+yellow-bird Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 (edited) I was wondering which gps has an electronic 3-axis compass that is self calibrating? Edited April 12, 2010 by yellow-bird Quote Link to comment
+Unobtainium Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 (edited) I can safely say not the Garmin Oregon 550 Edited April 11, 2010 by Andy K! Quote Link to comment
+ventura_kids Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I haven't seen one yet. I keep the compass turned off on all my gpsr's. What do I care which way is North once I've quit moving? As you move, all the units point the Cardinal directions out. Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I haven't seen one yet. I keep the compass turned off on all my gpsr's. What do I care which way is North once I've quit moving? You don't. But if you find the need to stop moving in challenging terrain, it's nice to have your handheld compute an appropriate vector for you and display it. Maybe it's just some of the terrain we deal with out here in Colorado, but it's not always convenient to walk off a cliff to get a new bearing. There's been a lot of times where I'm trying to sort out what the heck approach I'm even going to take to the final where it's nice to have a look at the arrow while I'm just standing and scouting the landscape. Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I was wondering which gps has an 3-axis compass that is self calibrating? None that I've ever seen. However, I've been playing around with the Powergenix NiZn cells, and since they don't have any appreciable voltage drop before just giving up, I don't have the issue with the compass on either my Dakota 20 or Summit HC requiring calibration. Still don't have enough time with these to know how they'll hold up over time, but the first blush has been very good so far. Anything that is prepared to handle lithium batteries would handle these. FWIW: I haven't had to calibrate my Dakota 20 in three full weeks of caching with them. When the Powergenix cells finally crap out (which they do with little warning due to the very flat discharge curve), I slap in the other pair and off I go. Quote Link to comment
-Oz- Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I haven't seen one yet. I keep the compass turned off on all my gpsr's. What do I care which way is North once I've quit moving? You don't. But if you find the need to stop moving in challenging terrain, it's nice to have your handheld compute an appropriate vector for you and display it. Maybe it's just some of the terrain we deal with out here in Colorado, but it's not always convenient to walk off a cliff to get a new bearing. There's been a lot of times where I'm trying to sort out what the heck approach I'm even going to take to the final where it's nice to have a look at the arrow while I'm just standing and scouting the landscape. I concur with this; especially in Alaska and Arizona as well. Mountains are unfriendly to having to keep moving. Heck, I even used it while standing at intersections in new york city so I could make sure I was going the correct way. Quote Link to comment
+TotemLake Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 I haven't seen one yet. I keep the compass turned off on all my gpsr's. What do I care which way is North once I've quit moving? You don't. But if you find the need to stop moving in challenging terrain, it's nice to have your handheld compute an appropriate vector for you and display it. Maybe it's just some of the terrain we deal with out here in Colorado, but it's not always convenient to walk off a cliff to get a new bearing. There's been a lot of times where I'm trying to sort out what the heck approach I'm even going to take to the final where it's nice to have a look at the arrow while I'm just standing and scouting the landscape. VK will never find himself in challenging terrain. That being said, there isn't a single e-compass that is self-calibrating. They all need to be calibrated at one time or another. It's the dance you sign up to do when you buy into one. Quote Link to comment
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