COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO

The Magnetism of the Earth and the

Ship's Deviation
 The Magnetism of the Earth
•Consider the Earth as a
huge magnet surrounded by
lines of magnetic flux(line of
force) connecting its two
magnetic poles.
True North Pole
Magnetic North Pole
These magnetic
poles are near,
but not
coincidental
with the Earth’s
geographical
poles.
 The Magnetism of the Earth
•Since the north
seeking end(red)
of a compass
needle is
conventionally
called the North
Pole or positive
pole, it must
therefore be
attracted to a
South pole or
negative
pole(Blue).
 The Magnetism of the Earth
• Angle of dip – the
vertical angle between
the horizontal and a line
of force, this angle is
called angle of magnetic
dip.
•The angular difference
between the True North and
the Magnetic meridian is
called variation.
•The ship under The Magnetism of the Ship
construction or repair will
acquire permanent
magnetism due to
hammering and vibration
while sitting stationary in
the Earth’s magnetic
field.
•After launching, the ship will lose
some of this original magnetism as a
result of vibration and pounding in
varying magnetic fields.
•The magnetism which remains is the
permanent magnetism.
 The Magnetism of the Ship
•A ship also acquires induced
magnetism when placed in the
Earth’s magnetic field.

• The magnetism of the various

structures of a ship, which tends to
change as a result of cruising,
vibration, or aging, but does not
alter immediately is called
subpermanent magnetism.
The Magnetism of the Ship
• Ship’s magnetic conditions create
magnetic compass deviation and
sectors of sluggishness and
unsteadiness.
• Deviation is defined as deflection
right or left of the magnetic meridian
caused by magnetic properties of the
vessel.(ship’ metal)
 Terminology
1. Ferromagnetic materials - is one that has
magnetic properties similar to those of iron. In other
words, you can make a magnet out of it.
2. Magnetic domain - is a microscopically small
region within a magnetic material in which the
magnetization is in a uniform direction. This means
that the individual magnetic moments of the atoms
are aligned with one another and they point in the
same direction.
3. Isogonic line – the lines connecting points of equal
magnetic variation.
4. Agonic line – the line connecting points of no
(zero) magnetic variation.
 Terminology
6. Isoclinical line – the lines connecting points of equal
magnetic dip.
7. Aclinic line – the line connecting zero magnetic dip.
8. Magnetic North - the direction in which the north end of a
compass needle or other freely suspended magnet will point
in response to the earth's magnetic field
9. Annual Change in variation - the yearly permanent
changes in the earth's magnetic field.
 The Magnetic Compass
•It is the oldest instrument for
navigation and has been a vital tool
for navigators at sea for centuries.
•The compass allows ships to steer a
selected course.
•By taking bearings of visible
objects with a compass, the
navigator is also able to fix a ship's
position on a chart.

•Also called ‘standard compass’

 Types of Magnetic Compass
There are two (2) basic types:

(a) The dry card Compass

(b) The wet card Compass

 The dry and wet card Compass
•The dry card compass is too sensitive for steering purposes
especially in bad weather
•Even small disturbances causes the dry card to oscillate.

•Marine compasses are

usually liquid-filled. The
liquid has a damping
(reducing) effect on
disturbances caused by the
motion of the vessel in rough
seas.
 Magnetic Compass Nomenclature
Magnets (A) - These are four (two in older
compasses) cylindrical bundles of magnetic steel
wire or bar magnets which are attached to the
compass card to supply directive force.

Compass Card (B) - This is an aluminum disc

graduated in degrees from 0° to 360°. Being
attached to the magnets, the compass card provides
a means of reading direction.
Magnetic Compass Nomenclature
Compass Bowl (C) - This is a bowl-shaped
container of nonmagnetic material (brass) which
serves to contain the magnetic elements, a
reference mark, and the fluid.
Fluid (D) - This is liquid surrounding the
magnetic element. Any friction present will tend
to prevent complete alignment with the magnetic
meridian.
Fluid (D) – Commonly, the bowl is filled with
a mixture of distilled water (55%) and pure
ethyl alcohol (45%) thereby making the
mixture to have the following properties
• Low freezing point about -30˚C
• Does not discolor the card
Magnetic Compass Nomenclature
•Float (E) - This is an aluminum, air-filled
chamber in the center of the compass card. This
further reduces weight and friction at the pivot
point.
•Expansion Bellows (F) - This is an arrangement
in the bottom of the compass bowl. This operates
to keep the compass bowl completely filled with
liquid, allowing for temperature changes.

•Lubber Line - This is a reference mark on the

inside of the compass bowl. It is aligned with the
ship's fore and aft axis or keel line of the ship.
 Magnetic Compass Nomenclature
•Lubber Line - This is a reference mark on the
inside of the compass bowl. It is aligned with the
ship's fore and aft axis or keel line of the ship.
•Gimbals - This is a metal ring on two pivots in
which the compass bowl is placed. The compass is
also on two pivots which permits it to tilt freely in
any direction and remain almost horizontal in spite
of the ship's motion.
 LIMITATIONS OF THE MAGNETIC COMPASS
•Sensitive to any magnetic disturbance.
•Useless at the magnetic poles and is sluggish and unreliable in areas near
the poles.
•Deviation changes as a ship's magnetic properties change. The magnetic
properties also change with changes in the ship's structure or magnetic
cargo.
•Deviation changes with heading. The ship as well as the earth may be
considered as a magnet. The effect of the ship's magnetism upon the
compass changes with the heading.
•Does not point to true north.
COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO

Magnetic Compass binnacle

COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO

Topic No. 3
The Gyro Compass
The Gyro-Compass
• A gyrocompass is a type of non-
magnetic compass which is based on a
fast-spinning disc and rotation of
the Earth.
• A true north-seeking gyroscope
• The gyro spins at a very high
velocity, and its spin axis remains
aligned with terrestrial meridians.
The Gyro-Compass
• The gyro has three axes:
• spin axis
• torque axis
• precession axis
The Gyro-Compass
• Gyrocompasses are widely used
for navigation on ships, because they have
two significant advantages over magnetic
compasses
• they find true north 
• they are unaffected by
ferromagnetic material
 GYROCOMPASS
PRO’S AND CON’S

Advantages: Disadvantages
• Seeks geographic (true) north instead of • Intricate electronic instrument.
magnetic.
• Requires a constant source of
• Can be used near the earth’s magnetic
poles, where magnetic compass is useless. electrical power and is sensitive
to power fluctuations.
• Unaffected by surrounding metals.
• Requires periodic maintenance
• Signal can be fed to other systems by qualified technicians.
(weapons, nav).
GYROCOMPASS ERROR

• Generally, the gyro compass is most accurate at the

equator but is accurate to about 75° latitude.
• Although the gyrocompass is a very accurate
instrument, it normally has a small error associated with
its readings. (normally less than 1 o)
• Like the magnetic compass, this error is expressed as
east or west.
 COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO

How to get bearings of terrestrial and celestial objects

Equipment:
• Azimuth Circle - a device for
measuring azimuths, consisting of a
graduated ring equipped with a
sighting vane on each side, which fits
concentrically over a compass.
Azimuth circle
 COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO

How to get bearings of terrestrial and celestial objects

Equipment:
Telescopic Alidade – This is
similar to a bearing circle, only it
has a telescope attached to the
metal ring instead of the forward
and after sight vanes.
 COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO

How to get bearings of terrestrial and celestial objects

Equipment:
Pelorus – a device for measuring in
degrees the relative bearings
of observed objects.
 COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO

How to get bearings of terrestrial and celestial objects

DEMONSTRATION
Gyrocompass Repeaters
•Gyro repeaters mounted on the bridge wings
are located in stands somewhat similar to the
binnacle.
•These instruments display directional
information on the basis of electrical signals
received from the ship's master gyrocompass
 Fluxgate Compasses
• A fluxgate compass is a very important
and unique tool in marine navigation as
it does not operate automatically like
other magnetic compasses. Technically a
fluxgate compass is an electromagnetic
compass which solves the purpose of a
conventional compass.
 Fluxgate Compasses
• The fluxgate compass is used in ships mainly
for the purpose of steering.
• Since the compass is an electronic one, the
scope of errors is greatly reduced.
• In addition to manual steering, such a compass
can also be utilized when the ship is on
autopilot.
 Fluxgate Compasses
ADVANTAGES:
1. Solid state electronics, no moving parts
2. Operation ate very low power
3. Easy back-up power from independent
sources
4. Standardized digital output
5. Zero friction, drift or wear
6. Compact, lightweight and inexpensive
7. Rapid start-up and self-alignment
8. Low sensitivity to vibration, shock and
temperature changes
9. Self-correcting
 COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO
Fluxgate Compasses
STANDARD OPERATION MODES:
1. Set Course Mode – a course can be set and be
remembered by the system which then provides the
helmsman a graphic steering aid.
2. Display Response Damping – a switch is used to
change the rate of damping and update of the display in
response to changes in sea condition and ship’s speed.
 COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO
Fluxgate Compasses
STANDARD OPERATION MODES:
3. Auto-Compensation – used to determine the deviation
curve for the vessel as its steams in a complete circle.
Automatically computes correction factors.
4. Continuous Auto-Compensation – runs the
compensation algorithm each time the ship completes a
360 degree turn in two minutes.
 COMPASS – MAGNETIC AND GYRO
Fluxgate Compasses
STANDARD OPERATION MODES:
5. Pre-set Variation – Allows the application of magnetic
variation to the heading, resulting in a true output
(assuming the unit has been properly compensated and
aligned).