Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx Compass question...

[xxgg]

Hello again.

 

I am not 100% sure how this electronic compass work on Garmin 60CSx.

 

When using the compass alone.

 

I read the user manual and calibrated the compass by holding the unit level (screen facing up the sky) and did two full turns as instructed. After that compass did work but I have a little problem. When I have the screen facing up the sky it compass does work properly. Problem is when I face the screen facing me... compass direction goes way off.

For example... regardless of which way I am point with screen up... compass will point to around south when I have the screen facing towards me. Is this normal or something is wrong with my unit?

 

I think I read that it has a real magnet compass built-in to the unit and information is just being displayed electronically?

Can it or can't it just use GPS to tell the direction?

 

One last thing,,, sometimes on the bottom of the compass screen I would sometimes see LEVEL HOLD. What are those for? When is it used for ?

 

 

Thank you.

[gallet]

It's not a magnetic compass it is a 'Fluxgate' compass, you can check on the web how it works.

 

The compass on th 60CSx is a single axis compass and needs to be held level to work. That's all there is to it. There are 3 axis compasses on a Magellan that can work in any axis.

 

I have not seen the 'hold level' screen, but if you see one then the purpose of that message would be (and I'm only guessing here) to remind you to hold it level. The purpose of holding it level is so that it works.

 

Yes you can use GPS to work out the compass, in fact it automatically does that, and when it does you can then hold the GPSr any way and it will stay constant. However you need to be moving for GPS compass to work.

 

In the Set Up menu there is a setting where you can tell the unit at what speed to auto switch to gps compass and also how long you are stationary before the fluxgate compass switches on.

Edited December 6, 2007 by gallet

[xxgg]

Well on a Compass screen. I guess if I move/tilt my unit i would get HOLD on bottom left corner of the screen and LEVEL on bottom right.

Not sure what it does.

[gallet]

Well on a Compass screen. I guess if I move/tilt my unit i would get HOLD on bottom left corner of the screen and LEVEL on bottom right.

Not sure what it does.

 

There's a "HOLD" on the left and a "LEVEL" on the right. They go together to form the sentence 'Hold level'. It comes on when you are on the compass page and you are not holding the compass level. It is just to remind you, that's all. I haven't checked but I presume that when the unit is using GPS compass, the 'Hold Level' sign is not there because it wouldn't matter.