electronic compass help or hinder direction

mtrax · Post by **mtrax** » 12 November 08 6:21 pm

I have a Vista Hcx with an inbuilt compass , up until now I have switched it off as I got some erratic direction but just wondering if I just need to tweak it ..
normally it switches on when speed is slower that 12km/h (by default) so that would pretty well mean its on when I'm walking.

any one got any feedback on this feature?

Map Monkey · Post by **Map Monkey** » 12 November 08 7:06 pm

You could turn the Auto Compass feature off and then just hold down the QUIT/PAGE button to turn it off or on when you need it (closing in on GZ).

Once calibrated, usually after battery changing or long distance jumps, i find the compass feature handy if caching (on my Vista).

mm

tronador · Post by **tronador** » 12 November 08 10:29 pm

I have a vista HCx and bought it becasue it had an electronic compass. i have found it to be invaluable as it acts just like a regular compass and keeps its direction no matter if you are standing still or moving. Changes direction very quickly too when you turn around. I find it pin points a cache exactly!!!!

Swampy · Post by **Swampy** » 12 November 08 11:15 pm

I started with a Legend and now a 60CSx, both have the compass.
Change the default speed to 2 or 3 km/h and the wait time to about 30 secs. That way you have to be doing less than the trigger speed for more than the wait time before the compass kicks in. When you want the compass, just stop and wait. If you don't need the compass, walk at a normal pace (about 4-6 km/h) will stop the compass kicking in.

If you have the compass turned off and start heading to a cache, stop and turn around, the arrow on your GPSr will still show the way you were travelling and will not update until you start moving again. Very annoying if you are used to the compass. Just remeber to recalibrate it every so often.

If · Post by If » 23 November 08 11:39 pm

As Swampy said, electronic compasses are problematic

If you don't use if for a couple of days or move some distance it will need to be recalibrated to work properly

But, if like me you find the magnetic compass option invaluable for those tricky to find caches and cannot be bothered packing a traditional Silva, then these problems are a small inconvenience

Taking the time to read the instructions or surf the web to gain an understanding of how electronic compasses actually work will save some frustration too

Mr Router · Post by **Mr Router** » 24 November 08 6:06 am

Thats all we have ever used is the compass arrow to find caches, as soon as we hit the goto button the arrow takes over, even when in the bullet with mrs r navigating I have the arrow for an idea of which way as the screen to me is way to small to try and go with the mapping side !

gibbo003 · Post by **gibbo003** » 24 November 08 8:38 am

I have found when setting a WP for a hide I turn the compass off and seem to get a more acurate coord. I have set a cache hide profile on our Colorado with the compass off and just change to that profile when needed. To find a cache I walk to it by following the compass. On the water when we sail we have it turned off all the time as the Colorado will use the compass when you get below 10Km/h and there dosn't seem to be any way of changing that speed.

penguin · Post by **penguin** » 24 November 08 10:15 am

I also have the Vista HCx and find the electronic compass really useful - makes finding caches much easier than when I first started and was using a combination of an old Garmin GPSII (accurate to 10m) and my trusty Silva compass.

I still usually take my compass with me (old habbits die hard).

The ony problem with the electronic compass is when you are very close to GZ with poor coverage and the compass jumps around like a frog in a sock. Common sense should then take over, using your eyes instead of the equipment.

In the end though, I would recommend the compass feature, and would not contemplate buying a GPSr that didn't have the feature.

Big Matt and Shell · Post by **Big Matt and Shell** » 24 November 08 3:15 pm

mtrax wrote:up until now I have switched it off

You do what??????

<P>
I have had my Vista C for the last 1500 odd caches and have used the compass ever since then. As a matter of fact we are just looking to replace our GPS and an electronic compass is second on the list of requirements, right under being a Garmin

<br>You do need to be careful as the other users have mentioned it needs a recalabration every so often and once close to the GZ (less than 10m) I normally take a bearing and look for likely spots but I couldn't see ourselves not having a GPS with a compass.<P> The only issue I have ever seen with it is that it can sometimes take you on a slightly bent route to the cache as the needle homes in but after a while you know where your going anyway...

mtrax · Post by **mtrax** » 24 November 08 4:10 pm

so I'm assuming the compass won't improve the accuracy but just hopes to make a better guess which way your walking.
but as I said it seems to be the reverse for me.. but perhaps I will try to add the recalibrate dance more often to my caching ritual.

Mr Router · Post by **Mr Router** » 24 November 08 6:03 pm

big_matt wrote: The only issue I have ever seen with it is that it can sometimes take you on a slightly bent route to the cache as the needle homes in but after a while you know where your going anyway...

I thought i was mad but 9 out of 10 you walk further than should

Geocaching Australia

electronic compass help or hinder direction

electronic compass help or hinder direction

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