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Magnetic Compass

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georgewells(at)roadrunner
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:08 am Post subject: Magnetic Compass

I have a Standard Airpath Pedestal Mount compass  mounted in the center front edge of my Model 5 dash and it is nonfunctional  due to a magnetic field interference. It works fine when away from that  position. This is the second one I have had since the one in the plane when I  got it was the same way and I thought it was defective.

 We went to a fly in this past saturday and I  talked with 2 people who have the same problem in 

 a Model 4 and 5.

 One used a pedestal compass and the other had a  Vertical Card Compass.

 Anyway  --  Has anyone found a way to  damppen or get rid of thes magnetic interference ?

  

 Thanks

   [quote][b]

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:41 am Post subject: Magnetic Compass

At 10:05 AM 8/21/2007, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Anyway  --  Has anyone found a way to damppen or get rid of thes magnetic interference ? 	


 Hi George,

         Check the archives, this has been covered before. I had the same problem and it was caused by residual welding fields in the tube frame, particularly the two upper panel mount tubes. I originally had to rent the big degausser from Sacramento Sky Ranch and degauss the entire area. I was able to eliminate enough interference to correct the remainder with the compass correctors. Sometime later I accidently did a bit of welding, shorting the battery, which renewed the interference. This I was able to eliminate using a little hand degausser I bought off the web. (Apparently this second time I only magnetized the surface of the tubes. When I tried the hand degausser before it hadn't helped at all.) There's a little round, fairly inexpensive, gauss meter you can buy to check the magnetization of your structure. I recommend it.

         The only problem with the big degausser is that you need to keep your avionics/electronics at least 12" away from it when it's running. Otherwise you'll modify them.



 For more info see:  http://www.sacskyranch.com/degaussi.htm



 

 Guy Buchanan

 San Diego, CA

 K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.     [quote][b]

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

wingsdown(at)verizon.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:04 am Post subject: Magnetic Compass

Yes  Garmin 395. 

  

 Rick

 [quote]   

   --

57_kid

Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 50

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:51 am Post subject: Magnetic Compass

Don’t know if anyone figured it out but I also have the compass problem in my model 5  

Steve  

       

From: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of George Wells

 Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 12:06 PM

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Magnetic Compass  

  

  

     

I have a Standard Airpath Pedestal Mount compass mounted in the center front edge of my Model 5 dash and it is nonfunctional due to a magnetic field interference. It works fine when away from that position. This is the second one I have had since the one in the plane when I got it was the same way and I thought it was defective.  

    

We went to a fly in this past saturday and I talked with 2 people who have the same problem in   

    

a Model 4 and 5.  

    

One used a pedestal compass and the other had a Vertical Card Compass.  

    

Anyway  --  Has anyone found a way to damppen or get rid of thes magnetic interference ?  

    

   

    

Thanks  

   	  Quote: 	
		    http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List 	
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       [quote][b]

mlpaton2000(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:20 pm Post subject: Magnetic Compass

I got to add my name to this list of non functioning compasses , model 5, 

  Michael paton

  Zambia

9J-FOX 

  912 100Hp

steve eccles <eccles(at)Chartermi.net> wrote:

  [quote]              Don’t know if anyone figured it out but I also have the compass problem in my model  5<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

  Steve

   

      From: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of George Wells

Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 12:06 PM

To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

Subject:  Magnetic Compass

   

    I have a Standard Airpath Pedestal Mount compass mounted in the center front edge of my Model 5 dash and it is nonfunctional due to a magnetic field interference. It works fine when away from that position. This is the second one I have had since the one in the plane when I got it was the same way and I thought it was defective.



    We went to a fly in this past saturday and I talked with 2 people who have the same problem in 



    a Model 4 and 5.



    One used a pedestal compass and the other had a Vertical Card Compass.



    Anyway  --  Has anyone found a way to damppen or get rid of thes magnetic interference ?



     



    Thanks



[quote]  [b]

wingsdown(at)verizon.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:20 pm Post subject: Magnetic Compass

Seriously. I tried verticals, ball, correction balls, remote mount  magnets. The only thing accurate and consistent was the GPS.  I know the  system can go down, but I figured it had more pluses than minuses.  I kept  the wet compass just for looks.

  

 Rick

 [quote]   

   --

gofalke(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:53 pm Post subject: Magnetic Compass

I mounted my vertical compass in front of and in the middle of my dash. It has been working great since '97,and I never had to touch my adjustment screws. It should be  at least 4" away from radio and steel tubing. I checked for magnetic interference with a gauss meter and found this place free of any interference. 

Herb Gottelt

  M4-1200,912UL

   

  George Wells <georgewells(at)roadrunner.com> wrote:

  [quote]        [b]I have a Standard Airpath Pedestal Mount compass mounted in the center front edge of my Model 5 dash and it is nonfunctional due to a magnetic field interference. It works fine when away from that position. This is the second one I have had since the one in the plane when I got it [quote][b]

rjdaugh

Joined: 30 Aug 2006
Posts: 195

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject: Magnetic Compass

I am with you Rick.  I carry a small cheap handheld GPS for back up and try to keep reading sectionals in case the whole GPS satellite network goes down.    

   

Randy  

     

.             

  

         

  

From: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Rick

 Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 3:19 PM

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Magnetic Compass  

  

     

Seriously. I tried verticals, ball, correction balls, remote mount magnets. The only thing accurate and consistent was the GPS.  I know the system can go down, but I figured it had more pluses than minuses.  I kept the wet compass just for looks.  

    

   

    

Rick  

  [quote]  

--

_________________
Randy
Kitfox 5/7 912S
Black Hills, South Dakota

n10pg(at)neo.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 5:35 am Post subject: Magnetic Compass

Gentlemen:



Please don't write off the magnetic compass problem too easily, by replacing

it with a GPS. The Magnetic Compass is a REQUIRED instrument in every

airplane together with a properly filled out compass calibration card. I

admit it is not the easiest thing to do; however it is not impossible. I

have a full stack of radios and yet my S.I.R.S.

Navigator (ASS), monted in the center top of my dash is calibrated within

2-3 degrees all the way around, using a set of calibrating balls. I

understand that a couple of small pieces of magnetic refrigerator gasket,

placed strategically around the compass, work just as well. Obviously it is

a very tedious and time consuming job (couple of days), but believe me, it

can be done.

Peter Graichen

n85ae

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 403

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:19 am Post subject: Re: Magnetic Compass

I have a SIRS in the same place, and it works.  I think it's simply a better

compass than the others. I did not degauss either.



Jeff Hays.



Series 5, IO240B

ruebd(at)skymail.csus.edu
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:59 am Post subject: Magnetic Compass

Jeff:



Do you love your IO240B4B as much as I do mine?  



Duane Rueb, K5 Safari



--

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:56 am Post subject: Magnetic Compass

I'm in 100% agreement with you Peter.   Although he only time it should take more than an hour or two to swing a compass  is if you have Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) or for some reason can't use  a compass rose.  For the grass field guys you can lay out a compass rose  using nails in the turf with a bit of fluorescent tope tied to the ends.  I  think you can easily go over board with compass swings as there are a lot of  factors which contribute to good readings.  Parallax and where the centre  of the plane is are just two that come to mind.



I have a little  problem with my plane.  It is on floats and that adds to the  complexity of turning the plane to the correct headings with the engine  running.  I could do a swing while it is on the trailer but that will  introduce a slight error.  It was suggested to me that I set my GPS to read  magnetic and on a calm day use it to get my headings and set the compass with  the aeroplane underway.  We have plenty of water around here and where ever  you have plenty of water you will also have plenty of boats and other things you  really wouldn't want to hit because you were fiddling with a compass.  My  only answer is someday to get someone who is qualified to slow taxi the plane (  that should take 5 min) to steer/drive the headings while I adjust the  compass.



It is out a couple of degrees right now but as long as I know  which quadrant North is I'll be OK.  One of the advantages of living on an  island.



 

[img]cid:263295015(at)22082007-2AD9[/img]  

 Noel Loveys, RPP, AME intern

 Campbellton, Newfoundland, 

 Canada

 Kitfox Mod III-A, 582, B box, Ivo IFA

 Aerocet 1100s

 noelloveys(at)yahoo.ca (noelloveys(at)yahoo.ca)

 

 

 

 

 



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_________________
Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:56 am Post subject: Magnetic Compass

did you try moving the compass  to another location?  Possibly above the windshield?  You may have to  install an aluminium support for it up there but it should be more or less free  to work properly in that location.

  

 Noel.

  

  

 [quote]   

   --

_________________
Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

akflyer

Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 574
Location: Soldotna AK

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:39 am Post subject: Re: Magnetic Compass

I have used a hand held AC mag yoke for doing several airframes.  I just go over the tubes with the gauss meter to determine the areas with a magnetic field, then de-magnitize the area.  To de-mag the area, you start out with the mag yoke on the tube powered up, and leaving the power on you slowly pull the yoke off the tubes with a twisting motion and leave the power on till you are a good 12" away from the tubes.  I have never spend more than an hour on an airframe to de-mag the cockpit area.  You can order a cheap gauss meter from harbor freight or many other online stores.   A quick google search should have one at your door in no time.



As was mentioned above, pull your radios and compass out before you start playing with the mag yoke.



I am at work for 2 weeks, but would be more than happy to send you my mag yoke and gauss meter if you cant find one localy when I get back home.

_________________
DO NOT ARCHIVE
Leonard Perry aka SNAKE
Soldotna AK
Avid "C" / Mk IV
582 (147 hrs and counting on the rebuild)
IVO IFA
Full Lotus 1450
#1 snake oil salesman since 1-22-2009

I would rather die trying to live, than to live trying not to die....

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