Using Vista HCX to track magnetic bearing

[FionnS]

Hi,

As per the title, I have an application where I want to track the actual bearing that the GPS receiver is at during its travels. I know the HCX has an electronic compass but does it store the bearing to the track file? I know that it will log the gps heading.

Thanks in advance,

Fionn.

[+IVxIV]

If you mean does the Vista Cx record which direction it was facing in the track log,, no it doesn't. If it needed to do that then it would also have to record what angle it was held at too?

[FionnS]

If you mean does the Vista Cx record which direction it was facing in the track log,, no it doesn't. If it needed to do that then it would also have to record what angle it was held at too?

Hi, yes this is what I want to do - record the direction that the unit is pointing as it moves along.

Keeping it held level horizontally is no problem.

Can someone suggest a unit that can do this?

[gallet]

Isn't the bearing (assuming it's pointing straight ahead) always always tangential to a curved path or parallel to a straight path?

[AlunS]

The only things that go into the track log are position, elevation and a timestamp. Anything else that may be displayed by the many and various pieces of software that process track logs, such as speed, bearing etc. is derived from this basic information.