3 axis compass

[M.TEX]

Ok another quick question.

Do I need the 3 axis on a compass or not ? and why 3 axis ?

I use the map to navegate and maybe a compass only IF I need to check on something.

( something ? never did use for anything so far , just a cool factor in my case )

But after people explain better I could look for caches with compass...well maybe...

Please explain to me that 3 axis thing...

Thanks

M.TEX

[Forkeye]

Ok another quick question.

Do I need the 3 axis on a compass or not ? and why 3 axis ?

I use the map to navegate and maybe a compass only IF I need to check on something.

( something ? never did use for anything so far , just a cool factor in my case )

But after people explain better I could look for caches with compass...well maybe...

Please explain to me that 3 axis thing...

Thanks

M.TEX

You dont need to hold the 3 axis compass level as you do the 2 axis one for it to work properly and no you dont really need it to find a geo cache site,it would be of more use for wildeness navigation ,but if you know how to use a real compass then you are all set.The electronic is nice to have ,but not essential.

[+borrie869]

after having cached with and without an electronic compass there is no way i would ever go out without using one again, not having to move to get a fix on the cache is fantastic. the only downside is they are voltage sensitive, hasnt really been a problem for me as soon as my baterys are down halfway i usually change them

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

As mentioned, 3-axis needn't necessarily be held level, and true you don't really need a compass to get to GZ.

 

I feel most important, if you do travel far and wide in the toolies, you should always have a magnetic with you regardless of what your GPSr compass will/won't do. Neat thing about electronics, they are gonna fail -- sometime, somewhere. Even a pin-on magnetic. Small, lightweight, barely noticeable, UNTIL you really, really need it. If you never need it, what is the loss?

[+Entropy512]

after having cached with and without an electronic compass there is no way i would ever go out without using one again, not having to move to get a fix on the cache is fantastic. the only downside is they are voltage sensitive, hasnt really been a problem for me as soon as my baterys are down halfway i usually change them

Agree on never wanting to go back to a non-compass unit.

 

Also, I've found that with freshly charged NiMHs, it seems like for the first 15-30 minutes of use they have a higher voltage than normal and will flatten out after that. Or at least that's my guess why I need to recalibrate frequently at the start of a hike and then don't have to re-cal afterwards.

[M.TEX]

Thanks guys...

M.TEX

[+ventura_kids]

You should always have 2 sides to a discussion.....so here goes.

 

I Never use the compass option on any of my 4 GPS units.

It's such a waste.

 

There ya go. 2 sides to every subject.

[Pajaholic]

I recently bought a Dakota 20 and I just love the way the map is always correctly oriented and the compass points to the cache even if you're standing still. Last time out I used that to take sight lines from positions around a cache to narrow down GZ to a specific tree (having done three of the series already, I knew the CO gave good coords).

 

The difference between tilt-compensated and non-tilt-compensated is that with the latter your compass can be way off without you realising it. So, for me, it's 3-axis or nothing.

 

FWIW, another time the 3-axis compass comes into its own is when using the GPS as a bicycle sat-nav. The map is correctly aligned when you're stopped at the lights, stop sign, etc., which makes navigation more intuitive.

 

HTH,

 

Geoff