CHAPTER 5

COMPASS CONVERSIONS

INTRODUCTION

500. Magnetic Compass Error to variation alone. The algebraic sum of variation and devi-
ation is the total compass error.
Directions relative to the northerly direction along a For computational purposes, deviation and compass
geographic meridian are true. In this case, true north is the error, like variation, may be designated positive· (+) if east
reference direction. If a compass card is horizontal and and negative (-) if west.
oriented so that a straight line from its center to 000° points Variation changes with location. Deviation depends
to true north, any direction measured by the card is a true upon the magnetic latitude and also upon the individual
direction and has no error (assuming there is no calibration vessel, its trim and loading, whether it is pitching or rolling,
or observational error). If the card remains horizontal but is the heading (orientation of the vessel with respect to the
rotated so that it points in any other direction, the amount of earth's magnetic field), and the location of the compass
the rotation is the compass error. Stated differently, within the vessel. Therefore, deviation is not published on
compass error is the angular difference between true north charts. The effects of variation and deviation on the com-
and compass north (the direction north as indicated by a pass card is depicted in Figure 500.
magnetic compass). It is named east or west to indicate the
side of true north on which compass north lies. 501. Deviation Table
If a magnetic compass is influenced by no other mag-
netic field than that of the earth, and there is no instrumental In practice aboard ship, the deviation is reduced to a
error, its magnets are aligned with the magnetic meridian at minimum through adjustment of the compass. The
the compass, and 000° of the compass card coincides with remaining value, called residual deviation, is determined
magnetic north. All directions indicated by the card are on various headings and recorded in some form of
magnetic. As stated in volume I, the angle between geo- deviation table. Figure 502 shows the form used by the
graphic and magnetic meridians is called variation (V or United States Navy. This table is entered with the magnetic
Var.). Therefore, if a compass is aligned with the magnetic heading, and the deviation on that heading is determined
meridian, compass error and variation are the same. from the tabulation, separate columns being given for
When a compass is mounted in a vessel, it is generally degaussing (DG) equipment off and on. If the deviation is
subjected to various magnetic influences other than that of not more than about 2° on any heading, satisfactory results
the earth. These arise largely from induced magnetism in may be obtained by entering the values at intervals of 45°
metal decks, bulkheads, masts, stacks, boat davits, guns, only.
etc., and from electromagnetic fields associated with direct If the deviation is small, no appreciable error is intro-
current in electrical circuits. Some metal in the vicinity of duced by entering the table with either magnetic or compass
the compass may have acquired permanent magnetism. The heading. If the deviation on some headings is large, the de-
actual magnetic field at the compass is the vector sum, or sirable action is to reduce it, but if this is not practicable, a
resultant of all individual fields at that point. Since the di- separate deviation table for compass heading entry may be
rection of this resultant field is generally not the same as useful. This may be made by applying the tabulated devia-
that of the earth's field alone, the compass magnets do not tion to each entry value of magnetic heading, to find the
lie in the magnetic meridian, but in a direction that makes corresponding compass heading, and then interpolating be-
an angle with it. This angle is called deviation (D or Dev.). tween these to find the value of deviation at each 15°
Thus, deviation is the angular difference between magnetic compass heading.
north and compass north. It is expressed in angular units
and named east or west to indicate the side of magnetic 502. Applying Variation and Deviation
north on which compass north lies. Thus, deviation is the
error of the compass in pointing to magnetic north, and all As indicated in Section 500, a single direction may
directions measured with compass north as the reference di- have any of several numerical values depending upon the
rection are compass directions. Since variation and reference direction used. One should keep clearly in mind
deviation may each be either east or west, the effect of de- the relationship between the various expressions of a
viation may be to either increase or decrease the error due direction. Thus, true and magnetic directions differ by the

247
248 COMPASS CONVERSIONS

Figure 500. Effects of variation and deviation on the compass card.

variation, magnetic and compass directions differ by the where the variation is 7°W. The deviation is as shown in
deviation, and true and compass directions differ by the Figure 502. Degaussing is off. The gyro error (GE) is 1° E.
compass error. A lighthouse bears 306.5° by magnetic compass.
If variation or deviation is easterly, the compass card is
rotated in a clockwise direction. This brings smaller num- Required.- (1) Magnetic heading (MH).
bers opposite the lubber's line. Conversely, if either error is (2) Deviation.
westerly, the rotation is counterclockwise and larger num- (3) Compass heading (CH).
bers are brought opposite the lubber's line. Thus, if the (4) Compass error.
heading is 090° true (Figure 500, A) and variation is 6°E, (5) Gyro heading.
the magnetic heading is 090°- 6°= 084° (Figure 500, B). If (6) Magnetic bearing of the lighthouse.
the deviation on this heading is 2°W, the compass heading (7) True bearing of the lighthouse.
is 084°+ 2°= 086° (Figure 500, C). Also, compass error is (8) Relative bearing of the lighthouse.
6°E-2°W= 4°E, and compass heading is 090°- 4°= 086°. If
compass error is easterly, the compass reads too low (in Solution. -
comparison with true directions), and if it is westerly, the
reading is too high. Many rules-of-thumb have been de-
vised as an aid to the memory, and any which assist in TH 215°
V 7°W
applying compass errors in the right direction are of value.
(1) MH 222°
However, one may forget the rule or its method of applica- (2) D 1.5°W
tion, or may wish to have an independent check. If they (3) CH 223.5°
understand the explanation given above, they can deter-
mine the correct sign without further information. The same The deviation is taken from the deviation table (Figure
rules apply to the use of gyro error. Since variation and de- 502) to the nearest half degree.
viation are compass errors, the process of removing either (4) Compass error is 7° W + 1.5° W = 8.5° W.
from an indication of a direction (converting compass to
magnetic or magnetic to true) is often called correcting.
Conversion in the opposite direction (inserting errors) is
TH 215°
then called uncorrecting. GE 1°E
(5) Hpgc 214°
Example. - A vessel is on course 215° true in an area CB 306.5°
 COMPASS CONVERSIONS 249

D 1.5°W Answers.- (1) MH 222°, (2) D 1.5W°, (3) CH 223.5°,

(8) RB='I'B-TH=298°-215°= 083°.

Problem 1 - Fill in the blanks to this table

° ° ° ° ° °

(1) 105 15 E - 5W - -

(2) - - - 4E 215 14 E

(3) - 12 W - - 067 7W

(4) 156 - 166 - 160 -

(5) 222 - 216 3W - -

(6) 009 - 357 - - 10 E

(7) - 2W - 6E 015 -

(8) - - 210 - 214 1W

Answers to Problem 1.- (1) MC 090°, CC 095°, CE Problem 3: A vessel on a course of 055° by gyro and
10°E; (2) TC 229°, V 10°E, MC 219°; (3) TC 060°, MC 041° by magnetic compass. The gyro error is 1° W. The
072°, D 5°E; (4) V 10°W, D 6°E, CE 4°W; (5) V 6°E, CC variation is 15° E.
219°, CE 3°E; (6) V 12°E, D 2°W, CC 359°; (7) TC 019°, Required. - The deviation on this heading.
MC 021°, CE 4°E; (8) TC 213°, V 3°E, D 4°W. Answer to Problem 3. - 2° W.

Problem 2: A vessel is on course 150° by compass in Problem 4: A vessel is on course 177° by gyro. The
an area where the variation is 19°E. The deviation is as gyro error is 0.5° E. A beacon bears 088° by magnetic com-
shown in Figure 502. Degaussing is on. pass in an area where variation is 11° W. The deviation is
Required. - (1) Deviation. as shown in Figure 502. degaussing off.
(2) Compass error. Required. - The true bearing of the beacon.
(3) Magnetic heading. Answer to Problem 4. - TB 076°.
(4) True heading.
Answers to Problem 2. - (1) D 1° Ε, (2) ΧΕ 20° Ε, (3)
ΜΗ 151°, (4) ΤΗ 170°.
250 COMPASS CONVERSIONS

Figure 502. Deviation table.