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New 60csx with 4.10 and I'm always calibrating


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Hi all-

 

Well, Santa did in fact bring me a Garmin 60csx for Christmas, and I've taken it on several caching runs, and the thing has worked quite well...it's awesome in the forests, works great with gloves on in cold weather, and has been dropped in the snow twice without complaint.

 

The only issue I've had to date is with the compass. It seems to need constant calibration, and even then the unit keeps complaining that I should "hold level" even though I'm holding it about as level as I possibly could. When it's not level, which seems to be all the time, no matter what I do, the compass goes nuts, never getting the hang of which way is north, regardless of whether i'm standing still or moving.

 

Calibrating it seems to help for awhile, until the unit is thrown back into the bag while doing cache-related things, and when I get it out the compass has yet again lost its way.

 

Apparently I have Software version 4.10 and the GPS SW Version is 2.30m. I've read other posts about people upgrading to 4, yet I have a newer version (I'm guessing it's a chipset thing).

 

Has anyone else had similar issues? The unit has worked fine from a GPS perspective, it's just the compass that I'm having difficulty with. Problem is, that's the part I like to use to get me to the cache! :anibad:

 

Thanks,

 

Tachoknight

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I've had the 60CSx for several years, I also have this problem, a lot. I had to recalibrate it 3 times one caching trip.

It seems to be getting worse. I even sent it back once, they couldn't find anything wrong with it.

Two cache buddies have the same unit, all have that problem. I wish they would fix this issue.

Good luck with yours

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I've had the 60CSx for several years, I also have this problem, a lot. I had to recalibrate it 3 times one caching trip.

It seems to be getting worse. I even sent it back once, they couldn't find anything wrong with it.

Two cache buddies have the same unit, all have that problem. I wish they would fix this issue.

Good luck with yours

 

It will never be fixed; it is obviously a hardware design issue. You can sell screwed up software then fix it later as improvement. Just update it but no such thing in hardware ! Software engineers can be and are lousy, not hardware !

Edited by Suscrofa
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Tachnoknoght,

Are you talking about the red pointer or the compass?

You are aware, aren't you, that the pointer is NOT the compass?

 

Try this......turn the compass OFF, and choose the "Bearing" setting for the pointer (and use North Up setting for Track). Learn to use your GPS without having the compass ON to confuse the issues. When you choose a point to navigate to , the pointer will point to that destination.....just follow it. The actual compass direction ? ...,who cares, since that is direction you must go to get to the cache.

The pointer will still be pointing at the same destination whether it be N,S,E,orW.

 

If you need to use the compass to determine N, just turn it on, calibrate and read, and then back off again.

 

Later on, after you fully understand how it works, turn the compass on and you'll start understanding why I said "confuse the issues".

Edited by Grasscatcher
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Hmmm... according to the Garmin site, the latest software version is 4.0 and not 4.1 for the 60CSx and 76CSx.

 

I tried the webupdater to see if it gave me 4.1 but no luck.

 

I guess it's another one of those non-published version that appears on some units but is not offered as an update.

 

I wonder what it fixes ?

 

Anyone have any inside info on this version ?

 

Thanks.

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I'm assuming you have the mag compass enabled, and it's that to which you refer. It's an often noted issue with all of Garmin's products that include a mag compass. The compass operation is very sensitive to battery voltage. During the course of a caching day, I also find it necessary to recalibrate a couple of times -- UNLESS I throw in another fresh set of batteries. I'll often avoid this by replacing a NiMH set as soon as it drops one bar on my eTrex SummitHC. I keep a spare set in my pocket when I cache, and another spare set in the car. If the battery indicator gets down to 50%, there's no solution apart from running another quick compass calibration from Setup.

 

Especially if you are using NiMH batteries with their fairly high self-discharge rate, you will find that just leaving the unit sitting for a couple of weeks can allow the battery voltage to drop enough to where you'll need to recalibrate.

 

A more drastic problem occurs when you change battery chemistry when you swap batteries. The difference in voltage is pretty well guaranteed to whack out your compass reading.

 

That said, I love the mag compass in both my Summit HC and Dakota 20. Properly used, they can be a real aid in caching.

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Tachnoknoght,

Are you talking about the red pointer or the compass?

You are aware, aren't you, that the pointer is NOT the compass?

Right, the pointer is only on when tracking to someplace. One consequence, I saw, was that based on the compass calibration, the arrow could spin wildly around, following what it thought was North. So if the cache is a little north-west, say, and the compass changes its mind as to which way is north, then the arrow goes along with it.

 

Try this......turn the compass OFF, and choose the "Bearing" setting for the pointer (and use North Up setting for Track). Learn to use your GPS without having the compass ON to confuse the issues. When you choose a point to navigate to , the pointer will point to that destination.....just follow it. The actual compass direction ? ...,who cares, since that is direction you must go to get to the cache.

The pointer will still be pointing at the same destination whether it be N,S,E,orW.

I started doing something like this and it has helped.

 

If you need to use the compass to determine N, just turn it on, calibrate and read, and then back off again.

 

Later on, after you fully understand how it works, turn the compass on and you'll start understanding why I said "confuse the issues".

I did stumble on an interesting setting; I changed the setting, based on another thread about the 60csx compass, so that it uses the compass only when the speed drops below 2 miles an hour for more than 90 seconds, otherwise it uses the GPS. In my initial testing, this seems to have helped a bit; as long as I'm walking, the compass seems to be correct. When standing still, the compass, after calibration, stays pretty much in line with where the GPS had it going.

 

I don't want to use the compass as a "shortcut" for anything, I just want to make sure that, should the need arise, that I can be certain I'm heading in the right direction; I got lost in the woods of Wisconsin last year, and my success at getting out revolved entirely around knowing which way North was so I could follow the right trail. I know there's a lot of old-school no-equipment-necessary ways to figure this out, but they're unknown to this city-slicker. Also a lot harder when you're entirely under tree canopy. :P

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I did stumble on an interesting setting; I changed the setting, based on another thread about the 60csx compass, so that it uses the compass only when the speed drops below 2 miles an hour for more than 90 seconds, otherwise it uses the GPS. In my initial testing, this seems to have helped a bit; as long as I'm walking, the compass seems to be correct. When standing still, the compass, after calibration, stays pretty much in line with where the GPS had it going.

 

Cool, I was going to point to that thread as well. Almost every time I hear someone complain about the compass on their 60CSx I can bet that setting hasn't been tweaked. Having the magnetic compass on when moving almost always causes problems with "spinning".

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If you *really* have a 60csx with *4.10* software then it has the wrong software. The current version for a 60csx is 4.00. The current version for a 60cs is 4.20.

 

Jim

 

Jim,

 

It's possible that he does have 4.10.

 

I have heard of some instances where Garmin units have been received with an oddball software version that no on ecan find anywhere. Not thru webupdater or otherwise.

 

It's almost like Garmin has loaded some sort of interim software. The units still function fine.

 

But why those version can't be found is beyond me.

 

But then again.. you may be right and someone has loaded the wrong softwar eon the unit somehow.

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If you *really* have a 60csx with *4.10* software then it has the wrong software. The current version for a 60csx is 4.00. The current version for a 60cs is 4.20.

 

Jim

 

Wrong or not, mine still has ver. 4.10. Webupdater says the 60SCx has newest software. Maybe some units are delivered with odd versions of the software, who knows? Mine is new. The 60SCx works very well to my satisfaction, I don't have much to complain about.

 

trondkj

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4.10 seems to have been around for awhile on the newer units even though its not a downloadable version,so its not just your unit,and so I doubt its an incorrect version,I am actually supprised no one has called Garmin about it yet.Possibly it indicates some internal hardware changes.OK sent an email to Garmin about V4.00 and V4.10,hopefully hear back soon and Ill post their reply.

Edited by Forkeye
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Thank you for contacting Garmin International.

 

I will be glad to assist you with that. The 4.10 is the latest firmware

that is being shipped from the factory however it has not be set up on

the website yet as an update. I would assume that it would shortly

however I do not see any functional changes between the two version.

 

There ya go ,straight from the horses mouth...technically speaking.

4.10 is not a mistake

Edited by Forkeye
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Well, the 60CSx' compass being only 2D (as opposed to the 3D-chips used in the more recent units) can be frustrating at times.

 

Although I have to say it is working quite well for me, most of the time. My unit often asks me to hold it level, just like yours does. But I figured out that this message does not necessarily mean the reading is way off. Usually I have to tilt the unit far beyond the "hold level" threshold before the reading is actually thrashed.

 

And even if it is off by some degrees, it doesn't really hurt. If you're pretty close to ground zero, like 15 meters away or so, jumping coordinate readings are the main reason for the compass to be inaccurate, because to the unit it appears like GZ has shifted relative to its own position.

When VERY close to GZ, this can result in the red arrow pointing in one direction and in the exact opposite direction a few seconds later, even while you didn't move at all. That's because you're standing amidst a "cloud" of plausible positions between which the unit will jump around.

 

Switching off the magnetic compass may lead to more "steady" results, but that's just because it won't update as long as you don't move.

 

Try this:

While close to GZ, stand still on one spot. Try to remember the bearing of both the red arrow and where the unit thinks north is. Walk back and forth some time and return to the same spot. Now the arrow may point to a different location, while north should have remained where it was before. If this is the case, the compass is working fine.

 

Using a consumer grade GPSr (even the 60CSx) is not quite an exact science and so the limiting factor while using the compass is the GPS receiption and not the accuracy of the compass itself.

 

By the way, I'll calibrate right when I'm starting my tour and usually it won't let me down the rest of that day.

 

best,

Pulvertoastmann

Edited by Pulvertoastmann
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Tachnoknoght,

Are you talking about the red pointer or the compass?

You are aware, aren't you, that the pointer is NOT the compass?

 

Try this......turn the compass OFF, and choose the "Bearing" setting for the pointer (and use North Up setting for Track). Learn to use your GPS without having the compass ON to confuse the issues. When you choose a point to navigate to , the pointer will point to that destination.....just follow it. The actual compass direction ? ...,who cares, since that is direction you must go to get to the cache.

The pointer will still be pointing at the same destination whether it be N,S,E,orW.

 

If you need to use the compass to determine N, just turn it on, calibrate and read, and then back off again.

 

Later on, after you fully understand how it works, turn the compass on and you'll start understanding why I said "confuse the issues".

I am a new owner of a 60Csx. and am somewhat disappointed in the "out of the box" performance for Geocaching.... but how do you turn the compass "OFF". I cannot find any options anywhere that will let me turn the compass "OFF". I changed it to Bearing on the pointer and North up on tracks, but no "OFF" setting.

Help... Thanks...

K4HHA

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Menu, settings/set-up, compass >>> off or on should be the options. Did you get a " how to " disc with your unit or did they send instructions on how to download an owners manual??

 

Actually, I got a 104 page owners manual, and a quick start guide, but no "how to" disk. This one has version 4.1 software.

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Don't slap me folks... take along a pocket magnetic. Reading this thread, I'm guessing you just may need one sometime.

 

We use a PN-40 with the 3-axis, but being older than dirt, we still carry our non-battery back-up -- as you probably do. Just thought it was worth suggesting in case you don't. <_<

I agree 100% - while I am a big fan of the built-in electronic compass (to get good bearings while stationary, "Sight'n'Go", etc), whenever you are navigating out in the boondocks, you should probably be carrying:

 

GPSr

Spare batteries

Paper map(s)

Compass

Water

Food

Appropriate clothing

2-way Radio

EPIRB

etc, etc, etc

 

(However, when navigating in well-populated near-urban environments, I find my Summit HC and mobile phone are generally all I really need! :D )

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I don't want to use the compass as a "shortcut" for anything, I just want to make sure that, should the need arise, that I can be certain I'm heading in the right direction; I got lost in the woods of Wisconsin last year, and my success at getting out revolved entirely around knowing which way North was so I could follow the right trail. I know there's a lot of old-school no-equipment-necessary ways to figure this out, but they're unknown to this city-slicker. Also a lot harder when you're entirely under tree canopy. :)

 

You got lost in the woods...with a functioning GPS unit? :P

 

You don't need a compass on a GPS to make your way, especially if you have your destination already saved/marked.

 

That said, I don't think the compass is a "shortcut" for anything. It IS the old school way of navigating. I gave up on my 60CSx compass long ago. It works well enough, when calibrated, but I find it easier to just pack along my old Brunton magnetic compass, corrected for the local magnetic variation...which you can get straight off the GPS. Most people don't travel far enough in a day or three of hiking/camping that it even matters. :P

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Compass on or off.......

 

Press and HOLD the "Page" button for several seconds.

 

If the compass is ON it will turn off, if it is OFF, it will turn on....

 

and will say so on the screen. (for a few seconds)

 

Thanks...worked...so simple!!

 

And, although pretty skimpy, it WAS in the instruction manual! :P

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