Digital Compass Suggestions

[Nick P]

Hi All,

Can anyone recommend a good cheap digital compass that can point to North?

I have been using a normal magnetic one for my polar alignment and have noticed I am way off north - lots of ferrous metal around my viewing area which is obviously affecting the compass as it wanders all over the place as I move about - should have checked earlier!

Unfortunately the north star is obscured from my view so cannot line up on it.

All suggestions gratefully received

[George]

I use a stick, piece of string and the sun at noon.....spot on celestial north.....wont work "@ night tho

OMNISAT DIGITAL SATELLITE COMPASS UNUSED EXCEPT FOR PIX on eBay (end time 21-Aug-10 20:31:08 BST)

[Psychobilly]

I use a stick, piece of string and the sun at noon.....spot on celestial north.....wont work "@ night tho

Would that be Local noon minus an hour during DST ?

[insomnia]

I have been thinking the same thing, ebay has shed loads. Maybe even try a camping shop

[George]

Would that be Local noon minus an hour during DST ?

This will give your local solar noon time for your location......I used it when I was building my observatory so it was polar aligned

Print A Solar Noon Calendar for every day in the year for your exact location

[Psychobilly]

This will give your local solar noon time for your location......I used it when I was building my observatory so it was polar aligned

Print A Solar Noon Calendar for every day in the year for your exact location

Basically yes then...

Handy calc though

[CGolder]

I have a discovery channel one i was trying to sell a months back, i planned the same thing but never got round to trying it as i enjoyed star hopping and didnt have time to make the mods required for the position of the compass.

theres a link to it here

If u want it PM me, i aint promising you will get the results you want i personally think a setting circle is better

[Nick P]

Thanks for the replies, and you got me thinking whether a digital compass actually was the answer, so, a bit of googling came up with these two useful sights describing how to find true north without a compass, and as all I need to do is mark a line North / South these should be fine, the shadow method or the watch method (sure I got a badge in this at cubs in about 1972!)

How to Find True North Without a Compass | eHow.com

How to Find True North Without a Compass - wikiHow

This should also mean I can re calibrate my magnetic compass to allow for the error!

I like the idea that modern technology has been defeated by a piece of stick and a few pebbles

[Nick P]

I have to say that the stick and stones method worked really well! and isn't dependent on the time of day - you just need the sun!

[Martyn_Bannister]

Hi All,

Can anyone recommend a good cheap digital compass that can point to North?

I have been using a normal magnetic one for my polar alignment and have noticed I am way off north - lots of ferrous metal around my viewing area which is obviously affecting the compass as it wanders all over the place as I move about - should have checked earlier!

Unfortunately the north star is obscured from my view so cannot line up on it.

All suggestions gratefully received

I have a cheap digital compass but I fear, because it too measures the earth's magnetic field, it would suffer from exactly the same problems that your analogue compass does

Sticks and stones are your best bet.

Or, take a 10 minute exposure with your camera pointing roughly north and including some foreground. The center of the star trails is celestial north.

[rowan46]

if you have i phone there is a true north app