eTrex 20 heading fluctuating badly.

[+Gui1973]

I have a 1 month old eTrex 20 v2.80. When walking at a brisk pace on a straight sidewalk with a clear view of the sky the heading displayed would vary 15-20 degrees (or more) every second or two. It has good satellite connection (12+ sats) and never loses lock.

 

When holding my old eTrex Legend (not HC) in the same hand an inch apart it would only fluctuate 2-3 degrees tops.

 

This is very frustrating when using the goto function and viewing the "turn" field it would point me in all crazy directions, even though I'm walking in a straight line.

 

I know the 20 doesn't have an electronic compass, but neither does the Legend and I don't think it should matter if I'm walking straight.

 

Is there a setting I can adjust to maybe reduce the sensitivity or something?

 

Thanks.

[+L0ne.R]

I have a 1 month old eTrex 20 v2.80. When walking at a brisk pace on a straight sidewalk with a clear view of the sky the heading displayed would vary 15-20 degrees (or more) every second or two. It has good satellite connection (12+ sats) and never loses lock.

 

When holding my old eTrex Legend (not HC) in the same hand an inch apart it would only fluctuate 2-3 degrees tops.

 

This is very frustrating when using the goto function and viewing the "turn" field it would point me in all crazy directions, even though I'm walking in a straight line.

 

I know the 20 doesn't have an electronic compass, but neither does the Legend and I don't think it should matter if I'm walking straight.

 

Is there a setting I can adjust to maybe reduce the sensitivity or something?

 

Thanks.

 

Sounds like my Garmin GPSMAP 62s. I follow the meters. If the numbers go down, I'm heading in the right direction.

[tr_s]

I find it an issue. Too lowly tuned direction filter... It's too lowly tuned on my old eTrex H too, but not as irritating as the 30. I think the filtering of both direction and position should optimally be user tunable and everybody could be happy...

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Garmin cured the problem on the Oregon 450 and 62 series with upgraded firmware.....from what I read the Etrex firmware still has a ways to go.....Etrex owners should complain loudly , Garmin will take notice.

I've read so much about 3 axis compass problems on the 30 I'm beginning to wonder if firmware can fix it.....hopefully so.

[tr_s]

Yeah, I understand there seems to be a problem on the Etrex 30 but both I and the OP were talking about the Etrex 20

 

Shouldn't matter as I was talking about calculated heading from position change (compass off), in which case it should at least in theory behave just like the 20.

[+webscouter.]

I found that sometimes if it is set to lock on road it does some funny jumping around.

 

Also there is a setting to change the speed that it switches from compass to calculated. I know you aren't using the compass but maybe it still falls into play. I reduced my speed to something like 20 miles an hour because I wanted it to be well above the speed I can jog.

[+Gui1973]

Also there is a setting to change the speed that it switches from compass to calculated. I know you aren't using the compass but maybe it still falls into play. I reduced my speed to something like 20 miles an hour because I wanted it to be well above the speed I can jog.

Is there a similar setting on the 20? Obviously no compass but maybe something speed related. I couldn't find anything related to sensitivity, or sampling rate, or similar.

 

I find it so erratic I'm thinking mine's a dud and should be exchanged. Very annoying when on my bike and it tells indicates my destination is 16 deg. to the right, then 5 deg. to the left, then 15 to the right... I can't spend my time staring at the display mentally calculating an average - one quick glance should be all that's needed (like with my Legend).

 

Because I have found no major complaints about this (unlike the compass issue) I'm hoping a replacement will work as expected.

[+Gui1973]

It would happen at all distances from 0 to 1.5km away. I didn't test further than that. Always on a sidewalk with no tall buildings or even trees nearby.

 

Even when not in compass view, or when no "go to" is activated, the headings display (in my map view) would still fluctuate.

 

When in "go to" mode the distance to destination would not fluctuate and is within a couple meters or my Legend.

 

To me these clues indicate it knows exactly where the destination AND exactly it's won destination, but is unsure as to what direction it is heading. To me this shouldn't happen on a unit that is in motion with good sat lock.

[John E Cache]

The op called it jumpy. When they make it steady people call it sticky. Garmin can't please everybody. I like the op's idea of a setting so people can pick their poison.

[+Gui1973]

The op called it jumpy. When they make it steady people call it sticky. Garmin can't please everybody. I like the op's idea of a setting so people can pick their poison.

Garmin acknowledged and fixed the sticky issue. Hopefully they will do the same with this. It's more than simply user preference.

[+webscouter.]

It just occured to me that perhaps you have it set on tracking instead of heading. This would show you the direction to the line that was drawn from your initial starting point to the destination.

[+Gui1973]

It just occured to me that perhaps you have it set on tracking instead of heading. This would show you the direction to the line that was drawn from your initial starting point to the destination.

 

I don't have it in front of me at the moment however this may give a clue as to how it's set:

Even when there is no "go to" active, the "heading" data field jumps around.

When there is an active "go to" I use the "Turn" data field to show me how many degrees left or right to my final destination. This jumps around also, but I think it's just a calculation based off the heading.

It appears to exactly know my location (because the distance to destination doesn't fluctuate), but is unsure of my heading or direction.

My Legend does not do this but I bet I could artificially replicate it by walking in a zig-zag pattern every couple steps.

[tr_s]

The op called it jumpy. When they make it steady people call it sticky. Garmin can't please everybody. I like the op's idea of a setting so people can pick their poison.

 

However, for me the sticky problem was really more than simply a highly set position filter - something was flat out wrong!

 

Pre 2.71, I could be in an open field and be approaching a waypoint. Upon approaching it I slowed down. The coordinates would then stop updating, even if I passed said waypoint by hundreds of meters. Not feet - METERS. I could then sit down and in a calm manner imbibe half my lunch before the machine would actually suddenly jerk to the correct coordinates - it would lock for minutes, then record a track leg of extreme speed.

[John E Cache]

The op called it jumpy. When they make it steady people call it sticky. Garmin can't please everybody. I like the op's idea of a setting so people can pick their poison.

 

However, for me the sticky problem was really more than simply a highly set position filter - something was flat out wrong!

 

Pre 2.71, I could be in an open field and be approaching a waypoint. Upon approaching it I slowed down. The coordinates would then stop updating, even if I passed said waypoint by hundreds of meters. Not feet - METERS. I could then sit down and in a calm manner imbibe half my lunch before the machine would actually suddenly jerk to the correct coordinates - it would lock for minutes, then record a track leg of extreme speed.

I was kind of joking/exaggerating a little. Maybe some people expect the GPS to stop changing when they stop moving. They might even say you are wrong in expecting a change when you stop for lunch. How Garmin determines you are not moving is a mystery to me. The position error changes when you are standing still. I could see this on the my old unfiltered Garmin GPS II. Maybe they need two settings. The filter time constant and a minimum speed threshold.

[+Gui1973]

Just to try another experiment I set a GO TO destination 9000km away. While walking in a straight line the "Turn" data field would indicate anywhere between R23 degrees and R66 degrees. Numbers changing every second or so.

Can someone do a similar test? You only need to walk a short distance in a straight line to know if yours does the same thing. During your walk take a note of the highest and lowest number shown in the "Turn" field, or the "Heading" field.

 

Thanks!