+canuman Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 I always carry a hand compass with me when I caching to use in the event I lose satellite reception. Even though my GPSr and hand compass are both set to magnetic north, and the GPSr's compass has been calibrated, the reading are way off (more than 20 degrees!). This isn't a major problem because I just take a sighting with the GPSr and sight on the same point with my hand compass and go to that point regardless of the actual reading. But, it seems to me that the reading should be much closer. Any ideas or similar experiences. I have a Garmin eTrex Vista and a good quality compass. Thanx. Canuman (Ron) Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 I always carry a hand compass with me when I caching to use in the event I lose satellite reception. Even though my GPSr and hand compass are both set to magnetic north, and the GPSr's compass has been calibrated, the reading are way off (more than 20 degrees!). This isn't a major problem because I just take a sighting with the GPSr and sight on the same point with my hand compass and go to that point regardless of the actual reading. But, it seems to me that the reading should be much closer. Any ideas or similar experiences. I have a Garmin eTrex Vista and a good quality compass. Thanx. Canuman (Ron) Just curious - How do you "set" a hand compass to anything other than magnetic north?? Quote Link to comment
Tahosa and Sons Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Just curious - How do you "set" a hand compass to anything other than magnetic north?? I use the little screwdriver that comes with the compass, offset with the current declination and now it reads True North. But the lil needle still points to the lodestone in Canada. Just the compass is off 10°. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Just curious - How do you "set" a hand compass to anything other than magnetic north?? I use the little screwdriver that comes with the compass, offset with the current declination and now it reads True North. But the lil needle still points to the lodestone in Canada. Just the compass is off 10°. Ok - thats what I thought - just wondered if their was some new fangled compass I wasn't aware of that could actual point the needle to True North Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 (edited) I always carry a hand compass with me when I caching to use in the event I lose satellite reception. Even though my GPSr and hand compass are both set to magnetic north, and the GPSr's compass has been calibrated, the reading are way off (more than 20 degrees!). This isn't a major problem because I just take a sighting with the GPSr and sight on the same point with my hand compass and go to that point regardless of the actual reading. But, it seems to me that the reading should be much closer. Any ideas or similar experiences. I have a Garmin eTrex Vista and a good quality compass. Thanx. Canuman (Ron) I'm confused. Why do you need the hand compass to go "to the point" rather than using the Vista? The Vista's compass is magnetic. It does not need satellites. The compass rose continues to display even when the satellite signals are lost, just like your hand held. The bearing arrow disappears only but you still can see the direction you are moving. Only cachers who navigate with non-magnetic compass GPS's require a separate hand held when the sats are lost.. (Of course it's a good idea to carry a hand held as a backup to the Vista). Also, which unit is giving you the wrong info? The Vista or the hand held? Do you know which is magnetic north or have another compass you can compare the two too. It would be nice to know which is wrong so you know which one to fix. Edited October 20, 2006 by Alan2 Quote Link to comment
+canuman Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 I always carry a hand compass with me when I caching to use in the event I lose satellite reception. Even though my GPSr and hand compass are both set to magnetic north, and the GPSr's compass has been calibrated, the reading are way off (more than 20 degrees!). This isn't a major problem because I just take a sighting with the GPSr and sight on the same point with my hand compass and go to that point regardless of the actual reading. But, it seems to me that the reading should be much closer. Any ideas or similar experiences. I have a Garmin eTrex Vista and a good quality compass. Thanx. Canuman (Ron) Just curious - How do you "set" a hand compass to anything other than magnetic north?? Many quality hand compasses have the capability of being adjusted for declination differences (the difference between True North to Magnetic north). For instance, check out The Silva Ranger Compass Models 515 and 530. Quote Link to comment
+canuman Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 Just curious - How do you "set" a hand compass to anything other than magnetic north?? I use the little screwdriver that comes with the compass, offset with the current declination and now it reads True North. But the lil needle still points to the lodestone in Canada. Just the compass is off 10°. Ok - thats what I thought - just wondered if their was some new fangled compass I wasn't aware of that could actual point the needle to True North Quote Link to comment
+canuman Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 Just curious - How do you "set" a hand compass to anything other than magnetic north?? I use the little screwdriver that comes with the compass, offset with the current declination and now it reads True North. But the lil needle still points to the lodestone in Canada. Just the compass is off 10°. Ok - thats what I thought - just wondered if their was some new fangled compass I wasn't aware of that could actual point the needle to True North Sorry I asked. I know the needle always points to magnetic north. The adjustment, as I'm sure you already know, allows for your bearing to a given point to be based on True rather than Magnetic north. Quote Link to comment
+DaveA Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 At the risk of not knowing, does the vista have a 3 axis compass? I probably am not getting the nomenclature right, but as I recall among electronic compasses there are the cheap type which have to be perfectly level to read accurately and there are the better type which read accurately when not perfectly level. I have a wrist watch that is only accurate to maybe 20 degrees and that assumes I calibrate it frequently and it is perfectly level and I am not in a car and... basically it is nearly worthless. I thought that the vista was using the older technology, but am not sure. I am thinking the 60 series uses the better technology, but again, not sure. Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I have a Vista and it sems accurate to the same as my regular compass - a few degrees. You have to hold it faily level but not anymore so than a regular compass. Never had any problem with it. Do not know about the axis, though. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Maybe the issue is the compass vs. pointer. The pointer points at the cache even when the compass is on. If I recall (and it's been awhile since I used the vista) the compass dial does show directions from which you can estimate north etc. I'm not sure what setting your GPS to magneti or true north actually does. Quote Link to comment
+Jake39 Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 I'm not sure what setting your GPS to magneti or true north actually does. I have never had to use an accuracy of 10* to 20* even when pacing off a given direction. ...On my "Vista"I have to re-calibrate the compass every time I change my batteries. Quote Link to comment
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