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I don't think this is off-topic at all. I hope it will be pursued
further.

I have a 13-year-old Plastimo autopilot, analog in its behaviour, that
came with the wrong O-ring in its control head and got water in. The
most recent effect is that the +1 and -1 buttons no longer do anything,
so steering corrections use the +10 and -10 buttons. The alternative is
to disengage, get on course, and reengage the pilot. Even new, the +
and - 1 or 10 were not quantitative degrees, just indications of large
and small corrections.

With all that, once it is on a course, its internal fluxgate is very
consistent. It responds to the yaw angle of the boat, of course, not
the actual track over ground. It steers far more steadily than any
human being I know.

 3-degree wandering in a fluxgate at rest does not sound normal to me.

On Fri, 4 Oct 2002 20:38:33 -0400, Eric Haberfellner wrote:

>Which Autohelm Unit is this? I have recently installed an ST 4000+MK2.
>
>As long as we are on this topic, is it normal for the Raymarine fluxgate
>compass to constantly vary its reported heading +/- 3 degrees from the
>magnetic compass heading even when the boat is tied securely to a wall in
>calm conditions with no moving, rolling, pitching or yawing. No one is down
>below moving large iron masses, the engine is not running and all other
>electrical or electronic equipment is off.
>
>If this message is too far off topic, I apologize.
>
>Eric Haberfellner
>
>-


Rodney Myrvaagnes                        J36 Gjo/a

"If Brecht had directed 'Waiting for Godot,'  he would have hung a large sign 
at the back of the stage reading 'He's not going to come, you know. ' "   -- 
Terry Eagleton

   

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