NAVIGATION I: TERRESTRIAL &

CELESTIAL

UD11T4104

Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy

 Direction References

• Understanding directions

• On a ship, direction information is obtained from

Navigational charts, by Gyro compass and magnetic
compass

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 Direction References
• True North (Geographic or Geodetic North)
• True north (also called geodetic north) is the direction along
Earth's surface towards the geographic North Pole or True North
Pole
• True directions are governed by Earth’s rotation (towards East)

• Magnetic North
• As pointed by a magnetic needle suspended freely in earth’s
magnetic field (in a place having no other magnetic field)

• Compass North
• Is the direction that is pointed at by North pole of a Magnetic
needle suspended freely
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 Chapter – 3 Directional References - Gyro

• The Gyro-compass is an electro-

mechanical equipment that works on
the gyroscopic inertia of a wheel
spinning at a very high rate.
• It is unaffected by magnetic
influences
• The Gyro-compass points constantly
to True North
• Gyro scale from 0 to 360 degrees

• Gyro error (High or Low error)

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 Chapter – 3 Directional References - Gyro
Reading Gyro Reading True Error
276 275
124 126
342.5 341
191.5 192.5
044 044
144 1H
186 2L
337 0.5 H
000 1.5 L
359 1H
129 2H
221 1L
343 0.5 L
180 1H
119 1H
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 Chapter – 4 Directional References - Compass

• Magnetic Compass – rarely shows True North

• Compass Error (Angular difference measured from True
North to Compass North)
• Variation (Angular difference measured from True North
to Magnetic North)
• Deviation (Angular difference measured from Magnetic
North to Compass North)

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 Chapter – 4 Directional References - Compass

• True Bearing – of an object is the angle at the ship between

the True North & the line of sight of the object from the ship,
measured clockwise from True North.
• Compass Bearing – of an object is the angle at the ship
between the Compass North & the line of sight of the object
from the ship, measured clockwise from Compass North.
• Magnetic Bearing – of an object is the angle at the ship
between the Magnetic North & the line of sight of the object
from the ship, measured clockwise from Magnetic North.

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 Chapter – 4 Directional References - Compass
Bearing True Bearing Compass Compass Error
275 276
126 124
001 350
192.5 201.5
044 044
127 6W
350 14 E
159 17 W
261 11.5 E
089 14 E
265 16 E
136 12 W
001 2.5 E
182.5 19.5 E
034 4W
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 Chapter – 4 Directional References - Compass
Bearing True Bearing Magnetic Variation
245 246
116 114
002 350
182.5 195.5
065 065
275 15 E
147 12 W
004 6.5 E
142.5 15.5 E
039 05 W
120 8W
352 15 E
169 17 W
260 11.5 E
099 15 E
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 Chapter – 5 References - Relative
• Relative Bearing of an object is the angle at the observer between the
ship’s head and the line of sight of the object, measured clockwise from
000 to 360 degrees.
• Numericals –
1 2 3 4 5
Rel Brg 300 ? 316 ? 000
T Course 200 200 210 069 189
T Brg ? 300 ? 310 ?

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 Chapter – 6 References - Quadrantal
• Quadrantal system of naming Courses

• Numericals –

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Course 275 T 126 T 001 T 192 T ? ? ?
(T)
Quadranta ? ? ? ? N62W S07E S42W
l Course

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