Magnetic Compass 1

MAGNETIC COMPASS
Onboard ship, there are four principal references for direction

The true or geographic meridian
The magnetic meridian
The ship’s longitudinal axis
The ship’s head, or heading
A special bearing denoting the direction in which the ship
is pointing. It can be be expressed with reference to
magnetic or true north.
Bearing
The horizontal direction of one terrestrial point from another,
expressed as an angle from 000 clockwise to 360.
 Relative bearings (abbreviated with an R)
Bearings measured with reference to the ship’s long. axis.
 Magnetic bearings (abbreviated with an M)
Bearings measured with respect to magnetic north. They are
measured with a magnetic compass.
 True bearings (abbreviated with a T following the
bearing)
Bearings that are measured with respect to true or geographic
north. -measured with a gyrocompass of known error.
The Magnetic Compass

– A simple, self-contained device that operates
independent of any electrical power supplies, requires
little or no maintenance, and is not easily damaged.
– It consists of a circular card, graduated with 360
degrees around the face; this card floats within a bowl
containing compass fluid
A pair of magnets is attached to the underside of the
card, beneath its north-south axis.
– In operation, the compass magnets tend to align
themselves with the earth’s magnetic lines of force
Variation
The angle between the magnetic line of force, or magnetic

meridian, and the geographic meridian, at any location on
the earth’s surface. (MAGVAR)
Variation is expressed in degrees east or west to indicate
on which side of the geographic meridian the magnetic
meridian lies.
Variation exists primarily because the earth’s magnetic
and geographic poles do not coincide. Magnetic anomalies
in the earth’s crust also contribute to variation.
Variation in most cases will change as an observer moves
along the globe.
However, if a ship moves in such a way that the
meridians remained constant, it would be moving
along an isogonic line - a line along which variation
remains constant.
Variation is slowly but constantly changing both in
direction and intensity because the magnetic poles wander
slightly over the earth’s surface from year to year.
The value of variation for a position can be determined for
the current year by referring to the compass rose nearest the
DR position.
In this location is printed the variation for the year the chart
was printed as well as the annual rate of change of deviation.
Deviation
The angle between the magnetic meridian and the north
axis of the compass card.
Deviation, like variation, is expressed in degrees east or
west to indicate on which side of the magnetic meridian
the compass card north lies.
Deviation exists because of the interaction of the ship’s
metal structure and electrical currents with the earth’s
magnetic lines of force and the compass magnets.
Deviation varies with ship’s heading.

Deviation can change as large metal objects are moved
around the ship.
Semipermanent magnetism induced by long periods spent
pierside (such as during overhaul) can affect deviation.
Deviation can be compensated for, but never eliminated.
Therefore, some correction must be applied to the compass in
order to determine a true heading or bearing.
A table of deviation for every 15 degrees of the ship’s
head magnetic, starting with 000M, provides correcting
values to be added or subtracted from the compass
heading.
The table is based on ship’s head magnetic. The data on the table is
obtained by a process called swinging ship. This process entails
turning the ship 15 degrees at a time and recording the magnetic
compass error.
Magnetic Variation and Deviation together yield magnetic

compass errors.
Converting from Magnetic to True

It is necessary to convert a steering or standard compass
heading to true heading primarily when the gyrocompass
inoperative.
In this event, relative bearings are converted to true
bearings for purposes of the navigation plot .
In order to convert the steering compass to true heading,
variation and deviation must be taken into account.
The amount by which a steering compass differs from a
true direction is called compass error.
GAUSSIN ERROR:
Due to vsl altering course rapidly, port or stbd.

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MAGNETIC COMPASS

Onboard ship, there are four principal references for direction

The Magnetic Compass

The angle between the magnetic line of force, or magnetic

Deviation varies with ship’s heading.

Magnetic Variation and Deviation together yield magnetic

Converting from Magnetic to True

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