Okay, I posted a notification on the Disabled site about having problems with my compass; apparently, my ICD (internal cardiac defibrillator) is creating some interference with the darn thing. If I hold the compass too close (like, in a cramped space), it doesn't work.

Nobody else mentioned having this problem; and several ICD owners responded.

Now the darn thing has stopped working, at all; to date, this is the 3rd compass I have had that went belly-up in a couple months.

Today, I accidentally touched my speaker jack with my hand....I started getting radio transmissions on the darn thing! FREAKING OUT, here....

Now, as an inquiry, does anyone know of any DECENT, RELIABLE, LONG-LASTING, NIGH-INDESTRUCTIBLE compass with the #'ed degrees on the outside for way, way cheap? I'm on a serious budget, here....

I'm sick of learning that it's dead as I take it out after going on a jaunt...I mean, in the field, I don't want to stop and go shopping....ruins the day.

I need something that will stay "tuned" to the North Pole in the event of Nuclear Winter...darn it.

Today, I accidentally touched my speaker jack with my hand....I started getting radio transmissions on the darn thing! FREAKING OUT, here....

Are you sure you are not one of the characters on the TV show Heroes? Check your neck for a couple of marks.

I think by the definition of a compass, your ICD will always mess it up, it is just a matter time. You have an electronic device that is creating a magnetic field that is likely strong emough to impact the compass and cause it to lose its calibration (or whatever they call it). I have ruined a few compasses by storing them in the same compartment as my PDA so it doesn't take a strong field to do it apparently. Unlike yours, my compasses are not completely dead but untrustworthy so I simply have to stop using them. So I don't think there is a cheap long lasting, indestructible one since most of the cheap ones are cheap for a reason; the floating needle has been magnetized and it you lose it, you lose it. You may be able to use one of the newer electronic ones, I don't know how well they hold up though do have one. It was less than 20 and came from Walmart so that may be an option?!?