+JohnCNA Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Mine is still in my possesion it still as of yet hase correct compass orientation. But I did find out if you are driving down the road above 40 mph the compass will be correct. But if you go slower it will bounce back and forth and if you stop it gies to about 60 degrees off. I still use it to find caches. But yes I DO want them to fix it It should require a lot lower speed than that. On my eTrex 30,it switches from mag compass to GPS compass at walking speeds. On my phone app (CacheSense) the developer specifies that he switches from mag to GPS at 3 mph. I'm pretty sure the '30 switches at a little lower speed, like maybe 2 mph. It's not that easy to hit a steady 3 mph in the brush. I can tell when it's time to calibrate the mag compass by noting the heading while walking and then stopping. If the heading changed when stopped, the mag compass needed to be calibrated. That was something I had to do several times per day when I first got it a couple years ago but they fixed it within a few months with firmware updates. I hardly ever have to calibrate the compass now. Quote Link to comment
yogazoo Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Thanks for that important addition JohnCNA. At driving speeds and speeds over a certain, lowish threshold. I'm not sure what that low number is on the Monterra. It's like the movie Speed with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. As long as you search for your cache and maintain a speed above 3 miles an hour your fine. Below that and your compass BLOWS UP! Quote Link to comment
39_Steps Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) Thanks for that important addition JohnCNA. At driving speeds and speeds over a certain, lowish threshold. I'm not sure what that low number is on the Monterra. It's like the movie Speed with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. As long as you search for your cache and maintain a speed above 3 miles an hour your fine. Below that and your compass BLOWS UP! Odd coincidence that you have mentioned a movie at this point in the thread, as I am just beginning to wonder, based on the compass becoming correct at 40mph, if Garmin has tied into a video camera frame timer and skewed their projected compass point distance by a factor of 1/29.97 ?? Edit: But first it seemed that the 59 foot/sec track point spacing at 40mph might be tied into the old sticky compass pointer issues in plain old ground zero geocaching. Edited January 12, 2014 by 39_Steps Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 On the compass issue if you download the Geocache app from the play store you can use the compass in that app pretty good. It is not perfect maybe 2 degrees off but usable. And if you use your phone as a hot spot you can Geocache any where you want pretty easily. Quote Link to comment
Slinger05 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 On the compass issue if you download the Geocache app from the play store you can use the compass in that app pretty good. It is not perfect maybe 2 degrees off but usable. And if you use your phone as a hot spot you can Geocache any where you want pretty easily. That's just weird that a third party application works. Does it drift like the stock application does? Which Compass app? Quote Link to comment
yogazoo Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 (edited) What's weird is that some guy in his garage creating a third party compass app can get it right but a fairly large corporation with all of it's resources hasn't yet??? Edited to add: Edited January 27, 2014 by yogazoo Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 It is the Geocache App and the Compass works pretty good maybe 1 0r 2 degrees off but i used it alot this weekend. I got 9 Geocaches in 1 hour and only a minute of search do to good info from compass for each. Quote Link to comment
+splashy Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 What's weird is that some guy in his garage creating a third party compass app can get it right but a fairly large corporation with all of it's resources hasn't yet??? Edited to add: Maybe the Garmin Monterra programmer is working out of a very small garage?? Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Any New info yet Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I believe that there is an update is in the works with the objective of a release this month. Quote Link to comment
+coachstahly Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 It's not going to be for the compass as they replied to an email stating that they are aware of the issue but have no timetable on getting it fixed. Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 We probably have different sources for our info. Quote Link to comment
+coachstahly Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I sure hope your source has more insight than the emails that I'm getting from Garmin. Still hoping to hear from the CEO as I sent an email off to him. Quote Link to comment
+splashy Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 (edited) Not ever any Email reply (if replied at all ) from Garmin did help, not ever did they listen and they must have hand 100.000 of Emails the last couple of years. It's the bast maker of Gps hardware, it's the worst company for software and helpdesk ever. The fact they swap a new defective units for another doesn't make it better, because the unit should be working from the beginning. But the CEO, you really expect a reasonable answer? LoL Edited February 8, 2014 by splashy Quote Link to comment
yogazoo Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 (edited) My experience with the beta email addresses (e.g. oregonbeta@garmin.com, montanabeta@garmin.com) has been great. I've offered detailed issue reports over the years and Garmin software engineers have usually been very responsive. They might not always write back but many times the bug reported in an email has shown up as fixed in subsequent firmware releases. It's all in how you write the email. Get to the heart of the issue with as much detail and specifics about the issue as you can. Simply stating you have a problem might be helpful but it would be more helpful to send them a specific gpx file that causes the issue, or describe what screens or menus are being accessed or what your settings are. Newer unit's have a "system.xml" on the internal garmin folder. It logs the details of system exceptions and crashes. It's always helpful to attach that file if reporting a seemingly random crash or boot failure. To my understanding Garmin does test their products before release but it's impossible to test them with every file and configuration users across the globe will employ. On the other hand, it's perplexing why this compass issue that was apparently discovered before release persists months afterward. We can speculate all day long but we should get an answer before the month is out, so hang in there. Edited February 8, 2014 by yogazoo Quote Link to comment
+coachstahly Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 No, I don't expect to hear from the CEO, but it certainly didn't cost me anything but time to send it off. The beta email got returned as undeliverable so not sure if they have it set up at all or I don't have access to that address. Only issue I've had is the pointer issue. No crashes, no other failures - just the pointer. I'm not sure why their new top of the line unit isn't receiving updates as quick and fast as the Montana did unless they have NO idea on how to approach this problem. That's a bit disheartening if that's truly the case. Looking forward to ANYTHING that might address the problem. Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Would a good guess be Monterrabeta@garmin.com something for me to try? Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Would a good guess be Monterrabeta@garmin.com something for me to try? To my knowledge there is no Monterra Dev Group email id. Quote Link to comment
Slinger05 Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) No resolution for compass=faulty device=return=buy when new model comes out=happy Edit Someone just posted on my YouTube video that the latest update fixed the compass and possibly the map misalignment. Can someone confirm here and my YouTube post? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYgXUS6RC7Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player Edited February 9, 2014 by Slinger05 Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I have not seen a recent update in the last few days Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I have not seen a recent update in the last few days No update yet... Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Any more news lately I am still waiting Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Nope. I don't think my contact likes me asking any more since they have missed both of the Jan and Feb targets. Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Oh well I just opened a new forum discussion on the Garmin website asking the question once agian Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Oh well I just opened a new forum discussion on the Garmin website asking the question once agian Since there is no Garmin Forum Thread for the Monterra, you won't get much in the way of Garmin eyes on your query. I'd suggest sending a complaint email to Product Support. Quote Link to comment
yogazoo Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 As far as I know, Garmin eyes are more likely to view this forum than the Garmin forum. I know Garmin's silence on the Monterra is getting a bit frustrating. Quote Link to comment
+larryc43230 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 This is a bit off-topic, but I've never been able to find an area in the Garmin forums dedicated to handheld GPS units. Is there such a thing, and if so, where is it? --Larry Quote Link to comment
+coachstahly Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 As far as I know, Garmin eyes are more likely to view this forum than the Garmin forum. I know Garmin's silence on the Monterra is getting a bit frustrating. +1 It feels like they've abandoned the unit, which I know they haven't. With all the fast and furious updates the Montana received, this is a bit of a letdown. Quote Link to comment
+gpsblake Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 This is a bit off-topic, but I've never been able to find an area in the Garmin forums dedicated to handheld GPS units. Is there such a thing, and if so, where is it? Nope which is really odd because they have dedicated forums to other types of GPS units like the Edge. Maybe they use this as their defacto forum for GPSr's????? Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Yes, just like they use the public Wiki to replace proper documentation (sigh). Quote Link to comment
rci Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I cannot confirm that the Monterra works correctly with 3rd party compass apps. I did try a few (only free ones though), but dropped those immediately which included adware. Of the few that remained, and included some sort of bearing indicator, none did work. You _may_ be able to calibrate the compass, and then it _may_ point to north, but at least after some time or some sharp turns of the unit, it begins to slowly deviate from true north and is off again for as much as 45 degrees. I finally sent it to Garmin to have it replaced by a Montana, as explained in the http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=317606 (Garmin Monterra - Not so good first impressions) thread. It's been nearly a week since they have my unit, and I did not see nor hear anything. So be warned, there seems to be no fix, no replacement, no money back. Quote Link to comment
+splashy Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 (edited) In the Us some sellers take the gps back up to 12 month, in the rest of the world Garmin is ALWAYS taken the unit back (or swap) if the hardwareproblem is their fault. What is happening on the moment only Garmin knows, some possibilities; They are testing new software before releasing They have new hardware and are testing and waiting to swap to be sure this 'new' unit works as it should. (with the Montana some owners needed to swap 4 times) They have no clue how to fix it this time The fact nothing seems to happen is very not Garmin, normally with new models there was a row of software updates and if the series was faulty they where swapping for a better good working unit. Fact is, the unit seems works more or less as long as you don't geocache or use the compass. :rolleyes: They has a bad experience with Android before, the so called Nuviphone, this thing vanished after a few month on the market. Edited March 5, 2014 by splashy Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 You all might want to install the new 1.18 update... Quote Link to comment
+splashy Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 You all might want to install the new 1.18 update... http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=320345 Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 It works it works yeah oh it works If you were not able to read between the lines. My Compass now works I will be Geocaching agian on Sunday Quote Link to comment
+coachstahly Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 HALLELUJAH! Too bad mine is sitting at home while I coach this weekend! Quote Link to comment
Slinger05 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Can someone please confirm the the map alignment has been fixed. Thank you. Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Now I can ride my bike and not have the map wiggling back and forth oh what a relief it is what was wrong with the alignment Quote Link to comment
+coachstahly Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Are you referring to the approximately 60 degrees difference between the arrow and your destination? If so, appears to work for me after a couple hours this morning. The map still has a tendency to spin when not moving (or moving slowly in the car) but not nearly at the rate it used to. Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Yes it still has a tendency to spin at a stop. I was wondering what Slinger05 was asking about if the map alignment is fixed. If he is asking about the compass bearing on the map yes mine is working. Or is he talking about something else Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) Are all of your Monterra's Working better now Edited March 25, 2014 by Outforawalk Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Mine is. There'll be an update coming soon focused on a few more outstanding issues. Quote Link to comment
+coachstahly Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Mine is as well but there are some minor annoying issues that are either bugs or me not being able to figure it out. On my Montana, I can navigate to a set of coordinates or a waypoint I manually enter and have the distance to destination set and counting down. Can't on the Monterra right now or haven't figured out how to do it. It works great with the geocaching compass profile, but only with the original coordinates associated with the cache. Same thing with a stage of a multi. Only way I can see it is to have the stages dropped down from their entry screen. The geocaching compass only counts down from the original coord posting and the small dashboard (4 displays with the compass underneath) has no numbers in distance to destination that ever display (do think that one's a known issue). Arrows and distance still hold true now. Routing has been great and battery life has been solid but less than the Montana. Nice to not NEED the mount to hear spoken directions. Quote Link to comment
+Outforawalk Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Have not touched my GPS in a few days any New updates in the last 2 Weeks Quote Link to comment
+DRTBYK Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 (edited) Have not touched my GPS in a few days any New updates in the last 2 Weeks There is a GOA 1.19 update which you might want to install. They are also working on another but I have no idea when it will be released. Edited April 9, 2014 by DRTBYK Quote Link to comment
+BigChiefS4 Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I've had my Monterra for about two weeks now, right after the 1.18 update came out. It has been working pretty well, especially since the compass was resolved. However, in the last two days, I can't get it to point "up" on the map when I'm navigating to a cache except when I'm driving. If I'm walking, the compass is pointed either 90 degrees left or right or even worse, today it was pointed 180 degrees so basically the map was backwards - as I'm walking towards the cache. I have the latest 1.19 update so I'm not sure what the heck is going on with this thing. I tried calibrating the compass while I was in the field but that was an effort in futility. I just calibrated it now so I'll see how it performs tomorrow... Quote Link to comment
+Dr. Dragon Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The driving feature on my gps does not work. Anyone else having this issue? I bought the Topo 100k version, and its saying maps do not have routable roads in this area. Does that mean I need city Navigator? Quote Link to comment
+coachstahly Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The driving feature on my gps does not work. Anyone else having this issue? I bought the Topo 100k version, and its saying maps do not have routable roads in this area. Does that mean I need city Navigator? That, 24K maps from Garmin, or OSM maps. 100K topo maps are NOT routable. Quote Link to comment
+Dr. Dragon Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The driving feature on my gps does not work. Anyone else having this issue? I bought the Topo 100k version, and its saying maps do not have routable roads in this area. Does that mean I need city Navigator? That, 24K maps from Garmin, or OSM maps. 100K topo maps are NOT routable. Thanks, I am still learning a lot about this system . Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Recommend you have a look here: http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php A little learning curve to get what you want, but once you've done it once, it's a piece of cake. The resulting *.img files can be slid right over onto your unit, and the *.exe files can be used for Mapsource or Basecamp. Quote Link to comment
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