# Popular Mechanics: An Iceberg Might NOT Have Sunk the Titanic After All, a New Study Finds



## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

How about if it wasn't an iceberg that sunk TITANIC? Solar Flare anyone? 

Even Popular Mechanics is going the conspiracy route these days. 
The theory is that a severe geomagnetic storm caused compass error and problems with communications. 

Unfortunately, Titanic/MGY wasn't having problems communicating with Cape Race or even her sister ship, Olympic/MKC - also outfitted with a 5 kW spark set. An Iceberg Might NOT Have Sunk the Titanic After All, a New Study Finds 

Titanic was 500 nm from Olympic, the communications range easily twice the range of the other ships communicating with Titanic that night.

So I award the article a goose egg. Not based on evidence.

For your dartboard or discussion. 

73

DR


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

How would a compass error and communications problems sink a ship?

Everyone knows that aliens hypnotised the survivors and created the iceberg myth in their memories. The ship is still sailing around in an alternative dimension under the command of L Ron Hubbard and Tom Cruise.

John T


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## David Wilcockson (Jul 10, 2005)

What, no sign of Clive Cussler.


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## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

djringjr said:


> How about if it wasn't an iceberg that sunk TITANIC? Solar Flare anyone?
> 
> Even Popular Mechanics is going the conspiracy route these days.
> The theory is that a severe geomagnetic storm caused compass error and problems with communications.
> ...


I much admire the enduendo here? But wait a minute. I thought 'rose coloured spectecles were not permitted by the then BOT Marine Authorities? One had to have perfect vision and a good green count and a good red count in ones eysite' I know an ice berg maybe dressed in white! 'The Bride to Be' But then your eyesight should have transmitted to the brain, my bride is waiting for me 'ON SHORE' Non of this getting into bed with an 'ICE Maiden' Or did the TITANTIC and her crew feel lonely, and want the company of Davey Jones and his locker??? Another 'GOOSED Seafarer.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

What a crock of poo! 

*But the rescue ship Carpathia likely had the same wrong information. “The compasses of the Carpathia could have been under the influence of the geomagnetic storm for 5.5 hours, before and after she received the Titanic’s SOS, and until she reached the lifeboats,” Zinkova continues. “Therefore, a possible combined compass error could have been one of the factors that contributed to the successful rescue of the Titanic survivors.”

This also points to how localized the solar flare phenomenon was. Ships in a certain radius received scrambled radio calls or missed them altogether. Back on land or even outside of the affected radius, everything seemed normal except when trying to contact or be contacted by the Titanic and other ships near it.


 “Therefore, a possible combined compass error could have been one of the factors that contributed to the successful rescue of the Titanic survivors.”*


Compass Error BOOK!!!!! Every navigator takes a compass error at least once in every watch. No gyros back then so a 'compass error' would definitely not missed. The main standard compass was sited on a raise platform between funnels 2 & 3. OK, North Atlantic off the Grand Banks. Steering SW'ly. Flat calm seas. Perfect weather. Perfect visibility. (These are facts.) Junior Officer walks from the wheelhouse to the compass platform. It would have taken a minute or two to take a bearing of Polaris... or any other star for that matter. They would have known immediately if there was some large error compared to the observations. I'm quite certain the officers on CARPATHIA had been taking compass errors as well.

Stephen


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Agreed Stephen, Fit only for Hamworthy's trident.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

That much paper? Hmmm. Better just throw it out of the Thunder Box.... page by page.


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