NS100

Fundamentals of
Naval Science

Magnetic Compass
 Objectives:
1. Describe the purpose and operation of
the magnetic compass.
2. Discuss magnetic theory and application.

3. Define, identify, and solve for

variation, deviation, compass error,
magnetic bearings and true bearings.
 Magnetic Compass Theory
Mechanics - the card that shows the compass
bearings has a small magnet which is
attracted to the earth’s north pole.
Physics - the earth’s core is made of iron
and acts as a large magnet with it poles
in line with the earth’s axis.
Note: the magnetic north pole is not located
at exactly at 90o North latitude.
 Variation
Magnetic Poles - do not align exactly with the
true poles and their position changes a
little bit from year to year.
Magnetic Meridians - are skewed for true
meridians because of irregularities in
the earth’s core.
True Bearing = Magnetic Bearing + Variation
( add East Variation or
subtract West Variation)
 VARIATION
True North Pole Magnetic North Pole
Notice that the
two poles
aren’t together.
The magnetic
compass point
to the magnetic
pole, and this
gives us
VARIATION.
 DEVIATION
A normal compass only
has one force pulling
on it: the magnetic
force of the earth’s core
orienting it towards
magnetic north.
 DEVIATION
A ship’s compass also
must deal with
magnetic forces from
the ship itself. The sum
total of these forces
pulls the compass
slightly away from
magnetic north,
producing
DEVIATION.
 Deviation
Ship’s Magnetic Field - each steel ship has
a magnetic field that can cause changes
in a magnetic compass.
Degaussing - process of creating a magnetic
field to counter the natural magnetic field
of the ship’s steel.
Compass Card - Gives Deviation based on
whether degaussing is on and heading.
 Compass Error
Deviation + Variation = Compass Error
If observed bearing is Least, Error is East.
If observed bearing is Best, Error is West.

Example: Deviation is 2o West & Variation

o
is 13 East, what is compass
error?
o o o
Answer: 13 - 2 = 11 East Error
 Applications of Compass Error
o
Can Compass Bearing ( pstgc)
Dead Deviation
Men Magnetic Meridian
Vote Variation
o
Twice True Bearing ( T)
@ Add
Elections East Error
 Applications of Compass Error
Cont.
Scenario: The USS Boxer just lost it’s gyro
compass while steering 125o T. The conning
officer needs to give a magnetic compass
course. What course do you recommend?
o
Given: Variation is 8 West from the compass
rose on the chart, annual increase
was added to the variation.
Deviation is 2.5 East from the ship’s
o

compass card for course 133o T.

Applications of Compass Error
Cont.

• Truly True Course

• Valiant Variation
• Marine Mag. Mer.
• Don’t Deviation
• Cry Compass
•@ Add
•Wedding West
 Applications of Compass Error
Cont.
• T = 125 T
o

• V = 8 West
o
Top
• M = 125 + 8 = 133 Conning
Officer
• D = 2.5 East
o

• C = 133 + (- 2.5)
• Ans = 130.5 pstgc
o
 Review Questions
1. Describe how the navigator determines
the variation for his area of operation?
2. State how to convert from True
bearing to compass bearings?
3. What is magnetic compass error and
how is it determined?
4. Why does a magnetic compass point north?
 NS100
Fundamentals of
Naval Science

Gyro Compass
 Objectives:
1. Discuss gyrocompass theory and
shipboard application.
2. Describe the differences and relationships
of true bearings, relative bearings and
“per gyro compass” (PGC) bearings.
3. Discuss and describe gyro error and the
methods used to determine gyro error.
4. Demonstrate how to determine and correct
for gyro error.
 Gyro Compass Theory
Mechanics - A spinning wheel which is held
by two gimbals (Electronically Stabilized)

Physics - A gyro will always point in one

direction (Aligned to point to True North)
Precession - Apply a force to a gyro and it
will move, the earth’s rotation causes a
force that points a Gyro toward True
North .
 Gyro Applications
Shipboard Use - There are usually two gyros
which are placed deep in the
ship on the centerline.
Primary- (Master gyro) oriented to north/south,
used for navigation & shiphandling.
Auxiliary- (Back up gyro) oriented east/west,
used for combat systems.
 Gyro Applications
(cont)
Bridge - gyro repeaters are located on the
bridge wings, navigation table, captain’s
chair & center line which is refereed to as
“centerline pelorus.”
CIC - repeaters located near the navigation
table, TAO’s chair, and DRT.
Weapons - gyro inputs (i.e.. pitch/roll, heading
& yaw) are used by fire control computers
 First Gyro
• The first serially
Gyro compass was
installed aboard
USS UTHAH on
November 13, 1911
 True, Relative & PGC Bearing
True vs. Relative - Relative bearings can’t be
plotted on charts so they must be converted.
Relative bearing + Ship’s Head = True Bearing

True vs. PGC - Repeaters give a reading that

does not account for Gyro Error
Gyro Bearing + Easterly Error = True Bearing
 000 T

270 T 090 T
270 R
180 T

000 R
180 R

090 R
 True
North

The target is due south

of the ship (180T), but
is off the starboard
beam, so the relative
bearing is 090 R.
 True Ship’s head=
North 090 T
000 R

Ship’s head + Relative

Relative
Bearing = True bearing Bearing =
090 T + 090 R= 180 T 090 R
 True
North
The target is still due
south of the ship
(180T), but now it is off
the port quarter, so the
new relative bearing is
225 R.
 True, Relative & PGC Bearing
Cont.
Gyro Error - is the difference between the gyro
reading and the true bearing.

If Gyro is Least, Error is East

If Gyro is Best, Error is West
o
Example: If Your are on a range bearing 089 T
o
and the centerline pelorus reads 090 pgc,
what is the gyro error?
 True, Relative & PGC Bearing
Cont.

• Gyro = 090o and True = 089o,

Gyro = Best
o o
F
o
Error = West
• 090 - 089 = 1
o
• Answer: 1 Westerly Error
 Gyro Error in Navigation
Causes of Error
• Friction
• Ship’s Motion
• Electronic Malfunctions
• Power Fluctuations

Gyro Error - A gyro compass is a mechanical

device with inherent error, the key is
knowing the error and adjusting for it.
 Gyro Error in Navigation
Cont.
Determination of Error
• Visual Range.
• Adjusting Three LOP’s (triangulation).
• Comparing a “PGC” bearing with a know
true bearing.
• Celestial Azimuths and Amplitudes.
• Comparison with a Gyro of Known Error.
 Repeater Error
G+E=T Formula - The same type of correction
applies as with Gyro Error.

Repeater Error- The difference between a gyro

repeater and the master gyro compass.

Example: The port bridge wing repeater reads

o o o
187 and the master reads 190 with 2
East gyro error, what is the true bearing?
 Repeater Error
Cont.
Repeater = 187o and Master = 190o,
Gyro Repeater = Least
o
190 - 187
o o F
= 3 East
Error = East

True = Gyro + Error

o o o
True = 187 + (3 E + 2 E )
o o
True = 187 + 5
o
Answer: 192 T
 Gyro Failure
In the event gyro failure, the magnetic compass
must be used. LOP’s are taken in relative
bearings. Then add the relative bearings to
the magnetic heading to get a magnetic
bearing.
Rel. Bearing+Mag. Ship’s Head=Mag. Bearing

Then the magnetic heading can be converted to

true bearing by using CDMVT @ E formula.
 Review Questions
1. How does a gyro compass work ?
o
2. Convert 285 pgc to true bearing if gyro
o
error is 5 E?
3. List three different methods of determining
Gyro Error?
4. Name three users of gyro inputs?
NN 204
Advanced Navigation

Global Positioning System

 Objectives:
1. List the four major advantages of GPS.

2. Be able to list and describe the 3 components

of GPS .

3. Describe how a GPS receiver determines a

position from a satellite.

4. Be able to describe how many LOP’s are

needed for a 2D & a 3D position.
 Objectives:
5. Briefly describe the differences between the
civilian SPS & the military PPS services.

6. Decribe the term “Figure of Merit”, the

numerical value for the best and worst
accuracy readings and some of the primary
sources of error associated with GPS.

7. Briefly describe “selective availability”.

 Objectives:
8. Briefly describe “anti-spoofing.”

9. Describe the four different modes in which

GPS operates and normal operating mode.

10. Be able to list 5 military & civilian

applications for GPS.

11. Be able to describe how DGPS works and

some of the benefits/drawbacks to the
 Advantages of GPS
1. Extremely accurate.

2. Worldwide 24 hour coverage.

3. Passive system.

4. All-weather operation.
 Components of GPS
1. Satellites - A constellation of 24 satellites
orbit the earth at very high altitude (10,900
NM) in six orbital planes - each satellite
completing two revolutions per day.

- broadcast continuously on 2 frequencies,

with codes and navigation message
modulated on the carrier signals.
 GPS System components
1. Space Vehicles (Satellites):
• Constellation of 24 orbiting at 10,900 NM
(6 orbital planes).

• 2 rev per day for each satellite.

• 6 to 10 satellites always in view

Xmitting on 1572.42 and
1227.6mhz
 Components of GPS
2. Control Segment - Consists of the Master
Control Station (MCS), 5 monitor stations
and 4 ground transmitters.

- Monitor stations passively track all

satellites in view, accumulating range
data. The MCS processes the data &
updates each satellite’s navigation
message. The ground stations transmit
the new navigation message to the
satellites.
 GPS CONTROL STATIONS
5 MONITOR STATIONS

- HAWAII
- KWAJALEIN
- ASCENSION ISLAND
- DIEGO GARCIA
- COLORADO SPRINGS
 GPS CONTROL STATIONS
5 MONITOR STATIONS
-Passively track satellites in view

-MCS processes data & updates

satellites nav message

-Updated Info is Xmitted to satellites

via 3 ground antennas
 GPS CONTROL STATIONS
MASTER CONTROL STATION
The Master Control Station (MCS)
is located at Schriever, AFB
in Colorado Springs.

Ascension Is, Diego Garcia, Cape

Canaveral & Kwajalein Is have
ground antennas
 Correct orbit and
clock frequency

Observe Create new upload

Compute navigation
ephemeris navigation
errors message
and clock message

Monitor Station Master Control Station Upload Station

 Components of GPS
3. User Equipment - Receivers are lightweight,
small, and relatively inexpensive.

- Used by both conventional & SPECOPS

forces.
- Civilian community makes up 90% of
current users.
 GPS Operation
- GPS uses satellite triangulation to
determine a position much like is done in
cel nav with the stars.
- Positions are calculated from distance
measurements to satellites.
- The distance is determined by measuring
how long a radio signal takes to reach a
receiver from a satellite.
 GPS Operation
- Pseudo random Noise Codes - a set of
complicated digital codes that determines
the time difference between receiver and
satellite which will yield a single LOP.
- Data from a second satellite will produce a
set of two distinct positions on the surface
of the earth, of which only one is close to
your DR (ie. a fix).
 A B

4 seconds 6 seconds

X
 GPS Operation
- Each satellite has an atomic clock for time
accuracy (to the nearest nanosecond),
however, receiving units do not.
- The error in the receiving clocks,
therefore, gives an error in position
accuracy.
 A B

4 seconds 6 seconds

XX
5 seconds 7 seconds
(wrong time) (wrong time)
 GPS Operation
- Using a third satellite corrects for this
error. Taking 3 LOP’s and assuming an
equal error for each, the error can be
calculated and an exact position obtained.

- Thus, three satellites are needed for a 2D

position and four for a 3D position.
 A B

X
9 seconds
(wrong time)
XX 7 seconds
5 seconds
(wrong time)
(wrong time)

C
 GPS Services
• Standard Positioning Service (SPS): a
positioning service which is available to all
GPS users on continuous, worldwide basis.
• Precise Positioning Service (PPS): a
service developed primarily for military use
which is more accurate and “Protected.”
 Figure of Merit (FOM or FG)
• Modern technology cannot eliminate all
sources of error to GPS, so receivers use a
“figure of merit” for a general indication of
fix accuracy.
• FOM1 (FG1) is the most accurate and
FOM9 (FG9) is the least accurate. A FOM5
or greater cannot be used for a fix.
 System Error
The primary sources of error that are difficult to
eliminate are:
1. Ionospheric and atmospheric delays
2. Small deviations with the atomic clocks
3. Math errors with receiving units.
4. Satellite signals taking a “circuitous” path to
the receivers
5. Geometry between the receiver and satellites.
Selective Availability and Anti-spoofing

• Two distinct techniques are used to prevent

unauthorized use of PPS:
– Selective Availability: the intentional alteration
and degradation of GPS accuracy
– Anti-spoofing: designed to protect against
spoofing (imitation) and unauthorized use by
encrypting the P code
 Selective Availability (S/A)
Key points regarding S/A:
1. Allows control of the accuracy of the
civilian/unencrypted GPS signal.
2. Basically a rheostat control which can
reduce GPS accuracy from 100m to 2500m.
3. Controlled from the MCS at Falcon AFB
4. Requires Presidential order to invoke.
 Navy Utilization of GPS
1. Oceanic / coastal region navigation

2. Mine delivery and sweeping

3. NGFS

4. All-weather missions

5. Coordinated operations

6. Passive rendezvous
 Navy Utilization of GPS
7. Search & Rescue

8. Command & Control

9. FBM accuracy improvement

10. Amphibious Assault

11. Submarine Warfare

 Civil Applications of GPS
1. Space Shuttle

2. Air navigation

3. Static positioning / timing

4. Land navigation

5. Maritime navigation

6. Search & Rescue

 Differential Global Positioning
System (DGPS)
• DGPS makes use of an additional correction
signal added to the regular GPS signal.
• this is the only “legal” means of correcting
for S/A
 DGPS
How does it work?
A GPS receiver on the ground in a known
location receives positioning info from satellites
and determines exactly what errors the satellite
data contains.
The ground receiver can than transmit an error
correction message to any GPS receivers that are
in the local area and they can correct their position
solutions.
 GPS Satellites

Differential
Reference
Station
Control Broadcast
Center Transmitter

Integrity
Data Monitor DGPS
Communications User Equipment
 DGPS
• Benefits: DGPS accuracy and integrity are
better then GPS (w/in 10 meters or better).
• Drawbacks: DGPS requires additional
receiver equipment and coverage area is
limited.