.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6
Latitude and Longitude Info
Latitude
Latitude represents how far north or south you are, relative to the equator. When you’re at the equator, your latitude is zero. The North Pole’s latitude is 90 degrees north. Conversely, the South Pole is 90 degrees south.
Note: South latitude figures, which are south of the equator, are represented as negative numbers.
Longitude
Longitude represents how far east or west you are, relative to the Greenwich meridian. Places to the west of Greenwich have longitude angles up to 180 degrees west. Positions east of Greenwich have longitude angles up to 180 degrees east. Longitude west figures are input as negative numbers.
Decimal and Degrees/Minutes/Seconds Notation
Maps and GPS receivers show latitude and longitude angles. Maps usually show bold lines marked in degrees (whole numbers) plus possibly intermediate lines marked 15, 30, 45 minutes or 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 minutes. GPS receivers typically show degrees plus minutes and decimal fractions of a minute (e.g., 45: 23.1234).
Each degree can be subdivided into 60 minutes (and each minute into 60 seconds for very high precision).
In cases where the map (or GPS readout) is in degrees and minutes, convert the minutes to decimals of a degree by dividing the number of minutes by 60. For example:
50 deg 30 minutes north = 50.5 degrees
For example: Anchorage, Alaska, 61 13 149 54 = 61 degrees, 13 minutes north and 149 degrees, 54 minutes west. Degrees are sometimes represented with a ° symbol and minutes with a’ symbol. A typical notation looks like this: Anchorage, Alaska 61° 13’ N 149° 54’ W.
You can design and play a city location quiz by using a world map and listing only the coordinates from the list below-be sure to leave out the city names. Place the proper city names in an answer key to make a sneaky quiz.
For example, here is a sample quiz you can try:
Which city is 41° 50’ N 87° 37’ W at 11:00 A.M?
Which city is 42° 21’ N 71° 5’ W at 12:00 noon?
Which city is 40° 47’ N 73° 58’ W at 12:00 noon?
Which city is 33° 45’ N 84° 23’ W at 12:00 noon?
Sneaky Toy Modifications
Who among us hasn’t dreamed of having a power door opener as seen in sci-fi and spy movies? This project will show you how to use a small toy car to do the trick. A small wire-controlled car has enough power to push and pull a typical room door back and forth if you know the super-sneaky way to install it.
What’s Needed
Wire-controlled toy car
Velcro tape, adhesive-backed
Screwdriver
Pliers
What to Do
This project requires a small wire-controlled toy car, not a radio-controlled version. This is to prevent the batteries from running down. (With a radio-controlled car, the remote control and the car’s internal receiver have to be in the on mode, and this drains batteries.)
First, remove the body shell from the toy car with a screwdriver. Then remove the front wheel and axle, as shown in Figure 1. Now, using the Velcro tape, attach the car near the bottom end of the door (see Figure 2).
Using the remote control, see if it can push the door open or closed. If not, reposition the car for more traction. When the proper position is found, you will be able either to move the door with your hand or let the car do it.
FIGURE 1
Optionally, you can break off the entire front part of the chassis so that it takes up less space and cover it with materials for a more appealing look. Mount the remote control outside the door as desired (see Figure 3).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3
Sneaky Radio-Control Car Projects
Radio-controlled cars have many sneaky adaptation possibilities that can increase their usefulness. This project uses the inexpensive single-function type of radio-controlled toy car; this model will travel forward continuously, once its on/off switch is placed in the on position, until you actuate the remote control button, causing it to back up and turn. When you release the control, the vehicle goes forward in a straight line again.
The instructions and illustrations that follow will show you how to modify the transmitter to a more compact size, to use it as an alarm trigger. You’ll also see how to modify the receiver to activate other devices, such as lights and buzzers.
What’s Needed
Radio-controlled car
Three 3-volt watch batteries (or fewer, depending on transmitter)
LEDs
Buzzer
Tape
Wire
Rubber band
Playing card
Strong thin thread
What to Do
How a radio-controlled car works. Pressing the transmitter button closes an electrical switch, which turns on the transmitter. This sends electromagnetic waves through the air that are detected by the radio receiver in the vehicle. The receiver detects the radio signal from the transmitter and reverses the electrical polarity (direction of current flow) of the power applied to the motor. This causes it to run in the reverse direction.
FIGURE 1
Adapting the car’s transmitter. The first sneaky adaptation to the transmitter is to make it as small as possible, for concealment inside other objects or clothing.
Since the transmitter is always in the off mode until its activator button is pressed, it can operate using tiny long-life watch batteries.
If the transmitter uses one AA or AAA battery, it can be replaced by one small watch battery with the same voltage output. Note
: Each AA or AAA battery supplies 1½ volts of power.
If the transmitter operates on two AA or AAA batteries, you can substitute either two 1½-volt watch batteries or a single 3-volt watch battery. If a 9-volt battery was in use, you will need to use three 3-volt watch batteries. When stacking batteries, place the positive side of one battery against the negative side of the other.
Figure 1 shows how to replace regular AA or 9-volt batteries in the transmitter with 3-volt watch batteries.
FIGURE 2
If you connect two wires across the transmitter’s activator button, you can have another sensor or switch activate the transmitter to alert you of an entry breech or that your valuables are being removed. Place a piece of tape over the transmitter button so that when the device is activated it will be on. See Figure 2.
Adaptating the car’s receiver. You can also modify the car’s radio receiver, which is on a circuit board in the car’s body, for use as an alarm trigger. See Figure 3.
Unlike the transmitter, the receiver must stay on to be able to operate, and this produces a small constant drain on the batteries. Figure 4 illustrates how to modify the receiver for use with watch batteries using the same technique described for the radio transmitter.
If desired, the toy car motor can be used in an application of your own design. The car motor is attached to the receiver with two connecting wires. If you physically remove the motor from the car body (either by unclipping or unscrewing it), you can use the receiver for more project applications. It’s easy to connect the receiver’s motor wires to other devices to activate them remotely.
FIGURES 3
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5
Figure 5 shows how the wires in the receiver that previously connected to the motor can be connected to other devices, like an LED or a buzzer for remote control.
Sneaky Walkie-Talkies
A pair of compact walkie-talkies lends itself to a variety of sneaky applications. Some models are so small, they are now mounted in toy wristwatches. This project illustrates methods to use walkie-talkies as an intercom, as an alarm sensor, and as a sneaky listening device.
What’s Needed
Pair of walkie-talkies
Tape
Nylon thread
Coated business card or bookmark
Nine-volt battery eliminator (optional)
What to Do
First, test the walkie-talkies with fresh batteries and note their maximum reliable operating distance. Follow the directions in the categories below for your desired application.
Sneaky Intercom
This is the easiest project application to set up. It takes the place of an intercom system when wires cannot be placed between locations. For example, you can place one walkie-talkie in one room of the house and the other in the basement, the garage, a bedroom, or at the front door (mounted securely with screws or glue underneath a protective awning).
Simply mount the first walkie-talkie in a remote area (possibly under a cover to protect it from the elements) and listen with the second unit as shown in Figure 1.
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2
For constant monitoring applications, (e.g., as a baby monitor), apply a piece of strong tape across the talk button so the unit is always in transmit mode. This application will eventually drain the battery, so you may want to use walkie-talkies that use 9-volt batteries. Then you can attach an AC battery eliminator to the battery clip (available at electronic parts stores), so it can always be in the on or standby mode without requiring frequent battery replacement. See Figure 2.
Sneaky Listener
Use the Sneaky Listener application, similar in operation to the Sneaky Intercom, when you want to monitor a remote location secretly. Simply place one walkie-talkie out of sight, within or under an object. Place the power button in the on position and put tape across the talk button to keep it transmitting.
As shown in Figure 3, you can monitor the audio in the area with the other walkie-talkie (and retrieve the remote one later). Or, a walkie-talkie can be placed in a jacket (that’s left in a room) to monitor nearby sounds from afar.
FIGURE 3
Sneaky Alarm Trigger
A walkie-talkie set provides an inexpensive quick-to-set-up option for a sneaky wireless alarm system. One walkie-talkie set up with tape across its talk button, to keep it in the transmit mode, can broadcast a warning signal to the remote unit. The trick is to place an insulator strip, from a coated business card or a bookmark, between one battery terminal and its clip. Connect a thin strong nylon thread or wire to the other end of the insulator strip and wrap it around the item you want to protect.
FIGURE 4
First, open the first walkie-talkie and remove one side of the 9-volt battery clip so that it rests on top of the battery terminal. Then poke a small hole in the insulator strip and tie the thread through it into a knot. Attach the other end to a window handle, door knob, or other object that you want to keep from being moved.
Next, place the insulator strip between the battery terminal and the battery clip. The battery clip should still be attached to the other battery terminal and should keep pressure on the insulator. If the insulator is pulled away from the battery, the battery clip should rest on the top of the battery terminal and turn on the walkie-talkie. If not, wrap a small rubber band around the battery and the battery clip, to apply more pressure. See Figure 4.
Turn on the walkie-talkie’s power button and tape the transmit or talk button so it stays on. Place it out of sight from the window or object that it will be connected to with the thread.
When someone opens the window, the thread will pull the insulator away from the battery clip, turning on the walkie-talkie, which will transmit to the other walkie-talkie.
Note: If the walkie-talkie includes a signal button or a Morse code signaler, it can be taped in the on position too.
Candy Packaging Tricks
Sneaky scavengers can reuse the innovative extras that candy makers include with their products. Some packages contain light-and sound-producing cell phone toys, spring-loaded containers, tongs that light up when used to grasp gummy candy, and electric fans with light shows. You’ll find valuable adaptation ideas below.
What’s Needed
Candy with accessory included
What the Toys Provide
Figure 1 illustrates several common candy packaging devices ready for modification. A candy fan includes a toy motor, battery, and switch, shown in Figure 1A and 1B, that can be used to replace drained batteries or broken motors in other toys or devices.
A spring-loaded candy stick makes a great sneaky security trigger device. After the cover is opened and the button on the side is pressed, the candy stick pops up and out. See Figure 1C.
Toy cell phones make great alarm noisemakers as shown in Figure 1D. When you open a toy cell phone case with a small screwdriver, you can easily spot the button and contacts on the printed circuit board. If additional wires are wrapped around or taped to the contacts, they will activate the cell phone’s light and buzzer, too. See Figure 1E.
Candy tongs, shown in Figure 1F, light when squeezed. They provide the essential parts to make a sneaky security trigger device.
FIGURE 1
Adapting the Toy Accessories
It’s easy to wire the candy tongs to activate the cell phone toy. Remove the switch wires from the candy tongs and connect them to the cell phone’s push-button contacts on the PC board to activate the light and sound remotely. See Figure 2A. Tape the candy tongs to a door hinge or in the back of a drawer to alert you of a breech.
In another example, the candy stick can trigger the toy cell phone when a door that has a Gcell battery taped to it is opened. See Figure 2B.
FIGURE 2
A toy security trigger device can be wired to an existing alarm or connected to a radio-controlled car’s transmitter circuit to alert you when a basement floods or when doors and windows are breeched. The alarm receiver can activat
e a toy cell phone or a similar noisemaker as shown in Figure 3A. For example, if you connect two wires across a radio control’s activator button, you’ll be alerted of an entry breech or when your valuables are being removed. Figure 3B shows the wires from the candy prong switch to the transmitter PC board.
FIGURE 3
Part IV
Sneaky Animals and Humans
Would you believe a glider was constructed inside a prison using parts from prisoners’ beds? Or six lives were saved on September 11, 2001, in a World Trade Tower elevator with just a window washer’s squeegee? It’s true.
As a primer to being resourceful, you will learn about ingenious improvisers (both human and animal) that use either ordinary items or evolutionary techniques to survive difficult situations.
