GYRO COMPASS

Gyrocompasses
• A true north-seeking gyroscope
• The gyro spins at a very high velocity, and its
spin axis remains aligned with terrestrial
meridians.
• The gyro has three axes:
– spin axis
– torque axis
– precession axis
Gyroscope Theory
 Gyrocompass
Pro’s and Con’s
Advantages:
• Seeks geographic (true) north
instead of magnetic.
• Can be used near the earth’s
magnetic poles, where
magnetic compass is useless.
• Unaffected by surrounding
metals.
• Signal can be fed to other
systems (weapons, nav).
Disadvantages
• Intricate electronic
instrument.
• Requires a constant
source of electrical power
and is sensitive to power
fluctuations.
• Requires periodic
maintenance by qualified
technicians.
 Rotor or Wheel behaviour

a) A wheel at rest b) A wheel in motion, c) A wheel in motion, plane

plane of rotor of rotor parallel to
perpendicular to horizontal horizontal
• Consider a wheel as shown in above figures
• When no force is acting on a wheel/rotor, it will stay in
toppled position or position of rest as in fig (a)
• If rotational force or angular momentum (twisting)is
imparted to the wheel as in fig b&c, & if there was no
friction,
– it will continue to rotate as shown in above figures
without stopping, and maintain the plane of rotation.
 Free Gyroscope
• A gyroscope consists of a mass in form of a rotor or wheel, which
is suspended in such a way that it is free to spin about its
axis(called spin axis) passing through its centre of mass and
perpendicular to the plane of rotor
• If the spin axis bearing is frictionless, then any rotation imparted
to the rotor will be maintained.
• If the gyroscope is not constrained in anyway so that there are no
forces acting upon the rotor so as to alter the direction in which
the spin axis points , then the gyroscope is known as free
gyroscope.
• In other words, If a spinning wheel is free to turn about two axes
at right angles to each other and to the spin axis, it is said to be a
free gyroscope.
• A free gyroscope, when spinning rapidly, possesses considerable
directional stability or inertia. That is it has a great resistance to
any tendency to change the direction in which its spin axis lies.
• The important properties of this are its inherent gyroscopic inertia
and precession.
eg: earth is a free gyroscope

The earth too may be compared to a free gyroscope.

Earth is freely suspended in space. The earth’s spin axis lies in the
direction of the ‘pole star’, i.e. always pointing in same direction. If we
disregard the negligible gravitational forces of other heavenly bodies,
the earth may be considered free of any external forces.
 Construction of a free
gyroscope
• To construct a free gyroscope on earth it is required :
– That the rotor must be supported against the effect of gravity
– The support must be so designed to maintain the freedom of spin axis of rotor
to take up any direction without any constraint
• This can be achieved by the use of gimbal mounting which gives rotor
freedom to turn about two axis mutually perpendicular to each other and at
right angles to spin axis.
• Consider a heavy spinning wheel
– mounted on a circular ring which is horizontal.
– This horizontal circular ring is connected to a vertical circular ring at right angles
– The vertical circular ring is connected to outer member at right angles
• The whole system is so balanced that the centre of gravity of the assembly
is the intersection of the three axes and all the bearings are as free from
friction as possible
• This system will exhibit the properties of a free gyroscope if the wheel is
fairly heavy ,well balanced and rotating with a high angular velocity.
• A free gyroscope has two unique properties : Gyroscopic inertia and
Precision
Consider a heavy spinning wheel
mounted on a circular ring which is
horizontal
This horizontal circular ring is connected to
a vertical circular ring at right angles
The vertical circular ring is connected
to outer member at right angles
• A spinning wheel can be
made to approximate to
a free gyroscope by
supporting the spin axis
in gimbals.
• This way on gimbals the
centre of gravity of the
wheel lies at the level of
the gimbals axes and so
that the pivots are
made frictionless.
Three degrees of freedom
• The outer member is fixed and hence no
degree of freedom
• The vertical circular ring has freedom to
turn about the outer fixed frame, thus
has one degree of freedom
• The horizontal circular ring has freedom
to move up or down(tilt) about the
vertical circular ring and has freedom to
turn alongwith the vertical circular ring,
thus it has two degrees of freedom
• The rotor is free to spin about its spin
axis, tilt about the horizontal axis along
with horizontal circular ring and turn
about the vertical axis along with the
vertical circular ring, thus the rotor has
three degrees of freedom
• This freedom of rotor to spin , tilt & turn
is termed as three degrees of freedom.
 Gyroscopic Inertia
• It is that property of a gyroscope which causes it
to maintain its position in space irrespective of
any movement and to resist any force tending to
turn its spin axis in a new direction.
• The property of gyroscopic inertia is illustrated
by following figures 2& 3,
• fig-2 illustrates a rapidly spinning the wheel with
its supporting base in horizontal position.
• Fig-3 illustrates that even after tilting the base,
the rotor maintains its plane and the gyro axle
maintains its original direction.
• Newton's first law of motion is stated as-
– An object at rest stays at rest and an object
in motion stays in motion with the same speed
and in the same direction unless acted upon by an
external force.
• Inertia is the tendency of an object to remain
at rest or in motion.
 Precession
• It is the angular displacement of the spin axis of the
gyroscope when a torque is applied to the
gyroscope.
• When a torque is applied to its spin axis the
resulting movement will be in a direction at right
angle to the applied torque, the angle being
measured in the direction of the spinning wheel.
• The direction in which the spin axis will precess will
depend on the following factors:
– The direction of the spin of the wheel
– The point at which the force is applied to the spin axis &
– The direction in which the force is applied
FORCE
FORCE

FORCE
FORCE

FORCE
 HORIZONTAL
FORCE PRECISION
INWARD

TILTING
FORCE
FORCE
FORCE

FORCE
FORCE

FORCE
FORCE

HORIZONTAL
PRECISION
OUTWARD
FORCE
HORIZONTAL
FORCE
 INWARD
FORCE

HORIZONTAL
FORCE
 INWARD
FORCE

HORIZONTAL
FORCE
 INWARD UPWARD
FORCE PRECISION

HORIZONTAL
FORCE
HORIZONTAL
FORCE
 INWARD
FORCE

HORIZONTAL
FORCE
 INWARD
FORCE

HORIZONTAL
FORCE
 INWARD
FORCE

HORIZONTAL
FORCE

DOWNWARD
PRECISION
 Precession video
• https://youtu.be/mrGfc-3uv7o
• https://youtu.be/dddEF87QK2o
• How to make free gyroscope
• https://youtu.be/NwcngiBvMCA
 Tilt & Drift

• The eastward or westward movement of the North

end of the axle is called drift

• The rising and dipping movement of the North end

of the axle is called the tilt
 Tilt
• If a free gyroscope is situated on the equator and lies with its
axis East – West and horizontal, it can be assumed of as
pointing to a star with zero declination and is about to rise.

– The East End of the gyroscope axis will follow the movement
of this star and will tilt upwards as the star rises.
– After nearly six hours the axis will be vertical and after nearly
twelve hours the gyroscope will have turned completely over
with the axis again horizontal but now the original East end
of the axis would be pointing to the star setting due West.
– After one sidereal day, the gyroscope would have tilted
through 360˚ and the star would again be rising.

– Therefore the rate of tilting is 360˚ in a day, i.e.=15˚ per hour.

 Tilt
• If the gyroscope had been situated on the equator with
its axis lying in the North – South direction,

– then the North end would be pointing towards the Pole star
and would then have no apparent movement relative to the
Earth.

– The rate of tilting thus varies from zero when

the axis is lying North – South to a maximum
when it is lying East – West. That is the rate of
tilting varies as the Sine of the Azimuth.
 Tilt

• A free gyroscope situated at a pole with its axis

horizontal would have an apparent turntable motion
due to the Earth’s rotation.

• That is it would follow a fixed star around the horizon

but it would not rise or set.
 Tilt
• The rate of tilting thus varies from a maximum when
the latitude is 0˚ to zero when the latitude is 90˚.
• That is the rate of tilting varies as the Cosine of
the Latitude.
• The following formula gives the rate of tilting of a free
gyroscope at any instant, but note that the rate is
constantly changing and the value given by this
formula cannot be taken over a considerable period of
time.
– Rate of tilting in degrees per hour = 15˚ sine
Azimuth * cosine Latitude
 Tilt

The direction of tilting is such that

the end of the gyroscope axis,
which lies to the East of the
meridian, tilts upwards and the end
of the axis, which lies to the West of
the meridian tilts downward.
 Tilt
• If a free gyroscope is situated on the equator and lies with its axis East – West and horizontal, it
can be assumed of as pointing to a star with zero declination and is about to rise.
– The East End of the gyroscope axis will follow the movement of this star and will tilt upwards as the star rises. After nearly
six hours the axis will be vertical and after nearly twelve hours the gyroscope will have turned completely over with the
axis again horizontal but now the original East end of the axis would be pointing to the star setting due West. After one
sidereal day, the gyroscope would have tilted through 360˚ and the star would again be rising.
– This rate of tilting of 360˚ in a day is a rate of 15˚ per hour.
• If the gyroscope had been situated on the equator with its axis lying in the North – South
direction, then the North end would be pointing towards the Pole star and would then have no
apparent movement relative to the Earth.
– The rate of tilting thus varies from zero when the axis is lying North – South to a maximum when it is lying East –
West. That is the rate of tilting varies as the Sine of the Azimuth.
• A free gyroscope situated at a pole with its axis horizontal would have an apparent turntable
motion due to the Earth’s rotation. That is it would follow a fixed star around the horizon but it
would not rise or set.
• The rate of tilting thus varies from a maximum when the latitude is 0˚ to zero when the latitude
is 90˚. That is the rate of tilting varies as the Cosine of the Latitude. The following formula
gives the rate of tilting of a free gyroscope at any instant, but note that the rate is constantly
changing and the value given by this formula cannot be taken over a considerable period of
time.
– Rate of tilting in degrees per hour = 15˚ sine Azimuth * cosine Latitude
– The direction of tilting is such that the end of the gyroscope axis, which lies to the East of the meridian, tilts upwards and
the end of the axis, which lies to the West of the meridian tilts downward.
 Drift
• Drift is the apparent movement of a gyroscope in
azimuth.
• A free gyroscope situated at the North Pole with
its axis horizontal will have an apparent movement,
which is entirely in the horizontal plane.
• Its axis will appear to move in a clockwise direction
when viewed from above. This would be due to the
real counter clockwise rotation of the earth
beneath.
• This circular motion causes the gyroscope to drift
through 360˚ in one sidereal day.
• That is at a rate of 15˚ per hour.
 Drift

• A free gyroscope situated at the equator

with its axis horizontal will not drift at
all,
– irrespective of whether its axis is set in
the North – South or East – West line.
 Drift

• The rate of drift for a gyroscope with its axis

horizontal thus varies from a maximum at the
poles to zero at the equator.
• That is the rate of drift varies as the sine of
the latitude.
• For a free gyroscope with its axis horizontal:
–Rate of Drift in degrees per hour = 15˚ sine
Latitude
 Drift

• The direction of drift depends upon

hemisphere
–so that the North end of a horizontal
gyroscopic axis drifts to the eastwards in the
Northern hemisphere but to the Westwards
in the Southern hemisphere.
 Drift
• Drift is the apparent movement of a gyroscope in azimuth.
• A free gyroscope situated at the North Pole with its axis horizontal will have
an apparent movement, which is entirely in the horizontal plane.
• Its axis will appear to move in a clockwise direction when viewed from
above. This would be due to the real counter clockwise rotation of the earth
beneath.
• This circular motion causes the gyroscope to drift through 360˚ in one
sidereal day.
• That is at a rate of 15˚ per hour.
• A free gyroscope situated at the equator with its axis horizontal will not
drift at all, irrespective of whether its axis is set in the North – South or East
– West line.
• The rate of drift for a gyroscope with its axis horizontal thus varies from a
maximum at the poles to zero at the equator.
• That is the rate of drift varies as the sine of the latitude. For a free
gyroscope with its axis horizontal:
• Rate of Drift in degrees per hour = 15˚ sine Latitude
• The direction of drift depends upon hemisphere so that the North end of a
horizontal gyroscopic axis drifts to the eastwards in the Northern
hemisphere but to the Westwards in the Southern hemisphere.
• Part 1-Introduction to Gyrocompass
• https://youtu.be/4mD6fHYQ694
• Part 2- Properties of a Gyroscope (Gyroscopic Inertia and Precession)
• https://youtu.be/bvO4froSGSc
• Part3 -Making a gyroscope seek and settle at North
• https://youtu.be/DDmf-rogI40
• Part4-Fiber Optic Gyro Compasses
• https://youtu.be/wrsd6WrdCsA
• Part 5-Errors & Limitations
• https://youtu.be/BJlS2iup-oo
• Part 6-Gyroscope axis of freedom and gyroscopic precession
• https://youtu.be/dddEF87QK2o
• Part 7-Parts of Gyro Compass
• https://youtu.be/tmmsOhJ5Z_U
• Part8-Rate of Turn Indicator - Rate Gyro
• https://youtu.be/e5zSJbkA9GY
• Part9-What is a Top-heavy gyro compass??
• https://youtu.be/wELSqs9ffjg
• Part10-What is a Bottom-heavy gyro compass??
• https://youtu.be/KcTG8d6CFgg
 Path traced by the North end of spin axis in North
Latitude, initially set pointing in eastward direction
• Consider the gyroscope at point A, pointing eastwards

• As the earth rotates, the gyroscopic axis will increase in

tilt and drift and follow the curve ABCD.

• At B the drift will be zero and gyro will now only tilt.

• As the earth continues to rotate, the drift will now be in

opposite direction till point C when tilt is maximum

• From here onwards the tilt is reducing and at point D

the drift again becomes eastward to complete the circle
back at A
• A gyroscope placed on equator with its axis
pointing Eastwards will experience only tilt and
no change in azimuth

• A gyroscope placed at poles with its axis pointing

Eastwards will experience only drift and no tilt

• If the gyroscope is placed on pole with axis

pointing Northerly, there will be no tilt and no
drift with rotation of earth, but it will exhibit
turntable effect with its axis pointing towards
celestial North Pole
MAKING GYRO NORTH SEEKING
 Gravity Control in gyro
• A free gyroscope may be made North seeking by attaching a
weight to the rotor casing either above or below the centre of
gravity of the rotor.

• This so that when the axis lies horizontal the weight is distributed
equally between the two ends of the axis

• But when the gyroscope is tilted the weight exerts more thrust on
one end of the axis than on the other.

• This causes a torque in a vertical plane and the gyroscope axis is

made to precess horizontally.

• When one end of a gyroscope axis is to the East of the true

meridian, and if it is pointing at a rising star, then that end will
always tilt upwards.
 Bottom heavy effect
• To cause this end to precess towards the
North if the gyroscope wheel is spinning
clockwise when viewed from the West, a
downward force is required on the East end of
the axis.
• This effect can be provided, when the East end
of the axis tilts upwards by suspending a
control weight below the gyroscope, thus
making the rotor casing ‘bottom heavy’.
Gravity Control- Bottom Heavy
Bottom heavy gyro
 Top heavy effect
• To cause the East end of the axis to precess
towards the North if the gyroscope rotor is
spinning anti-clockwise when viewed from
the West, a downward force is required on the
West end of the axis.
• This effect can be provided when the East end
of the axis tilts upward, by supporting the
control weight above the gyroscope, thus
making the rotor casing ‘top heavy’.
Gravity Control- Top Heavy
Top heavy gyro
• A gyroscope with gravity control as described
above will not settle in the meridian.
• But the North-seeking end of the axis will tend
to precess towards the meridian when it lies
East of North and tilted upwards.
• Similarly it will also tend to precess towards
the meridian when the North-seeking end of
the axis lies to the west of North and is tilted
downwards
Path traced by free gyro & controlled gyro
• In intermediate North latitude, a free gyroscope set
with its axis North – South and horizontal has an
apparent motion such that the North end of its axis
describes a circle round the celestial pole. The
projection of such a circle on a vertical plane to the
Northward of the gyroscope position is illustrated as
the firm line in the diagram below.

• The North seeking end of the axis of a gravity

controlled gyroscope, started in a similar position will
trace out an elliptical path as illustrated by a pecked
line in the figure above.
• At position A with the gyroscope axis horizontal the gravity has no effect.
The North end of the axis drifts Eastwards and tilts upwards, initially at the
same rate as the free gyroscope. When the North end of the axis has tilted
above the horizontal the gravity control causes precession towards the
West.

• This effect at first is not as great as the natural drift towards the East and
merely slows the Easterly movement. But later (at position B) the rate of
precession becomes equal and opposite to the rate of drift and thereafter
as the axis continues to tilt upwards, the axis moves towards the West.

• All the time the axis lies to the East of the meridian, the axis is tilting
upwards so that the greatest tilt and hence the greatest rate of precession
occurs when the gyroscope axis has returned to the meridian (C).

• Once the North end of the axis has precessed to the West of the meridian
the rotation of the earth causes it to tilt downwards and the rate of
precession decreases until at position (D) the rate of precession is again
equal and opposite to the rate of drift.

• Thereafter the axis moves Easterly with a continuing decrease in tilt until
the axis again crosses the meridian at its original starting point.
Path traced by North end top heavy
gyroscope placed in North latitude
Path traced by North end top heavy
gyroscope placed in South latitude
Path traced by North end top heavy
gyroscope placed at Equator
• The time taken for a gyroscope axis to trace out a complete
ellipse depends on the degree of control, which is provided,
but it will always be less than the sidereal day which is
required for a complete circle of a free gyroscope. The
period of commercial gyroscope compasses is often chosen
as 84 minutes.

• The size and proportions of the ellipse depend upon the

starting position of the gyroscope and the degree of
control. In practice the gravity control is such that the ratio
of the major axis of the ellipse to the minor axis is very
large. That is the ellipse is very wide in proportion to its
depth. For the purpose of explaining the ellipse height was
increased.
Making controlled gyro north seeking-
Damping
• In order to respond to the drift, tilt and precession, which
make it North seeking, the suspension of a gyroscope must
be virtually frictionless.
• A gravity-controlled gyroscope as described above would
then oscillate indefinitely on either side of the meridian.
• The requirement of gyro is that it must settle down and
maintain a fixed direction with respect to earth
• This settling position should also be stable, i.e. if gyro is
disturbed, it will return back to this direction
• In order that the oscillation shall become smaller with each
cycle so that the gyroscope axis finally settles in the
meridian, some form of damping other than by friction is
required.
 Damping in Tilt
• Damping in tilt means that when the North-
seeking end of the gyroscope axis is tilted a
damping torque is applied in a horizontal plane in
such a direction that the resultant precession in a
vertical plane causes the tilt of the axis to
decrease.
• As the tilt of the gyroscope is decreased so the
precession in azimuth becomes progressively less
and the gyroscope spirals in from its starting
position to a final settling position as shown.
 The trace of north end of axis finally settling
down near the meridian-damping in tilt

The amplitude of each oscillation is reduced to 1/3rd

of the previous oscillation and thereby resulting in
the axis finally settling down in the meridian.
 Damping in Azimuth
• Damping in azimuth is achieved by introducing
a torque in a vertical plane, which causes a
precession opposite to the gravity control
precession but out of phase with it, i.e. with a
time delay.
• The resultant precession in a horizontal plane
causes the axis to overshoot the meridian less
each time it crosses it until the gyroscope axis
reaches its settling position.
The trace of north end of axis finally settling
down in the meridian-damping in azimuth
• The controlled gyro will not settle in a fixed direction , but will
oscillate about the meridian
• To damp the unwanted oscillation, another torque
perpendicular to the first one has to be applied, which will
cause a precession in direction perpendicular to the original
precession.
• In the top heavy controlled gyro torque about the horizontal
axis gave precession about the vertical axis.
• If we can now apply a torque about the vertical axis, it will
produce precession about the horizontal axis.
• The magnitude & direction of this force should be pre-
calculated to achieve the required damping of oscillation.
• This is referred as Damping in Tilt, whereas in case of bottom
heavy controlled gyro, it is referred as Damping in Azimuth.
• To achieve damping in tilt, the point of application
of the control force (due to top heavy effect) is
offset slightly to the east of the vertical,
• resulting in component of the same force producing
a torque about the vertical axis,
• the resultant precession about the horizontal axis
will ensure that the amplitude of oscillation is
reduced and the gyro finally settles in the meridian.
• The amount of offset in Sperry mark XIV gyro is
3mm as shown in the figure below
Point of attachment if the mercury system
is offset from the centre by 3mm
A small part of the total force is used for damping
while most of the force is used for gravity control
GYRO COMPASS ERRORS
GYRO COMPASS ERRORS
• The errors to which a gyrocompass is subject are
– speed error,
– latitude error,
– ballistic deflection error,
– ballistic damping error,
– quadrantal error, and
– gimballing error.
• Additional errors may be introduced by a
malfunction or incorrect alignment with the
center-line of the vessel.
Damping or Latitude error
• In case of damping in tilt, the spin axis will settle
a little to East or West of the meridian
• The error is proportional to the tangent of
latitude and hence increases with latitude
• It also depends on the design and construction of
the individual compass
• The error is calculated and applied as latitude
correction
• The gyro using damping in azimuth is not
subjected to this error
 SPEED ERROR
• Speed error is caused by the fact that a
gyrocompass only moves directly east or west when
it is stationary (on the rotating earth) or placed on a
vessel moving exactly east or west.
• Any movement to the north or south will cause the
compass to trace a path which is actually a function
of
– the speed of advance and
– the amount of northerly or southerly heading.
• This causes the compass to tend to settle a bit off
true north.
 SPEED ERROR
• This error is westerly if the vessel's course is
northerly, and easterly if the course is southerly.
• Its magnitude depends on the vessel's speed,
course, and latitude(higher the latitude, smaller the
earths rotational speed and hence greater effect of
ships speed)
• This error can be corrected internally by means of a
cosine cam mounted on the underside of the
azimuth gear, which removes most of the error.
• Any remaining error is minor in amount and can be
disregarded.
• The factor of latitude and speed correction
can be worked out in a mathematical formula
and set on the gyro equipment latitude and
speed setting, so that the gyrocompass sets in
the meridian
 Tangent latitude error
• Tangent latitude error is a property only of
gyros with mercury ballistics, and is easterly
in north latitudes and westerly in south
latitudes.
• This error is also corrected internally, by
offsetting the lubber's line or with a small
movable weight attached to the casing.
 Ballistic deflection error
• Ballistic deflection error occurs when there is a
marked change in the north-south component of the
speed.
• East-west accelerations have no effect.
• A change of course or speed also results in speed error
in the opposite direction, and the two tend to cancel
each other if the compass is properly designed.
• This aspect of design involves slightly offsetting the
ballistics according to the operating latitude, upon
which the correction is dependent.
• As latitude changes, the error becomes apparent, but
can be minimized by adjusting the offset.
 Ballistic damping error
• Ballistic damping error is a temporary oscillation
introduced by changes in course or speed.
• During a change in course or speed, the mercury in the
ballistic is subjected to centrifugal and acceleration
/deceleration forces.
– This causes a torquing of the spin axis and subsequent error
in the compass reading.
• Slow changes do not introduce enough error to be a
problem, but rapid changes will.
• This error is counteracted by changing the position of
the ballistics so that the true vertical axis is centered,
thus not subject to error, but only when certain rates of
turn or acceleration are exceeded.
 Quadrantal error
• Quadrantal error has two causes.
• The first occurs if the center of gravity of the gyro is
not exactly centered in the phantom.
– This causes the gyro to tend to swing along its heavy axis
as the vessel rolls in the sea.
– It is minimized by adding weight so that the mass is the
same in all directions from the center.
– Without a long axis of weight, there is no tendency to
swing in one particular direction.
 Quadrantal error
• The second source of quadrantal error is more difficult to
eliminate.
– As a vessel rolls in the sea, the apparent vertical axis is
displaced, first to one side and then the other.
– The vertical axis of the gyro tends to align itself with the apparent
vertical.
– On northerly or southerly courses, and on easterly or westerly
courses, the compass precesses equally to both sides and the
resulting error is zero.
– On intercardinal courses, the N-S and E-W precessions are
additive, and a persistent error is introduced, which changes
direction in different quadrants.
– This error is corrected by use of a second gyroscope called a
floating ballistic, which stabilizes the mercury ballistic as the
vessel rolls, eliminating the error.
– Another method is to use two gyros for the directive element,
which tend to precess in opposite directions, neutralizing the
error.
 Gimballing error
• Gimballing error is caused by taking readings
from the compass card when it is tilted from the
horizontal plane.
• It applies to the compass itself and to all
repeaters.
• To minimize this error, the outer ring of the
gimbal of each repeater should be installed in
alignment with the fore-and- aft line of the
vessel.
• Of course, the lubber's line must be exactly
centered as well
 Starting a Gyrocompass
• A gyro needs time to settle on the meridian, the time taken will
depend on the make, model and geographical location of the gyro
• The settling time may be between one and several hours, manual
provided by the manufacturer has to be consulted before switching
on the gyro.
• If compass has been switched off, it will take longer time to bring
compass into use.
• Following is the procedure for Sperry MK37 digital.
• At power-up and prior entering the settling mode, system performs
automatic procedure to determine if the equipment is operating
within specified parameters.
• If gyro is stationary the system opts for cold start, if rotating a hot
start if programmed.
 Starting a Gyrocompass
• During a cold start, if no heading data is input to system when
requested the gyro selects automatic. Once the power is switched
on, two bleeps prompts for heading input, if the heading data is not
entered within 5 minutes, the gyro switches to an auto level
process. (in some older make , the slewing is done manually, a
special key is provided for the same, which is inserted into a slot).
• If heading data is fed the rotor is automatically slewed.
• The rotor is brought up to required speed within 14 minutes and
the gyro will subsequently settle within an hour.
• If heading data is not fed, the gyro will settle in 5 hrs.
• Some more points:-
• If entered heading is in error by more than 20 deg, gyro may take
about 5 hours to settle.
 Starting a Gyrocompass
• Some more points:-
• If entered heading is in error by more than 20
deg, gyro may take about 5 hours to settle.
• Once gyro is settled, synchronize the
repeaters(radar & ECDIS also need
synchronization)
• If speed and latitude is fed manually, it should be
done prior to starting the gyro.
• Once settled, compass error should be checked &
compasses should be checked more frequently.
Care & maintenance of a gyrocompass
• Gyro compass error should be verified by all available means.
• If error is excessive, trouble shooting as per the Manufacturer’s
manual should be followed, an electrician may be required to check
the voltage etc.
• Annual servicing to be carried out by the authorised service
engineer.
• Care and maintenance should be as per PMS.
• If required ask for attendance of service engineer’s should any
problem is encountered for example hunting of the gyro.
• Gyro sphere/ gyro wheel may be exchanged periodically, manual for
be referred to know the interval.
• Speed & latitude to be fed manually if not done automatically.
• If input is received from GPS & speed log, it must be noted that
failure of these equipment will require the manual feed.
Care & maintenance of a gyrocompass
• If input is received from GPS & speed log, it must be noted that failure of these
equipment will require the manual feed.
• If master gyro is located in gyro room(which may not be on wheel house), it should
be kept locked.
• Compasses should be checked, the master gyro to be synchronized with all
repeaters, radars & ECDIS also need synchronization.
• Manufacturer’s instruction should be referred for care & maintenance of gyro.
• Manufacturer’s instruction should be referred for starting & stopping procedures.
• Slewing for gyro is a must done to reduce the settling time.
• Once settled, compass error should be checked & compasses should be checked
more frequently.
• Once the servicing is carried out, the service report must be marked “subject to
sea trial”, scanned copy of service report is sent to the company, original report
should be filed properly for reference in the future.