Repeater Compass: A Brief Introduction
Repeater Compass The Repeater Compass is an invaluable navigation tool that has been used by sailors, hikers, and explorers for centuries to help find directions even in dense wilderness. A Brief History The earliest compasses likely date back to ancient China in the 11th century and were made using lodestone, a naturally magnetized ore of iron. These early compasses were floating compasses mounted on wood or cork. Over subsequent centuries, compass designs evolved in Asia and Europe with the introduction of the dry card compass with a freely rotating card marked with cardinal directions. By the 1500s, compass design and usage had further advanced with navigators taking full advantage of its directional capabilities at sea. English instrument maker William Barlowe is credited with inventing the modern boxed compass in 1580. Early boxed compasses had glass covers and featured luminous paint on the cards and needles to allow nighttime navigation. Into the 1800s, compass precision im