nrp wrote:
Might it be possible to kludge a degausser? I'm looking for a
volunteer to try this scheme:

1) Get a 500 ft length of 4 conductor (3 conductor plus ground) # 14
AWG Romex still in the box coil.

2) Configure/connect the ends to make it a 2000' long single wire
bundle of about 400 turns.

3) There should then be enough resistance in the wire to plug it into
the 110 V 60 Hz line for short periods.

4) Remove the compass. With the power on, sweep the airplane
anywhere there is steel, and then step back several feet before
turning power off. Reinstall the compass.

No warranty. Don't wear any watches. Remove all credit cards etc
from your billfold..........

If nothing else, a gun type soldering iron puts out a pretty strong
field above the transformer, but of course it is small and will soon
get hot.
Radio Shack used to sell big degaussing coils as "bulk tape erasers".
Their only drawback was that it had a thermal overload switch that would
shut it off after about a minute.
Bypassing the switch let you keep it on until it was too hot to hold,
but it worked great on Mooneys and Navions. Never tried mine on a Piper.

Rip