Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

"Joe LaVigne" <jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com> wrote in message
news:1vq0coifyczqm$.dlg@hits-buffalo.com...
> On Fri, 8 Sep 2006 23:13:08 -0700, Big Al wrote:
>
>> It's the radio speaker.
>
> I thought that, too, but considering that it doesn't change anywhere in
> the
> car, including far away from any speakers, I think the magnetized body is
> most likely...
>
I agree. Speakers have a very localized field and moving the compass even a
couple inches swings the compass a lot.

Mike

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

On Sat, 9 Sep 2006 16:37:56 -0700, "Michael Pardee"
<michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote:

>"Joe LaVigne" <jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com> wrote in message
>news:1vq0coifyczqm$.dlg@hits-buffalo.com...
>> On Fri, 8 Sep 2006 23:13:08 -0700, Big Al wrote:
>>
>>> It's the radio speaker.
>>
>> I thought that, too, but considering that it doesn't change anywhere in
>> the
>> car, including far away from any speakers, I think the magnetized body is
>> most likely...

I am going to jump in here late. I do not think any of the answers
explain what the OP experienced. There are several issues with
compasses in cars, airplanes, boats, etc.

1. The compass needle is a magnet. It will point to the nearest peace
of ferromagnetic material. It will point to a magnet, but it will also
point to a nail, car pillar, anything made of iron or steel whether
magnetized or not.

2. The car is full of magnetic fields caused by wiring, speakers, etc.

Both of these issues are resolved by placing the magnet as close to
the outside world as possible, stuck to the windshield for example,
and then calibrating it.

But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.


Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

On Sat, 9 Sep 2006 16:37:56 -0700, "Michael Pardee"
<michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote:

>"Joe LaVigne" <jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com> wrote in message
>news:1vq0coifyczqm$.dlg@hits-buffalo.com...
>> On Fri, 8 Sep 2006 23:13:08 -0700, Big Al wrote:
>>
>>> It's the radio speaker.
>>
>> I thought that, too, but considering that it doesn't change anywhere in
>> the
>> car, including far away from any speakers, I think the magnetized body is
>> most likely...

I am going to jump in here late. I do not think any of the answers
explain what the OP experienced. There are several issues with
compasses in cars, airplanes, boats, etc.

1. The compass needle is a magnet. It will point to the nearest peace
of ferromagnetic material. It will point to a magnet, but it will also
point to a nail, car pillar, anything made of iron or steel whether
magnetized or not.

2. The car is full of magnetic fields caused by wiring, speakers, etc.

Both of these issues are resolved by placing the magnet as close to
the outside world as possible, stuck to the windshield for example,
and then calibrating it.

But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.


Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

On Sat, 9 Sep 2006 16:37:56 -0700, "Michael Pardee"
<michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote:

>"Joe LaVigne" <jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com> wrote in message
>news:1vq0coifyczqm$.dlg@hits-buffalo.com...
>> On Fri, 8 Sep 2006 23:13:08 -0700, Big Al wrote:
>>
>>> It's the radio speaker.
>>
>> I thought that, too, but considering that it doesn't change anywhere in
>> the
>> car, including far away from any speakers, I think the magnetized body is
>> most likely...

I am going to jump in here late. I do not think any of the answers
explain what the OP experienced. There are several issues with
compasses in cars, airplanes, boats, etc.

1. The compass needle is a magnet. It will point to the nearest peace
of ferromagnetic material. It will point to a magnet, but it will also
point to a nail, car pillar, anything made of iron or steel whether
magnetized or not.

2. The car is full of magnetic fields caused by wiring, speakers, etc.

Both of these issues are resolved by placing the magnet as close to
the outside world as possible, stuck to the windshield for example,
and then calibrating it.

But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.


Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

Elliot Richmond wrote:

> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.

Not sure he said that (points ENE at all times) but I may be wrong.
What I do know he said is that it works just fine as soon as he removes
it from the car. There, I think, goes the stuck needle theory, right?

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

Elliot Richmond wrote:

> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.

Not sure he said that (points ENE at all times) but I may be wrong.
What I do know he said is that it works just fine as soon as he removes
it from the car. There, I think, goes the stuck needle theory, right?

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

Elliot Richmond wrote:

> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.

Not sure he said that (points ENE at all times) but I may be wrong.
What I do know he said is that it works just fine as soon as he removes
it from the car. There, I think, goes the stuck needle theory, right?

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

Elliot Richmond wrote:

> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.

The OP said he tried it outside of the car and it worked fine.

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

Elliot Richmond wrote:

> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.

The OP said he tried it outside of the car and it worked fine.

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

Elliot Richmond wrote:

> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.

The OP said he tried it outside of the car and it worked fine.

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

"Elliot Richmond" <xmrichmond@xaustin.xrr.xcom> wrote in message
news:ou37g2p4o9iupgu256iueo4hrq27hpui73@4ax.com...
>
> I am going to jump in here late. I do not think any of the answers
> explain what the OP experienced. There are several issues with
> compasses in cars, airplanes, boats, etc.
>
> 1. The compass needle is a magnet. It will point to the nearest peace
> of ferromagnetic material. It will point to a magnet, but it will also
> point to a nail, car pillar, anything made of iron or steel whether
> magnetized or not.
>
> 2. The car is full of magnetic fields caused by wiring, speakers, etc.
>
> Both of these issues are resolved by placing the magnet as close to
> the outside world as possible, stuck to the windshield for example,
> and then calibrating it.
>
> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.
>
>
> Elliot Richmond
> Itinerant astronomy teacher

I'll stick with the magnetized body. Steel vehicles are problematic for
compasses because they always introduce errors. Mostly the errors are not
big enough to cause trouble for a driver. Aircraft pilots have to know the
heading with precision but car drivers are happy with "kinda northeastish."

The problem is that when a car body is magnetized the compass is effectively
inside a magnet. That will make the compass point in one general
direction... in this case, ENE. How the car got that way and how to degauss
it, I surely don't know.

Mike

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

"Elliot Richmond" <xmrichmond@xaustin.xrr.xcom> wrote in message
news:ou37g2p4o9iupgu256iueo4hrq27hpui73@4ax.com...
>
> I am going to jump in here late. I do not think any of the answers
> explain what the OP experienced. There are several issues with
> compasses in cars, airplanes, boats, etc.
>
> 1. The compass needle is a magnet. It will point to the nearest peace
> of ferromagnetic material. It will point to a magnet, but it will also
> point to a nail, car pillar, anything made of iron or steel whether
> magnetized or not.
>
> 2. The car is full of magnetic fields caused by wiring, speakers, etc.
>
> Both of these issues are resolved by placing the magnet as close to
> the outside world as possible, stuck to the windshield for example,
> and then calibrating it.
>
> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.
>
>
> Elliot Richmond
> Itinerant astronomy teacher

I'll stick with the magnetized body. Steel vehicles are problematic for
compasses because they always introduce errors. Mostly the errors are not
big enough to cause trouble for a driver. Aircraft pilots have to know the
heading with precision but car drivers are happy with "kinda northeastish."

The problem is that when a car body is magnetized the compass is effectively
inside a magnet. That will make the compass point in one general
direction... in this case, ENE. How the car got that way and how to degauss
it, I surely don't know.

Mike

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

"Elliot Richmond" <xmrichmond@xaustin.xrr.xcom> wrote in message
news:ou37g2p4o9iupgu256iueo4hrq27hpui73@4ax.com...
>
> I am going to jump in here late. I do not think any of the answers
> explain what the OP experienced. There are several issues with
> compasses in cars, airplanes, boats, etc.
>
> 1. The compass needle is a magnet. It will point to the nearest peace
> of ferromagnetic material. It will point to a magnet, but it will also
> point to a nail, car pillar, anything made of iron or steel whether
> magnetized or not.
>
> 2. The car is full of magnetic fields caused by wiring, speakers, etc.
>
> Both of these issues are resolved by placing the magnet as close to
> the outside world as possible, stuck to the windshield for example,
> and then calibrating it.
>
> But, the OP said the compass always pointed ENE (if I recall). I
> assume this is regardless of the position of the car. This sounds like
> a stuck compass needle. In other words, take it back and get a refund.
>
>
> Elliot Richmond
> Itinerant astronomy teacher

I'll stick with the magnetized body. Steel vehicles are problematic for
compasses because they always introduce errors. Mostly the errors are not
big enough to cause trouble for a driver. Aircraft pilots have to know the
heading with precision but car drivers are happy with "kinda northeastish."

The problem is that when a car body is magnetized the compass is effectively
inside a magnet. That will make the compass point in one general
direction... in this case, ENE. How the car got that way and how to degauss
it, I surely don't know.

Mike

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

On Sat, 9 Sep 2006 10:11:15 -0700, Brady Sakoda wrote:

> "RickaTTic" <rickattic@comcast.net> wrote in message news:op.tfkbk3mv1941oo@thedarkcave...
>> No don't spend that kind of money for a compass. Just go to Sears and buy the yellow digital one with the 2 rubber
>> suction cups. I paid $25 bux and it is excellent. You do a calibrate by driving in a circle and it compensates for
>> any magnetic variation in the vehicle. I love the thing.
>
>
> If the body of the car is magnetized, I don't think this would help.

The digital is far less affected by it.

Here's an update... Bought the digital from sears. Originally placed it
near the left side of the windshield, at the edge. It had very similar
problems to the analog.

Placed it in the center of the Windshield, so it is visible just below the
rear-view mirror, calibarated it, and it is perfect. The analog in this
position still showed ENE at all times.

So, now, I am a happy camper... ;-)

Thanks, everyone, for your input.

--
Joseph M. LaVigne
jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com
http://www.thelavignefamily.us/MyPipePages/ - 9/11/2006 5:44:20 AM
Tobacconist Brick and Mortar Database: http://bam.tobaccocellar.org/

If you're being chased by an angry bull, and then you notice you're also
being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep
on running.

Re: Wierd Magnetic Fields?
 

On Sat, 9 Sep 2006 10:11:15 -0700, Brady Sakoda wrote:

> "RickaTTic" <rickattic@comcast.net> wrote in message news:op.tfkbk3mv1941oo@thedarkcave...
>> No don't spend that kind of money for a compass. Just go to Sears and buy the yellow digital one with the 2 rubber
>> suction cups. I paid $25 bux and it is excellent. You do a calibrate by driving in a circle and it compensates for
>> any magnetic variation in the vehicle. I love the thing.
>
>
> If the body of the car is magnetized, I don't think this would help.

The digital is far less affected by it.

Here's an update... Bought the digital from sears. Originally placed it
near the left side of the windshield, at the edge. It had very similar
problems to the analog.

Placed it in the center of the Windshield, so it is visible just below the
rear-view mirror, calibarated it, and it is perfect. The analog in this
position still showed ENE at all times.

So, now, I am a happy camper... ;-)

Thanks, everyone, for your input.

--
Joseph M. LaVigne
jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com
http://www.thelavignefamily.us/MyPipePages/ - 9/11/2006 5:44:20 AM
Tobacconist Brick and Mortar Database: http://bam.tobaccocellar.org/

If you're being chased by an angry bull, and then you notice you're also
being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep
on running.