metal near electronic compass..

[+chachi44089]

Can a lanyard with a metal "iron" clip or such cause the electronic compass in a GPS display false readings? I wonder this because I used a lanyard with a metal clip to carry my liquid filled compass and noticed that it caused the compass to give false directions. I have since changed to a plastic "clip" lanyard. Has anyone tested this? Might be good to know..

[+CacheFreakTim]

I don't know about metal but when I am in my car my electronic gps goes crazy. I'm not sure if it is the metal in the car or the electronics that is causing it.

[+jsdad]

I'm using a Delorme, and have a long neckstrap with one metal D-ring on the end. Unit seems to work just fine. I think the D-ring is far enough from the body of the unit not to cause any havoc.

[+dfx]

Any ferromagnetic materials close to a electronic/magnetic compass will cause interference and false readings. That's why the carabiners that Garmin ships with the newer units are all aluminum and plastic.

[+DonB]

Can a lanyard with a metal "iron" clip or such cause the electronic compass in a GPS display false readings? I wonder this because I used a lanyard with a metal clip to carry my liquid filled compass and noticed that it caused the compass to give false directions. I have since changed to a plastic "clip" lanyard. Has anyone tested this? Might be good to know..

I think it's a possibility, I don't even wear a ring when caching. High voltage will give it a problem too, One time I pulled in a parking spot, got out of the car and tried to calibrate the compass two or three times with no luck. I happened to look up and was see I was standing under some high voltage lines so I walked about 50 feet away from the lines and had no problem calibrating it.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Can a lanyard with a metal "iron" clip or such cause the electronic compass in a GPS display false readings? I wonder this because I used a lanyard with a metal clip to carry my liquid filled compass and noticed that it caused the compass to give false directions. I have since changed to a plastic "clip" lanyard. Has anyone tested this? Might be good to know..

I think it's a possibility, I don't even wear a ring when caching. High voltage will give it a problem too, One time I pulled in a parking spot, got out of the car and tried to calibrate the compass two or three times with no luck. I happened to look up and was see I was standing under some high voltage lines so I walked about 50 feet away from the lines and had no problem calibrating it.

Outside interference is common, but often not noticed or thought of by users.

 

Nearby high-voltage transmission lines;

Radio, TV, Radar, or other transmitting stations -- not necessarily stationary ones, either: i.e. the guy in the car next to you, using his CB radio that you didn't notice (does anyone use them anymore?) -- a police car radio within say, +/- 500 ft;

Most anything with a directional (transmitting) antenna if you are inline with that antenna;

Power generation facilities;

 

Some of these circumstances are caused by electromagnetic interference, some by signal blockage (overpowering the incoming signal).

[+dfx]

Outside interference is common, but often not noticed or thought of by users.

 

Nearby high-voltage transmission lines;

Radio, TV, Radar, or other transmitting stations -- not necessarily stationary ones, either: i.e. the guy in the car next to you, using his CB radio that you didn't notice (does anyone use them anymore?) -- a police car radio within say, +/- 500 ft;

Most anything with a directional (transmitting) antenna if you are inline with that antenna;

Power generation facilities;

 

Some of these circumstances are caused by electromagnetic interference, some by signal blockage (overpowering the incoming signal).

 

We're talking about the electronic compass here and none of these have any influence on it, unless you're very close (a meter or maybe two at most).

 

As for any objects on you, it's easy to test if they have any influence on the compass: take a magnet and put it to the object. If it sticks to it, then it will cause problems, otherwise it won't. Not every metal is ferromagnetic.

Edited April 23, 2011 by dfx

[+jacklad]

I was thinking of getting a bike mount, now this talk has me concerned. Will the metal handlebar interfere?

[+dfx]

I was thinking of getting a bike mount, now this talk has me concerned. Will the metal handlebar interfere?

 

See above. My bike is aluminum so it's fine. Other bikes will be different. However, once you're moving the electronic compass isn't used anyway (the GPS movement is used instead) so in reality on a bike it's not that much of a problem.

[+CacheFreakTim]

I was thinking of getting a bike mount, now this talk has me concerned. Will the metal handlebar interfere?

 

I have read tons of reviews from bikers and I have never seen one that said it wasnt as accurate attached to the bike.