mrtopknight
New Member
What do you guys set you north heading setting on your GPS units to? True or Magnetic North?
True or Magnetic North
- Thread starter mrtopknight
- Start date
osd9
New Member
I do everything magnetic. Makes it easier to correlate the hand /dash compass readings.
mrtopknight
New Member
Are the paper charts base on true?
Sea Gull
Well-Known Member
Paper charts are referenced to true north. Local charts may also have a magnetic compass rose inside the true compass rose. For coastal navigation in most areas you can set electronics to magnetic and plot courses on your paper charts using the magnetic reference. BUT, you must also know the local variation and your compass variation in order to navigate - this becomes especially important over long distances.
Electronic compasses can be compensated for variation and deviation through a process of swinging which is explained in the manual. This will give you very accurate heading information, but you must re-set the instrument as you move to areas with different variation.
Electronic compasses can be compensated for variation and deviation through a process of swinging which is explained in the manual. This will give you very accurate heading information, but you must re-set the instrument as you move to areas with different variation.
Asureyez
New Member
- Apr 22, 2007
- 1,535
- Boat Info
- Sea Ray 460 Sundancer Hardtop 2001 - SOLD
- Engines
- Cummins 450 Diesels
Magnetic Headings, its the only way to go.
The object of having multiple navigation instruments that recieve data from different sources is to confirm one against the other. BUT one always respects their magnetic compass as being authoratative.
Keep the gps to magnetic heading with it set to auto update for diviation. Its a good idea to once a year set up a small typed table for your compass adjustment plus diviation and swing the fluxgate at the same time.
the local variations are different and magnetic north depends upon where you are ... so watch the charts and happy navigating.
The object of having multiple navigation instruments that recieve data from different sources is to confirm one against the other. BUT one always respects their magnetic compass as being authoratative.
Keep the gps to magnetic heading with it set to auto update for diviation. Its a good idea to once a year set up a small typed table for your compass adjustment plus diviation and swing the fluxgate at the same time.
the local variations are different and magnetic north depends upon where you are ... so watch the charts and happy navigating.