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gyrocompass |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Acronyms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.23 sec. |
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gyrocompass: see gyroscope gyroscope (jī`rəskōp'), symmetrical mass, usually a wheel, mounted so that it can spin about an axis in any direction. ..... Click the link for more information. . gyrocompass Navigation a nonmagnetic compass that uses a motor-driven gyroscope to indicate true north How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Occupying a critically important space between its ancestral roots (the primitive lodestone) and its late 20th-century descendents (the gyrocompass and GPS technology), the magnetic compass, born of the need for a reliable means of negotiating treacherous sea routes around the globe, has been an indispensable sailor's guide. On 21 March 1919, a gyrocompass developed for the Navy was tested in an aircraft, marking the first recorded instance of tests of a device that would become an invaluable navigational instrument for long-range flight. Unlike a conventional gyrocompass that typically must operate for an hour or more before it can provide useful information, the GPS compass is usually ready for use in less than five minutes. |
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