compass behavior legend hcx

[+dexnjan]

I just acquired a Garmin Legend HCX and I don't understand how the compass is supposed to work or behave while searching for a cache. The pointer seems unstable. My old Geomate is easier to understand.

email me if possible - dexnjan@charter.net -- Thanks

[ao318]

I just acquired a Garmin Legend HCX and I don't understand how the compass is supposed to work or behave while searching for a cache. The pointer seems unstable. My old Geomate is easier to understand.

email me if possible - dexnjan@charter.net -- Thanks

Hello,

 

The Legend HCX is a great GPSr. A couple of things you might already know but you didn't state, this unit does not have an electronic compass. Therefore, you must be moving slightly to get an accurate reading. Next, have you updated the unit to the most recent firmware version?

 

You may want to describe exactly what it is you are doing it and how you are doing it. This will help others understand how to help out but until then, these two things should help out a little. Good luck.

[+dexnjan]

I just acquired a Garmin Legend HCX and I don't understand how the compass is supposed to work or behave while searching for a cache. The pointer seems unstable. My old Geomate is easier to understand.

email me if possible - dexnjan@charter.net -- Thanks

Hello,

 

The Legend HCX is a great GPSr. A couple of things you might already know but you didn't state, this unit does not have an electronic compass. Therefore, you must be moving slightly to get an accurate reading. Next, have you updated the unit to the most recent firmware version?

 

You may want to describe exactly what it is you are doing it and how you are doing it. This will help others understand how to help out but until then, these two things should help out a little. Good luck.

[+dexnjan]

I do have the latest update. I did do a complete reset on it after I posted my query. I don't know if you are supposed to orient the unit so North is up or have it so that the arrow points in the direction of the cash. There was another broken line on the face of the compass, it might just have been right angles to the North arrow. When I use my old Geomate, I have to be moving also to get the arrow to point at the cache. A friend has an Etrex that I played with a bit, an older Etrex H, where the arrow was very stable. I'll try more hunting and see how it goes since I did the reset. I bought this one from a friend who only used it a very little bit.

Thanks - Dex

[+Snabelabe]

I think I know what the problem is, since there is another broken line on the compass.

To solve it:

While you are on the compass page, press the ENTER button (the one below the zoom buttons). This will show a menu, based on what you are seeing,the menu should show "bearing pointer" click this. This will change the compass to the bearing pointer (pointer without broken line, suitable for geocaching).

 

I hope this helps for you!

[+dexnjan]

Thanks for the replies, The Legend is behaving all OK now, and another question that I had, you answered. The part about if I should be using bearing or course compass settings. I think the trouble all went back to the previous owner, he no doubt had been playing with all the parameters, and got them messed up for the way that I am using this unit.

Like I said I had been using a Geomate jr for geocaching, and it worked quite well. The thing is, the company went out of business and now the update site will only do pocket queries. Before you could put about 1/3 of the US into the unit, so you could travel all over and always have caches to look for just about anytime.

Thanks to those who responded - Dex -- of dexnjan

[+coggins]

The Legend has more display options than a geomate so there are more things to mess up

[+dexnjan]

Yes, I will not be changing the settings very much, it's working good the way it is.

On another related subject with the Geomate, the site for then getting their updates has become active again, and I can use the Geomate again. I will be keeping the Legend for local caching.

The weather here in MN has been very good all winter, I will be going out a lot in the next week.

Best Regards - Dex