+bickhart814 Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Sorry if I missed this topic before......... But, What will happen to all the GPS'r and compasses when in year 2012 that the Earth's magnetic field may flip North and South. Will there be a update program issued or just have to deal with the reversal. Thanks bickhart814 Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 The GPS system is not reliant on magnetic North or South. Shouldn't affect a thing. If it happens - real long shot. We will keep calling the North - North - even if it isn't magnetically correct. Quote Link to comment
+The Leprechauns Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 The Mayan calendar says that the world will end before then, so polarity should be the least of our worries. If for some reason the Mayan calendar is inaccurate, then I will probably buy a Magellan. Flipping the poles might be the secret that will finally make Magellans more accurate than Garmins. Quote Link to comment
+coggins Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 We will keep calling the North - North - even if it isn't magnetically correct. We do now. The North Magnetic pole is a Magnetic South Pole (-). That's why the North (+) pointer on a compass points to it. Most laymen assume that "North Magnetic Pole" and "Magnetic North Pole" are interchangable. Follow the link for more information. Quote Link to comment
+admo1972 Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Curious, where did you hear this 2012 date? I know the magnetic poles have flipped in the past and will again, and that recently there has been some evidence that we are approaching another reversal, but 2012? As far as I know, it could be in a few years to several thousand or even tens of thousands of years off... Compasses will point south instead of north, some migratory birds may get confused, etc. But as far as I know, the effects are expected to be minimal. Quote Link to comment
Mushtang Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Maybe Global Warming is what's going to cause the flip? It seems to be the cause of everything else. Quote Link to comment
nonaeroterraqueous Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 I know the magnetic poles have flipped in the past and will again.... Having observed it happening before.... Quote Link to comment
+bickhart814 Posted November 30, 2007 Author Share Posted November 30, 2007 We will keep calling the North - North - even if it isn't magnetically correct. We do now. The North Magnetic pole is a Magnetic South Pole (-). That's why the North (+) pointer on a compass points to it. Most laymen assume that "North Magnetic Pole" and "Magnetic North Pole" are interchangable. Follow the link for more information. Just go to google and type 2012....... Quote Link to comment
+coggins Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 We will keep calling the North - North - even if it isn't magnetically correct. We do now. The North Magnetic pole is a Magnetic South Pole (-). That's why the North (+) pointer on a compass points to it. Most laymen assume that "North Magnetic Pole" and "Magnetic North Pole" are interchangable. Follow the link for more information. Just go to google and type 2012....... Yes, I know that the Mayan calendar ends on 21 Dec, 2012. They just need an update. As far as a geomagnetic reversal, I doubt it. Quote Link to comment
+admo1972 Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Looked at some of those 2012 sites, and looks like a bunch of hooey to me. The first site I looked at actually said the Earth would start to rotate in the opposite direction! Sorry, but physics would prevent that. All the Planets direction of rotation were set in the creation of the Solar System, and all rotate the same direction (the major exceptions being Uranus and Venus, which orbit retrograde because of external forces (being hit by some ginormous energy impact). Fact is: people love to say the world is going to end on a specific date. But no one knows when the poles will reverse. Somehow these wolf-criers latched onto 2012 (maybe because it will be a big sun-spot year?) Quote Link to comment
+Scare Force One Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 The Mayan calendar says that the world will end before then, so polarity should be the least of our worries. If for some reason the Mayan calendar is inaccurate, then I will probably buy a Magellan. Flipping the poles might be the secret that will finally make Magellans more accurate than Garmins. December 21 2012 is the date. And it's not just the myans. Nostradaumus also predicts the end on that date. ~.~Scare Force One Quote Link to comment
+JohnnyVegas Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Sorry if I missed this topic before......... But, What will happen to all the GPS'r and compasses when in year 2012 that the Earth's magnetic field may flip North and South. Will there be a update program issued or just have to deal with the reversal. Thanks bickhart814 I think that is when the Cobra GPSrs will becme accurate Quote Link to comment
+EEeee! Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Here's some good discussion on the topic of the Earth's magnetic fields, the possibility of a polar shift, and what affects it all might have. Written by a NASA guy... Q&A about Earth's Magnetic Fields Quote Link to comment
+Maeglin Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 I've personally lost count of how many times the world has ended... If a polar shift does happen, magnetic variance will simply hit the triple digit mark. Life will go on. Quote Link to comment
+trainlove Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 I've personally lost count of how many times the world has ended... If a polar shift does happen, magnetic variance will simply hit the triple digit mark. Life will go on. There are places already that have a triple digit variation. Quote Link to comment
+edscott Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Sorry if I missed this topic before......... But, What will happen to all the GPS'r and compasses when in year 2012 that the Earth's magnetic field may flip North and South. Will there be a update program issued or just have to deal with the reversal. Thanks bickhart814 GPS I dunno.. Compass.. The white end of the arrow will point to magnetic north and geolife will continue as normal. Quote Link to comment
Uberquandary Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 The Mayan calendar says that the world will end before then, so polarity should be the least of our worries. If for some reason the Mayan calendar is inaccurate, then I will probably buy a Magellan. Flipping the poles might be the secret that will finally make Magellans more accurate than Garmins. December 21 2012 is the date. And it's not just the myans. Nostradaumus also predicts the end on that date. ~.~Scare Force One One of Nostradamus' predictions being interpretable before the fact would be different. See, the world really is about to end! That's two days before my birthday. I hope it holds off until the 24th. Quote Link to comment
4wheelin_fool Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Sorry if I missed this topic before......... But, What will happen to all the GPS'r and compasses when in year 2012 that the Earth's magnetic field may flip North and South. Will there be a update program issued or just have to deal with the reversal. Thanks bickhart814 The earth"s magnetic pole is moving already at 25 miles per year, and will be in Russia by then. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...north_pole.html It is very unlikely that it will "flip". The same sources that are saying this, said it would flip during a planetary alignment on May 5, 2000 (which never happened of course) The same sources also predicted dire consequences during Y2K on 1/1/2000, which never happened. The Mayans never said the world would end in 2012 either. It's only the end of their calendar cycle. Of course there will be worldwide rioting and looting in early November 2012 when Hillary Clinton gets reelected, but thats another topic.. Quote Link to comment
+zafwon Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 (edited) Dang! I was suppose to retire in 2012! Now your telling me the world is going to end? (Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012) Edited December 1, 2007 by zafwon Quote Link to comment
+Eric K Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Just hold your GPS upside down! Quote Link to comment
+The Waldo's Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 I am selling software to protect You from the Y3K bug Just $99.99 + shipping and handling. Please allow 4 to 6 hundred years for delivery. Quote Link to comment
+EraSeek Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 (edited) What happens to the magnetic field during reversal: Question #6-C Could you tell me when the earth's magnetic poles will change, and what will happen when it does? Will it happen fast (seconds) or slowly? Thank you! Sarah Reply Dear Sarah No one knows when the next field reversal will occur: in the past, they have occurred on the average about once in 500,000 years. The change, whenever it occurs, will be gradual and the field will not drop to zero in between--doing so would mean that the magnetic energy of the Earth was somehow converted or dissipated, and all processes we know for this tend to run on scales of thousands of year, if not more. Right now the main (dipole) field is getting weaker at a rate of about 7% per century, and if you draw a straight line through the points you find it reversing between 1000 and 2000 years from now. It might happen, though the trend may also change before then. But as explained elsewhere, even if a reversal occurs, the field does not disappear during the time of polarity change, it just gets more complex and weaker. The polar field of the Sun seems to reverse every 11 years or so, taking about a year or more. But the Sun's magnetism is different, it has foci right on the surface, in sunspots. Edited December 1, 2007 by EraSeek Quote Link to comment
+coggins Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 You can start using this map then, no worries mate: Quote Link to comment
Donald, Daisy and Kids Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 The Mayan calendar says that the world will end before then, so polarity should be the least of our worries. If for some reason the Mayan calendar is inaccurate, then I will probably buy a Magellan. Flipping the poles might be the secret that will finally make Magellans more accurate than Garmins. December 21 2012 is the date. And it's not just the myans. Nostradaumus also predicts the end on that date. ~.~Scare Force One Well I recon we all get buck naked, drink loads of alcohol, and be as merry as we can until that date......... tis only 12mths away now so we better get partying if the world is going to end! Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 The Mayan calendar says that the world will end before then, so polarity should be the least of our worries. If for some reason the Mayan calendar is inaccurate, then I will probably buy a Magellan. Flipping the poles might be the secret that will finally make Magellans more accurate than Garmins. December 21 2012 is the date. And it's not just the myans. Nostradaumus also predicts the end on that date. ~.~Scare Force One Well I recon we all get buck naked, drink loads of alcohol, and be as merry as we can until that date......... tis only 12mths away now so we better get partying if the world is going to end! This discussion is about the effect of a magnetic polar change, kindly stick with the topic at hand. It's also not a getting started issue, so moving to the general forum. Quote Link to comment
+Vinny & Sue Team Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Sorry if I missed this topic before......... But, What will happen to all the GPS'r and compasses when in year 2012 that the Earth's magnetic field may flip North and South. Will there be a update program issued or just have to deal with the reversal. Thanks bickhart814 Your letter, while rather apocryphal and vague (in that you did not cite sources for your vague assertions) raises some fascinating questions, issues and possibilities. Here goes: While it is true that the earth's magnetic poles do regularly shift, why do you believe that the next such shift will happen in the year 2012? Who told you this? Or did you learn this piece of information in a dream? Your mention of the year 2012 is a bit ominous, as many modern New Age soothsayers tell us that their own private interpretation of Mayan lore and the Mayan calendar indicates the the world will come to an end on December 21 in the year 2012. On a related note to the End of Days note above, it is also true that many hundreds of New Age channelers also claim that that their channeled information from sources on the "Other Side" suggests that the world will end on or before the year 2012. On yet one more related note to the two End of Days notes above, it must be noted that many modern New Age self-styled "historians" who are obsessed with the fabled ancient cities of Atlantis and Lemuria claim that a major rift between our universe and the Evil Universe happened during the endtimes of Lemuria, and that this rift between the universes was reflected in mirror events which took place in the year 2011 and the year 4011. So, if the Atlantean/Lemurian theorists are right, and even if we do ever reach the year 2012, possible pole shifts may be the least of our concerns after the mirror space-time rift which is predicted to occur in the year 2011. On yet one more note related to the three End of Days notes above, it must also be noted that we often find fundamentalist Jack Chick religious tracts in geocaches. According to these tracts from Jack Chick, we are already in the End of Days, i.e., the End Time, and the final end is not far away, and thus, we will never live to see the year 2012, and so, if Chick's assertion is true, then your concern becomes meaningless. And, on yet one more note related to the four End of Days scenarios discussed above, I must note that a number of physicists and astrophysicists, along with some pay persons, have expressed dire concern that some upcoming particle accelerator studies being planned for execution over the next two years at the CERN facility in Europe and at other large accelerators around the world may likely trigger a collapse/disappearance of the entire known universe, in which case, any of your worries about the year 2012 become moot. Once a so-called "pole shift happens, it usually takes several thousand years before a definable -- as in repeatedly and reliably able to be measured by a compass -- set of discrete magnetic "poles" appears again, and in the interim, a compass would likely point willy-nilly, depending upon where on the Earth's surface you were standing and the vagaries of the still-shifting local geomagnetic fields. Please be advised that the modern GPS system does not depend at all upon real-time observations or measures of magnetic north and south poles. So, in the event of a pole shift -- which is actually a gradual process which normally takes thousands of years, anyway, while it is true that your magnetic compass may not work well for a few thousand years, the GPS system and the Galileo system should continue to work just fine. Hope this helped to put things in perspective! Quote Link to comment
+tabulator32 Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Here is a countdown clock, just in case anyone is interested. The "Last Day of Existence" happens to fall on a Friday so make your party plans accordingly! Countdown to the End of the Mayan Calendar Quote Link to comment
nonaeroterraqueous Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Here is a countdown clock, just in case anyone is interested. The "Last Day of Existence" happens to fall on a Friday so make your party plans accordingly! Countdown to the End of the Mayan Calendar I'll have to make sure I call in sick that day. Is this subject really geocaching related? Quote Link to comment
+tabulator32 Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 I'll have to make sure I call in sick that day. Is this subject really geocaching related? I suppose it is if you planned on going caching that weekend and actually use a compass while you're out. Quote Link to comment
zulutime Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 "2012, it's the new Y2k." "IT'S REALLY SCARY!!! (I'm not kidding this time!)" Quote Link to comment
zulutime Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 It's time to make dinner reservations for the Restaurant At The End Of The Universe®..."Have a really great steak and watch the universe go 'FOOM!' ." Quote Link to comment
+Walt Jabsco Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 The world will end on March 16, 2880. Asteroid DA-1950 will be the cause. Duck and cover. Quote Link to comment
+CYBret Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 I stand by my prediction from five years ago. Quote Link to comment
+The Leprechauns Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 I stand by my prediction from five years ago. I don't know which is more frightening... the fact that I remember that post from when you first made it, or the fact that you've been standing next to it all this time. Quote Link to comment
nonaeroterraqueous Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 I'll have to make sure I call in sick that day. Is this subject really geocaching related? I suppose it is if you planned on going caching that weekend and actually use a compass while you're out. Good point. If I call in sick to go geocaching that day, I'll have to make sure I brought spare batteries for my Garmin. Quote Link to comment
+KG1960 Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 As a few others have said, the geological record indicates the magnetic poles do periodically shift. So, no surprise that it should happen again. However, it usually has taken several hundred to a few thousand years for the shift to complete, so predicting a specific date is absurd. Quote Link to comment
+tabulator32 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 As a few others have said, the geological record indicates the magnetic poles do periodically shift. So, no surprise that it should happen again. However, it usually has taken several hundred to a few thousand years for the shift to complete, so predicting a specific date is absurd. The drastic magnetic shift is only one of the theories suggested for December 21th, 2012. It does not specifically say there will be a magnetic shift on that day. Some theories suggest Planet X (the tenth planet of our solar system on an incredibly elongated elliptical orbit) will show itself again and its closest point of approach will occur on that day. There are dozens of other theories as well. Frankly, all that is known for actual fact about that day is that it is the end of the Mayan calendar and they made no attempt to organize the tracking of the passing days beyond that point. Frankly, I expect there will be some hooplah in the "bizarre news of the day" section for filler material and, of course, there will be some commercial endeavors attempting to make a buck or two (T-shirt sales, emergency kits, whatever) but it will probably come and go like any other day. Or it could be Armageddon. I'm really not sure. Quote Link to comment
+Team Black-Cat Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 As far as Mayans go, I would have to say that 2012 was a bit far sighted... Quote Link to comment
+EraSeek Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 A much more realistic worry for Geocachers is Apophis. There will be a near Earth pass in 2029, and if it passes within a "keyhole" during that pass it could strike the Earth in 2036. Still a slim chance. HOWEVER, it will certainly pass within the orbits of geosynchronous satellites! But I suppose it may eat only one or two. : ) Quote Link to comment
+Vinny & Sue Team Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 As a few others have said, the geological record indicates the magnetic poles do periodically shift. So, no surprise that it should happen again. However, it usually has taken several hundred to a few thousand years for the shift to complete, so predicting a specific date is absurd. Exactly! This is one of the points which I made earlier, that a pole shift -- when it does occur -- does not happen overnite, and rather is very slow and sloppy process, often taking up to several thousand years to complete. Quote Link to comment
rogheff Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I'd prefer a more scientific explaination: Professor Thundercloud Quote Link to comment
+beezerb Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 OH KNOW! I just ckecked and our calander ends on December 31st of this year. But on the bright side it's on a Monday. Quote Link to comment
+EraSeek Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 So what will happen when the mag poles switch? Nothing to the GPS sats or the system itself. (to qualify that... there may be some effect. During solar storms the magnosphere compresses, as I understand it, causing drag on sats and a more agitated ionosphere. A dispersed magnetic field will probably react somewhat differently. Perhaps even less effect on the "GPS" system, but only during the switch over.) Manufacturers will have to make the red "north" needle red on the other end after things sort out, (no big deal). Finally, the "NORTH" pole will truely be north! You will see Norhtern Lights appear at various latitudes (not just northern and southern) during the change. The magnetic field will not dissappear, so we are safe from external radiation, but it will be weakened, (dispersed). Wear your sunscreen during the chage. Various cult members will commit suicide and all remaining dinosuars will meet a horrible death. Quote Link to comment
+trainlove Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 The world will end on March 16, 2880. Asteroid DA-1950 will be the cause. Duck and cover. That asteroid will be mined out to make toasters long before it has a chance to hit us. Now if it was 10 years away instead of closer to 900 years, we would be up the creek. Quote Link to comment
+TeamThom Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Where will the northern lights go? Will I have to change my compass declination hourly? I'm going with 2012 myself. All year this year I've been telling my boss that our products don't need to last 20 years, just until 2012. When the pole shift comes there will be a great uproar in the earth's core. Plates will shift, massive earthquakes, volcanic eruption, dogs and cats sleeping together sort of thing. The lose of caches will be unprecedented, as they will be swallowed by the earth and covered in lava. Those that remain will be at the wrong coordinates. We need to stock up now on cache containers so that we can rebuild. P.S. I love threads like this. Quote Link to comment
+tabulator32 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 1845 Days...just in case anyone is keeping track. Quote Link to comment
+Jonovich Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Anyone with a Garmin 60CSX will of course have to re-calibrate the electronic compass - but then hey, no change from a normal day there Hell, it may even be more reboust afterwards Jon Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I hope the northern lights come here! Quote Link to comment
+EraSeek Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I hope the northern lights come here! Here's a good place to keep an eye on for where they are: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html Quote Link to comment
+Team Cotati Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I hope the northern lights come here! If they do show up, after you have finished with them, could you please send them over here? Thank you, that would be really really sweet. Quote Link to comment
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