Things you'd like to know about compasses

by Alex Pipchenko | 07-May-2017

inShare
I would like to dedicate these posts to some subtleties of work with navigation
equipment, which you begin to understand well and clearly only with experience.
No matter how long we listened in the classroom, the understanding of the
nuances comes to us only when we see it, try it and face faults and malfunctions.
Even on the most modern Hi-Tech ships, many errors may occur.

The first among all others I’d like to write about are the heading sensors
or compasses.

Generally speaking, any modern ship has at least three instruments for determining
the course: standard (magnetic) compass, gyro compass and GPS. 

Why is a less accurate magnetic compass called "standard"? Simply due to the very
important factor of independence from the electrical power supply. More
precisely, the compass does not need the source. The magnetic compass continues
to work in all conditions. In addition, according to the SOLAS convention, chapter
V, rule 19, paragraph 2.2.1., all passenger vessels and vessels with a capacity of
more than 150 r.t. must have a spare magnetic compass, interchangeable with
the main one. Gyrocompass is usually not backed up.

Gyro and magnetic compasses allow the measurement of the HDG (heading) of a
ship, while GPS gives us information about the direction of the antenna installation
point relative to the ground or its COG (course over ground). The difference
between COG and HDG calculates the drift(crab) angle.

(1) Gyro-compass (GC) and its repeaters, as a rule, shall be installed strictly

parallel to the fore-and-aft plane. However, this does not apply to
gyrocompasses with an electronic control unit and digital repeaters (a course on
which it is displayed as a number). On gyrocompasses with electronic control unit,
the orientation of the ship's F&A plane is set in the form of a reference heading,
which must be determined when the compass is mounted on the ship. The
reference heading is equal to the sum of the vessel's heading and the angle of
deviation of the GC from the F&A plane. 

Thus, incorrect determination of the reference heading during installation can lead
to the presence of a systematic error in the gyrocompass readings with the
electronic control unit. 

Misalignment of the gyrocompass with the F&A plane causes a corresponding

systematic error in the gyrocompass and repeater readings. At the same time, if
a gyro repeater is not aligned with the F&A plane, its deviation is added to the
deviation of the GC (which does not apply to digital repeaters). 

This was clearly seen when a technician came on board to carry out the periodic
service of our GC, unscrewed the bolts with which the gyrocompass was attached
to the deck and began to rotate it - the course on the gyrocompass was also
changing. 

One of the ships I previously worked aboard, the gyro repeater was not fixed and
could be freely rotated. It took some time to convince management that this was
completely wrong. As you turn a gyro repeater, there is an angle between the main
compass and the repeater. If you take a bearing on an object using the main
compass and the repeater turned towards a landmark, you will receive an error
equal to a relative bearing on this landmark
(2) In addition, significant errors of a random nature arise in gyrocompasses in the
absence of speed and latitude corrections. The speed deviation is proportional to
the speed of the ship, and the latitudinal deviation is inversely proportional to the
cosine of the latitude. Their specific values usually depend on the gyrocompass
model. 

Modern gyrocompasses are usually setup for automatic latitude and speed
correction. However, if a log or GPS receiver fails, respective errors will occur in
gyrocompass readings. 

I experienced this inaccuracy when the gyrocompass error was close to 2 °. After we
checked the settings, the latitude correction was set to manual mode, and when
the latitude changed the error of the GC appeared. Once we set back latitude
correction to auto, the error was eliminated. 

(3) Among other effects, heading measurement accuracy is also affected by

the yawing and rolling of the vessel , as well as compass inertia associated with
fluctuations in the GC after a manoeuvre. 

Elimination of gyrocompass’ systematic error. 

!Before eliminating the systematic error of the GK check whether you have set
automatic rate correction in speed and latitude! 

This can be done on board without shore technician’s assistance. Systematic error
of the gyrocompass with the electronic control unit can be eliminated by
changing the reference heading (you can find instructions in the installation
manual for the gyrocompass). Also many gyrocompasses (for example, Sperry or
SGBrown "Meridian Surveyor") have arched holes the base. That is, by loosening
the bolts, the gyrocompass can be turned to an angle of up to 5 ° and, thus,
systematic error can be eliminated. 

(4) Do not forget that gyrocompasses, like other instruments, are subject
to periodic maintenance by shore specialists, which you need to request
promptly. Liquid in gyro spheres usually shall be replaced annually. Gyro spheres
themselves might need to be replaced every 5 years. 

In addition, if you turned off and then turned on the gyrocompass after a certain
time, it needs some time to come to the meridian (45 minutes or more, depending
on the model), which can be monitored by the course recorder. 

(5) Magnetic compass error consists of deviation (the effect of the vessel's

magnetic field) and variation (the effect of the earth's magnetic field). When
measuring bearings and courses on a magnetic compass, the following should be
considered: 

- magnetic compass is heavily influenced by vessel pitching and rolling. The

oscillations of compass during rolling can be 2-3 ° more than the true yaw
amplitude. 

- magnetic compass deviation does not always correspond to the deviation

indicated in the table. This is due to the fact that the amount of metal on the ship
can vary, which in turn is related to the nature of the cargo being transported. In
this case, the most accurate deviation values are those obtained as a result of
determining the correction of a compass with a given cargo on board. 

- often, deviation is made up on a ship without the use of shore services using the
copy-paste method. That is, the old deviation table with a date changed, so you
can imagine the accuracy of such a table. 

Do not forget to monitor supporting fluid level in the magnetic compass. There

must be no air in the compass bowl. However, do not pour ethyl alcohol (or worse
- vodka) into the bowl! Frequently, solutions of different chemical composition and
different densities are used as supporting liquids, so it is necessary to determine
exactly which solution is used in your model of the magnetic compass.