NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: gyroscopic compasses
From: Nicol�s de Hilster
Date: 2007 Jun 23, 12:37 +0200
From: Nicol�s de Hilster
Date: 2007 Jun 23, 12:37 +0200
In respect to your question you might find the following article interesting: http://www.raytheonmarine.de/cgi-bin/pressrelease.cgi?ref=hs_pressrelease&num=88 I assume the type of compass you are referring to is better known as a Fibre Optic Compass or Fibre Optic Gyro (FOG). One of the best currently available is made by IXSEA. Their products can be found on: http://www.ixsea.com/en/products/002.001.002/surface-navigation-positioning.html The Octans is a gyro and attitude sensor, while the other products on that page also incorporate positioning. An Octans is reasonable small, but not really hand-held (28x14x15cm, 4.8kg). There is no display or any other way to tell what the apparatus is doing other than by interfacing it to a pc. The accuracy is stunning: heading: 0.2 x secants(latitude) degrees roll & pitch: 0.01 degrees. With a price in the region of 65.000,- euro's (I could be off by 15%) this is not really an affordable piece of equipment, even in my business (hydrography), but it is a joy to have it on board (I do use them at a regular basis). I know that smaller and cheaper versions are available, but not by what make and manufacturer. Maybe if you search the internet on Fibre Optic Gyro you might find out more on those. cheers, Nicol�s Geoffrey Kolbe wrote: > Does anyone know of any "hand held" or "portable" gyroscopic compasses > available? I would assume that laser gyroscopic compasses could be made > quite small and - as there are no moving parts - be reasonably cheap if > made in sufficient quantity. > > Thanks > > Geoffrey Kolbe > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ To post to this group, send email to NavList@fer3.com To , send email to NavList-@fer3.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---