pjhansman
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Not sure if this is applicable to a Suunto or not.....but was it manufactured for use north or south of the equator? There is a difference. 
Compass Problem
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huh? no matter what direction you face the compass should indicate magnetic north.Compass has either a needle or a card.If needle the needle always is to point north..If card the "N" on the card indicates north..I wrote that it's working as you said the needle/card moves as you change direction,so that indicates it is not stuck. You write "I'm aware of reverse scale" what is that? do you mean reciprocal? reciprocal course is always 180 degree difference from original course..Either + or minus the 180 degrees.
As to the LDS assisting you,again you did not buy it there and now are asking them to spend time with you showing you how to use it.I suggest signing up for either a adventure dive class from them for uw navigation or a advance class.This way the LDS would be some what compensated for the time they spend with you.
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The first issue is does the needle point North (towards Gerogia)? As long as that is good then you just have to learn to read the markings on a compass designed for scuba. They are different than a land use compass.
What I am saying is IF I face to the north (I live in florida on the beach so I have a really good indication which way north is) when reading the compass it should tell me I'm facing north, not east,west,south or anything in between. What I meant when I said "i am aware of the reverse scale" is that a normal compass you lay on a flat surface and read the bearing from the front of the compass(where it meets the luber line) looking down. This is hard to do with a wrist compass while keeping the compass flat. A diving compass is made to be read from behind. The scale then needs to be offset 180degrees (reversed). If you look at a regualr compass you will see that north is pointing 0degrees.
I would appreciate it if you would stay out of the thread unless your contributing to the topic, and not making assumptions about my LDS. BTW i know the people there and have been shopping there since I started diving..they were very happy to check this compass against theirs.
Anyway.... I'm sending the compass back because it is defective. The pivot or brass looking needle on the back is sticking.
I'm sorry if we offended you. Don't take the general attitude in this thread the wrong way, everyone here is usually a lot more understanding and helpful. Where we're coming from, from our perspective, none of us can see the problem first hand or have ever heard of a problem like this happening to a compass with no visible defects; so we assume user error since that's the only logical answer left from our past experiences. Tech support without a first hand viewing tends to be pretty poor no matter who you're dealing with.
There's also a lingo barrier that we're not matching up on. I for one couldn't quite grasp what you were describing at times (such as when you referenced "reverse scale", 90degree being west, "brass needle on the back" etc etc)
Because of this, I assumed at first that you didn't have a full grasp on what you were talking about. But what ever the outcome I apologize.
There's also a lingo barrier that we're not matching up on. I for one couldn't quite grasp what you were describing at times (such as when you referenced "reverse scale", 90degree being west, "brass needle on the back" etc etc)
Because of this, I assumed at first that you didn't have a full grasp on what you were talking about. But what ever the outcome I apologize.
if you look at the compass while standing towards North the compass should give you a reading of 0 degrees. to use a dive compass face the direction you want to go (use the lubber line/direction arrow) as a gunsight..move the bezel to align the north indicator on the card/needle so that the notch is over the north indicator /needle on the compass itself.the degree heading on the bezel at the 12 oclock position of the lubber line is your course in degrees.You can also read your heading in degrees at that 12 oclock position or in the window on the side, but the bezel is much easier to read from. Happy for you to hear that the LDS you frequent had no issues with you purchasing elsewhere and expecting them to instruct you how to use it.Good for them(lds) that were able to assist you and perhaps sell you a compass that works correctly.Not trying to upset you but the terminology you used was not making things clear. Living on a beach in east coast Fla does not mean that while looking at the sea your left is north.Try that in Key West at the end of Front st.You would be looking south/west...if the card/needle is truly sticking then return it,but remember it must be held level as possible to work correctly.
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It could be pole shifting 
But my best guess is, and I had a few in the shop like that, the "previuos" owner had it stored near something magnetic.
It takes a week or two, but it will correct itself.
But my best guess is, and I had a few in the shop like that, the "previuos" owner had it stored near something magnetic.
It takes a week or two, but it will correct itself.
Either that or it is calibrated for use on the planet Bleen. Suunto did that with some of the SK-6's. That's why I only use the SK-7's that are only made for use on this planet.
So, you think the north magnetic field is always stronger than the south, no matter where or how far south you are?
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