Who else knows of any compass "dead zones"

[+Kabuthunk]

I was just pondering the other day (and as well, typing up this topic will be a mental reminder as well) where I could in the future put a Geocache that would be somewhat interesting.

 

And then it came to me that I know of an area about 20 minutes south of the city I'm in that has what I like to call a "Dead Zone". Basically, any compass that I've taken through there goes haywire for about a quarter-mile stretch, then goes back to normal. Keep in mind I've only tried it with traditional compasses... no electronic ones (and I don't have one either, so I have no clue what it would do, or what a really, really high quality regular compass would do). But basically, the needle just spins around a lot, and never centers on anything.

 

Odds are I'll put a cache in the area for the sake of it just being a weird anomaly of... area... or whatever. If anyone knows what that type of area is called, lemme know in here as well

 

Anyone else know places that do this?

[+John Wayne Pooch]

i do not know of any areas like this but now that you mention it, it would make for a great geocache. i am going to glue a compass to my trucks dash and see if i can find any areas like yours. what is the area like?? is it in a slopped area of the road, a thick wooded area?

Edited September 6, 2006 by JDubPooch

[+Kabuthunk]

Nope... it's just kinda beside a random town south of the city, and you hit it going along a major road. Nothing specifically of note there... no big rocks, no hills, nothing. Looks exactly like any other place nearby.

 

I've heard that this can happen if there's lots of a certain type of mineral in the ground... no clue how true that is, but it's just strange. We as well discovered it the same way you described. We got one of those cheesy car compasses for like... 5 bucks for a "car kit" with compass, notepad, junk like that. Driving to the city from where I used to live (about 40 minutes south), we noticed that it started spinning around like mad in one area. Going through several times confirmed it.

 

But yeah... nothing really stands out about the area otherwise.

[+oldsoldier]

It could be cuased by powerlines, or, POSSIBLY, by iron ore close to the surface. Or, a crappy compass . Next time you're in the area, carry a decent compass, see if it does it to that one too. This is kinda interesting, in a nerdy way.

[+Kabuthunk]

Could be the iron ore. No specifically different powerlines are visible there, unless there's some cables for something running underground or something. Unfortunately, due to my horrible schedule at work and previous obligations, I won't be able to make it out there for a bit. I'll try to wake up early tomorrow morning, but i can't guarantee anything. Nuts... next "completely available" day off is next week Wednesday. Well... I'll keep an eye on the topic or maybe look around online and see if this particular location has been documented anywhere. Wish me luck for tomorrow. I like to sleep in, but we'll see.

[nonaeroterraqueous]

• Near the equator: compasses lose direction or often reverse direction
  
• Underground flows of water, especially near the surface: cause the compass to align itself with the flow.
  
• Large steel pipes: compass aligns itself with the pipe.
  
• Large flows of electricity: creates an electromagnetic field that will scramble a compass.
  
• Large underground steel object, like a bomb shelter: does fairly random things to a compass.
  
• flowing magma (let's hope not): redirects the compass according to the direction of flow.
  

There's probably a lot of stuff I haven't thought of yet, but there's a start.

[+cachew nut]

Dude, you are trying to use a compass in Canada, duh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

j/k I think the mineral you were thinking of is lodestone

[+sweetlife]

lots of areas in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan are like this, more so towards the Western and Northern area.

[rbrugman]

I will confirm the Upper Peninsula is like this. I live in Marquette and in many cache areas, a compass is useless. It also doens't work when walking next to rail lines. There is actually an area of our downtown area where rail lines used to run that have since been burried and removed. There is a cache right along the line and if you rely on your magnetic compass, you're going for a trip!

 

Robert

[+edscott]

Best guess is a magnitite deposit. There is a spot near here that has a declination of 180 degrees and the Upper Peninsula accounts make perfect sense. I've done a lot of mapping using a standard baseplate compass and never had power lines become a problem. Don't see any connection with flowing water or latitude except the needle will dip and possibly drag a bit on the housing if you use a northern hemisphere compass in the southern hemisphere. It would take an extremely large metal object underground to have a noticeable effect as you drive by. Old missle silo? Jimmy Hoffa's Limo?

[+brosch]

Basically, any compass that I've taken through there goes haywire for about a quarter-mile stretch, then goes back to normal. Keep in mind I've only tried it with traditional compasses... no electronic ones (and I don't have one either, so I have no clue what it would do, or what a really, really high quality regular compass would do). But basically, the needle just spins around a lot, and never centers on anything.

 

Was this a Tate's brand compass? Those are known for doing that kind of thing.

 

And they are also the reason of that well known saying: "He who has a Tate's is lost".

[+briansnat]

There are large deposits of iron ore in my area and it drives the compasses crazy in some spots.

[+5winters]

Ive seen notes on aviation sectionals(maps for airplanes) that indicate magnetic disturbances that can affect a compass. Just checked my SLC Sectional and it show that there is a 6 deg. magnetic disturbance at ground level in the Pocatello, Idaho area. Also after a quick web search I also found one on the Green Bay sectional. If you have access to an aviation sectional from your area it may indicated a magnetic disturbance in the area you described.

 

Here's a cropped pic from the Green Bay Sectional

 

 

Edit: I just noticed your from Canada, there called Visual navigation charts up there and I've never seen one I but I bet it has similar information.

Edited September 6, 2006 by 5winters

[+Jhwk]

yes, it would be an interesting "hook" for geocaching, but how many actually use a compass while hunting for the cache? It's all about the sats dude.

 

OT but on a similar note, I have found a few caches that were intentionally set in difficult GPSr positions. The page normally says something like "210 EPE was the best I could get - And good luck..."

[+MsChief Gps_y]

I haven't encountered any dead zones re compasses but I placed a cache in an area where a gpsr goes wonky because I found it so fascinating. It baffled, then aroused my curiousity when I could not get anything close to decent co-ords, the gpsr would "blink" and then say I was anywhere from 27k to 87k away and then adjust again. It took me months to get the gpsr to zero out. I'd hoped to get the technical info "why", but it was not to be at this time.

I thought it was a good educational experience and since gpsr's have trouble under forest canopy anyway (though not like this!) that it could be an interesting cache. If only I could find a Trimble to visit the cache again. Sigh. It's not for impatient cachers who want easy smiley's.

Patience with the gpsr will win out usually and using one's cacher's eyes. And reading every word on the cache page. lol

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...8f-36fd1e126272

[+edscott]

yes, it would be an interesting "hook" for geocaching, but how many actually use a compass while hunting for the cache? It's all about the sats dude.

 

So far I know there are about 11 of us that go mainly GPS-Less. Nine of the 11 appear to be totally GPS-less. However, that doesn't mean we use or need a compss either. It's all about the maps dude

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Best guess is a magnitite deposit. There is a spot near here that has a declination of 180 degrees and the Upper Peninsula accounts make perfect sense.

Are you sure it's magnitite? Northern Minnesota is just across the lake from there, where they have (or, had, past tense) a huge tachonite (iron ore) deposit that fairly covers the whole region.

[+dkwolf]

Best guess is a magnitite deposit. There is a spot near here that has a declination of 180 degrees and the Upper Peninsula accounts make perfect sense.

Are you sure it's magnitite? Northern Minnesota is just across the lake from there, where they have (or, had, past tense) a huge tachonite (iron ore) deposit that fairly covers the whole region.

 

I've had experience with that ore deposit, on my last Boundary Waters trip. Dad was lost for a full day trying to navigate by compass. I quickly went into 'look at landmarks, find landmarks on map' mode and had no problem.

 

The ore would be my guess as to the cause of your compass malfunctions.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

There are any of a number of magnetic ore deposits, at varying depths below the surface of the earth, which may cause compasses to either show consistent error or go haywire within a localized area. Also, when my friends the alien grays come to visit in their flying saucers (even worse with the mother ships), I notice that compasses go wild as well, due to the powerful electromagnetic anomalies which are a standard "signature" of openings or windows in space-time which allow anomalous events to occur.

[+Kabuthunk]

So far I know there are about 11 of us that go mainly GPS-Less. Nine of the 11 appear to be totally GPS-less. However, that doesn't mean we use or need a compss either. It's all about the maps dude

Just watch, it'll somehow smear the print on the map when you get close

 

But yeah... due to work constraints and people requesting my free time for various things, I've been unable to get out there as of yet. I'll keep everyone in this topic posted when I can manage to try to locate that place again, assuming it still does it. I've got a better compass now, and it was like... 10 years ago, so my memory's a little hazy

[+edscott]

Best guess is a magnitite deposit. There is a spot near here that has a declination of 180 degrees and the Upper Peninsula accounts make perfect sense.

Are you sure it's magnitite? Northern Minnesota is just across the lake from there, where they have (or, had, past tense) a huge tachonite (iron ore) deposit that fairly covers the whole region.

Yes... "here" is Morgantown PA, Bethlehem Steel had a mine here. They mined Magnitite. I don't know what the Upper Peninsula ore is, but I bet it is magnetic.

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Yes... "here" is Morgantown PA, Bethlehem Steel had a mine here. They mined Magnitite. I don't know what the Upper Peninsula ore is, but I bet it is magnetic.

"Here" is such a relative term on the internet. I confuse myself sometimes. I need an internet Garmin so I can keep track of where the discussion is located.