Digital Compasses

[boomx5]

I was wondering if anybody has any opinion about digital compasses?

 

[SubMariner]

I can see pros and cons to the digital compass. Firstly, how easily can it be read underwater? How well does it perform? Also, for people that are mathematically challenged, setting a reciprocal course may be tough.

Just some thoughts. (Yes, I know the coherent ones are so RARE these days.

~SubMariner~

 

[Rick Murchison]

A compass is an aid to navigation - that is, an aid to figuring where you are relative to some other fix or object. Even in highly sophisticated navaids like the ones we used in military airplanes we never used instruments that simply provided a digital readout of heading, but rather a range of headings, some directional indicator of some sort or even a good old fashioned compass card backing the instrument readout - the reason is that visualization of relative position is most of the nav problem. Knowing that I'm heading 285 degrees and the boat is at 130 degrees is nice, but being able to visualize that that means the boat is nearly behind me to the left is a whole lot easier if I have a compass card to look at than if I only have the numbers.
I'll stick with the old way.
Rick

 

[boomx5]

Hey thanks guys, I think I am going to stick to the analog style until someone can convince me the digital is better. By the way Rick, cool plane!

 

[scubabunny]

Shoot...I'm still trying to figure out the regular compass (I've learned I'm NOT supposed to follow the arrow!) And now, people throw digital ones at me?????

Does it look pretty???? hehe

 

[thediveman]

i am looking to buy a underweter digital compass where would i get one from

 

[NudeDiver]

I don't see any benefits at all to a digital compass. Now - if it somehow were able to detect magnetic field and record position in memory based on the detected field, and create a positional "track" of the dive that you could download - that would be something I am interested in. But just converting an analog function to a digital function, with no value added doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[jmk1]

Go analog . . . one less battery to fail . . . the Suunto SK-7 is a legend.