How accurate is iPhone compass?

[myfs_40495]

dear Cecil
How accurate is iPhone luopan app? I have a fengshui master came for site visit. My son borned in 2004, kua 2. The fs master showed the bed head facing on my iPhone is showing about SE3 and his desks opposite facings NW3 to few degree N1.
Is this correct? Of something wrong with the iPhone compass luopan app?
Every time I stand the same location , sometimes it moves........

[Cecil Lee]

These are some considerations:
1. True North
All streetdirectory maps be it printed or on soft-copy are based on True North (Geographic North). Even google GPS maps that we download and use are also based on true north.
2. If one is at or close to the equator, the angle of difference between True North and Magnetic North or this angle is called declination is slight.
3. Those professional compass, like my favourite i.e. brand Suunto has land-compass that are grouped into 5 regions. At the equator (or equator) use; the Number is 3.
4. In many of the past forum messages, I had posted especially at the equator, one can use a streetdirectory, super-impose the protractor and match the "facing direction" of a home with it.
5. At the equator or in Singapore; Iphone 4's compass has two settings: True North and Magnetic Compass.
5.1. If one tries to use the Iphone 4's compass to take a reading inside the home, it is preferred to set to TRUE NORTH. This is because, majority of Singapore homes are built of bricks and cement with steel re-bar. And if one is too close to a pillar, the readings may be inaccurate.
5.2. Please note that even if one is not close to the support beams or walls, many homes or apartments also have steel wires or steel re-bars that line each of the floors. And if one is standing above steel "cage like" structures, the readings may be inaccurate.
6. Thus to use the streetdirectory + protractor + match the interior layout to it and then plot it onto a layout plan i.e. the compass cardinal points and look into each room compass directions.
7. If the Iphone Luopan application has option to use True north or magnetic north; in Singapore, close to the equator, one can use the True North indoors. But if one is further north, the futher one is north or south, then the declination error rate is high.
8. Thus if at the North Pole, the TRUE geographic North can differ from the Magnetic north by at least 500 kms!

Quote

On 9/4/2011 8:19:16 AM, Anonymous wrote:
dear Cecil
How accurate is iPhone luopan
app? I have a fengshui master
came for site visit. My son
borned in 2004, kua 2. The fs
master showed the bed head
facing on my iPhone is showing
about SE3 and his desks
opposite facings NW3 to few
degree N1.
Is this correct? Of something
wrong with the iPhone compass
luopan app?
Every time I stand the same
location , sometimes it
moves........

[myfs_40495]

where can i get the sunto 3 compass in singapore?

Quote

On 9/4/2011 2:43:37 PM, Anonymous wrote:
These are some considerations:1. True
NorthAll streetdirectory maps be it
printed or on soft-copy are based on
True North (Geographic North). Even
google GPS maps that we download and use
are also based on true north.2. If one
is at or close to the equator, the angle
of difference between True North and
Magnetic North or this angle is called
declination is slight.3. Those
professional compass, like my favourite
i.e. brand Suunto has land-compass that
are grouped into 5 regions. At the
equator (or equator) use; the Number is
3. 4. In many of the past forum
messages, I had posted especially at the
equator, one can use a streetdirectory,
super-impose the protractor and match
the "facing direction" of a home with
it.5. At the equator or in Singapore;
Iphone 4's compass has two settings:
True North and Magnetic Compass. 5.1. If
one tries to use the Iphone 4's compass
to take a reading inside the home, it is
preferred to set to TRUE NORTH. This is
because, majority of Singapore homes are
built of bricks and cement with steel
re-bar. And if one is too close to a
pillar, the readings may be
inaccurate.5.2. Please note that even if
one is not close to the support beams or
walls, many homes or apartments also
have steel wires or steel re-bars that
line each of the floors. And if one is
standing above steel "cage like"
structures, the readings may be
inaccurate.6. Thus to use the
streetdirectory + protractor + match the
interior layout to it and then plot it
onto a layout plan i.e. the compass
cardinal points and look into each room
compass directions.7. If the Iphone
Luopan application has option to use
True north or magnetic north; in
Singapore, close to the equator, one can
use the True North indoors. But if
one is further north, the futher one is
north or south, then the declination
error rate is high.8. Thus if at the
North Pole, the TRUE geographic North
can differ from the Magnetic north by at
least 500 kms! On 9/4/2011 8:19:16 AM,
Yang Ming Tan wrote: >dear Cecil
How accurate is iPhone luopan
app? I have a fengshui master
came for site visit. My son
borned in 2004, kua 2. The fs
master showed the bed head
facing on my iPhone is showing
about SE3 and his desks >opposite
facings NW3 to few >degree N1. >Is
this correct? Of something >wrong
with the iPhone compass >luopan app?
Every time I stand the same
location , sometimes it
moves........

[Cecil Lee]

1. My most recentSuunto compass is the model: Suunto KB-14/360 PTI COMPASS ZO for REGION 3.

http://forum.geomancy.net/phpforum/article.php?bid=2&fid=6&mid=27494&new

2. However, it has been with more for around 3 to 4 years. Costs around I forgot approximately SGP $260 thereabouts.
3. I bought it at Far East Plaza (basement). There are two suba-diving shops at the basement.
4. Make sure that to check out the above link where the back aluminium face-plate has been stamped with a Number : #3 = region THREE for Singapore use. For other countries, there is a correction markings also on the back for declination deviations.
5. Below has a link to my older plastic body Suunto compass (which I had lost):-
http://forum.geomancy.net/phpforum/article.php?bid=2&fid=6&mid=8615&new=%3EHouse%20Hunting%20:%20A%20Lot%20Position%20-%20%3Cem%3EFeng%20Shui%3C/em

6. Please note that if you are not into professional Feng Shui, don't really need to invest in such a compass.
7. Do take note that these Suunto compass should also not be too close to concrete/re-bar pillars.
8. I am not sure if this model is still around: Suunto KB-14/360 PTI COMPASS ZO as I have it for around 3 to4 years ago after losing my earlier plastic casing Suunto as found in the second link.

Quote

On 9/5/2011 10:26:40 AM, Anonymous wrote:
where can i get the sunto 3 compass in
singapore?On 9/4/2011 2:43:37 PM, Cecil
Lee wrote:
These are some considerations:1.
True
NorthAll streetdirectory maps be it
printed or on soft-copy are based on
True North (Geographic North). Even
google GPS maps that we download and
use
are also based on true north.2. If
one
is at or close to the equator, the
angle
of difference between True North and
Magnetic North or this angle is
called
declination is slight.3. Those
professional compass, like my
favourite
i.e. brand Suunto has land-compass
that
are grouped into 5 regions. At the
equator (or equator) use; the Number
is
3. 4. In many of the past forum
messages, I had posted especially at
the
equator, one can use a
streetdirectory,
super-impose the protractor and
match
the "facing direction" of a home
with
it.5. At the equator or in
Singapore;
Iphone 4's compass has two settings:
True North and Magnetic Compass.
5.1. If
one tries to use the Iphone 4's
compass
to take a reading inside the home,
it is
preferred to set to TRUE NORTH. This
is
because, majority of Singapore homes
are
built of bricks and cement with
steel
re-bar. And if one is too close to a
pillar, the readings may be
inaccurate.5.2. Please note that
even if
one is not close to the support
beams or
walls, many homes or apartments also
have steel wires or steel re-bars
that
line each of the floors. And if one
is
standing above steel "cage like"
structures, the readings may be
inaccurate.6. Thus to use the
streetdirectory + protractor + match
the
interior layout to it and then plot
it
onto a layout plan i.e. the compass
cardinal points and look into each
room
compass directions.7. If the Iphone
Luopan application has option to use
True north or magnetic north; in
Singapore, close to the equator, one
can
use the True North indoors.
But if
one is further north, the futher one
is
north or south, then the declination
error rate is high.8. Thus if at the
North Pole, the TRUE geographic
North
can differ from the Magnetic north
by at
least 500 kms! On 9/4/2011 8:19:16
AM,
Yang Ming Tan wrote:
dear Cecil
How accurate is iPhone luopan
app? I have a fengshui master
came for site visit. My son
borned in 2004, kua 2. The fs
master showed the bed head
facing on my iPhone is showing
about SE3 and his desks
opposite
facings NW3 to few
degree N1.
Is
this correct? Of something
wrong
with the iPhone compass
luopan
app?
Every time I stand the same
location , sometimes it
moves........