Compasses going crazy...Theories and Research

Ok, just checked mine and it's off by aproximately 15 degrees. So not a lot, but still not where it should be.
2nd line..

Originally posted by UberL33t
reply to post by antibyte

 

Apparently...a bigger map may be required

That made me think of "We're going to need a bigger box..."

Yup, the droids app is making me mad, So if I got lost I wouldnt beable to get back


Its confusing me bad. Im gunna quit looking at it

could it have anything to do with gravitational pull from the supermoon? maybe once it passes compasses will go back to normal?

reply to post by VenomVile.6


Strange that compass apps are also messing up. Aren't they GPS based??

Someone (Coolotie) posted on page 3 that they are in Arkansas and are reporting a false reading also, saying they are getting a more easterly reading.

reply to post by MadDogtheHunter


i was thinking the same thing
they all seem to be messed up

Hi people,

Just want to chip in my two cents.

A few weeks ago, I was playing with my iPhone4 and downloading a few compas apps. as camping season is just around the corner.

Before reading this thread, I noticed that the compases are 'off'. I dismissed it until I read this thread. I am estimating that it is about 45 degrees off. Both my iPhone and my analog compases point in the same direction and I feel that both are a little off.

Strange to say the least.

BTW, To confirm, I brough up google maps... took note of which way 'North' is... looked at the largest street near me "Hurontario" (I'm in Mississauga, Ontario), set up some imaginary lines on my livingroom floor in the general orientation of Hurontatio and also Hwy 403. North is ~45 degrees between Hurontario/403... poped up my compass and sure enough, it's about 40-45 degrees off.


EDIT: forgot to mention that they are 'off' in the eastern direction.

Nope, they use an electronic compass chip and are normaly very accurate,

Originally posted by MadDogtheHunter
reply to post by VenomVile.6

 

Strange that compass apps are also messing up. Aren't they GPS based??

reply to post by unityemissions


Sort of a piezoelectric thing? Pressures creating local fields... I'm thinking. And added pressure means.... Earthquake likely.

reply to post by antibyte


Okay. For some reason, I was thinking that compass apps are calibrated by GPS readings, compared to current location, along with a sensor inside the phones.

I have a military grade los compass and was hiking in the woods behind my house last weekend.
I was showing my boys how to get home using a compass.
I asked them which direction we left the house to enter the woods.
They said WEST.
Good I said.
So which direction do we need to head in order to get home?
EAST? they responded.
Yes, I said.

So, with that I told my oldest to get his compass out of his bob and look at it to determine which way EAST was.
He located EAST.
Here's the problem. It wasn't pointing EAST.
If we would have followed the compass we would have never gotten home.
It was saying EAST was North.

He was saying, "but dad, the compass says to go this way to get home".
I told him "son, the compass must be broken or something. If we go that way we'll never get home".

Later I double checked with my Military Compass and came to the conclusion that I needed to brush up on my
skills a little.

Now, I'm not so sure.

Ok, so am I understanding correctly that the further "north" we go in posts that there is a bigger degree difference? Mine in NC is 15 degrees off, VA is 30 something degree difference, PA and Canada a 40 something degree difference?

reply to post by watchdog

So far, it seems to be adding up to a pattern like that.

I tried a different compass and am still showing north as somewhat to the east. I'm in Southern Illinois so you can add me to the map. I wonder if the New Madrid fault has anything to do with this. We are pretty close. Tomorrow, after my son gets up, I think we may go out and experiment with the compasses we have a bit.
You know, when we were using his boy scout compass the other day, it was like one of those moments where your child is looking to you as if you are God and then things don't work out and they find out you really don't know everything. I didn't want to say, "Son, I think you got a bum compass.", but I was looking pretty stupid. Maybe it really wasn't me or the compass.LOL

Add some flags and stuff to this thread so we can get more readings from more locations. More flags = more views = more readings and information to help us figure this all out. I don't care about stars. We just need to push this thread up a little so more will see it and join in with us.

Note:

I never ask for Flags on a thread, I don't believe in that. But I think this once, its appropriate for research sake.

reply to post by MadDogtheHunter


Im not sure..
but they make it looks like a real compass but its tripping. It wont stay still. It keeps moving in the north, northeast then east direction, back and forth.

Originally posted by watchdog
Ok, so am I understanding correctly that the further "north" we go in posts that there is a bigger degree difference? Mine in NC is 15 degrees off, VA is 30 something degree difference, PA and Canada a 40 something degree difference?

Now THAT is weird.

reply to post by VenomVile.6


Very interesting and rightly noted.

So now, its also certain phone apps pretty much doing the same as a standard compass.

just thought i would add my 2 cents. I'm in Dallas, Tx, i don't have a regular compass, so i got an app for my iphone. i know which way due south is because it is the direction my satellite dish points.

The compass pointed the exact opposite of the dish, meaning north. When i first moved in i had a compass and it pointed the same way.