On Sun, 13 Nov 2005 12:15:19 -0000, Vortex
wrote:

Just got out my trusty 30 year old SILVA compass to do a bit of
surveying,
and I've noticed the red (should be north) end of the needle is pointing
south!!

By way of confirmation the needle still "dips" to the north...it's just
the
wrong end of the needle that is both pointing and "dipping" to the north.

Can anybody offer a plausible explanation for this? I'm mystified!

I cannot come up with why the magnetization changed, but the dip I can
explain. Compass capsules are made in North and South hemisphere types,
possibly even equatorial. If a compass needle pointed direct to the North
magnetic pole, it would point downwards at about 45 degrees in the UK. To
counteract this, the needle is actually out of balance North to South,
depending on which hemisphere it is made for. Perhaps it would be useful
to a novice scout. Instead of joining the Reciprocal Club, he might
actually get to his destination.

John Schmitt

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