Design and performance evaluation of a hall effect magnetic compass for oceanographic and meteorological applications

Abstract

A Hall Effect magnetic compass, suitable for oceanographic and meteorological applications, has been designed and its performance characteristics have been evaluated. Slope of the least-squares-fitted linear graph was found to be close to the ideal value of unity. The trend of hysteresis is found to be non-uniform, having minimal values (approximately equal to 0 degrees) in the vicinity of 0 degrees and 360 degrees, and maximum value (approximately equal to 13 degrees) in the vicinity of 65 degrees. While linearity is approximately equal to 10% in the direction range below 50 degrees, it improved to better than 1% beyond 90 degrees. The compass reveals 10% accuracy at the lower ranges of direction angle, and improving to better than 1% beyond 180 degrees. Tilt response of the compass has been found to be within plus or minus 4 degrees for all azimuthal angles at tilt angles in the range 0-11 degrees. However, beyond 11 degrees the tilt response deteriorated.