Compass points wrong direction

[+Sensible Sis]

On 8/17/2019 at 12:05 PM, acachebox said:

I may have found the answer. Try this and please post your results.

What I found was once an azimuth has been set on the phone and you start towards the cache I have a tendency to drop the phone down by my side while walking. When the phone was brought back up to view and held parallel to the ground the direction would be 90 or 180 degrees off. If you find this happening and while holding the phone parallel to the ground lift the top edge of the phone skyward. As you lift the top edge at about 30 degrees you will see the azimuth return to the correct direction. Don't ask me why but all the testing I have done causes it to correct itself. This works if the azimuth is off by 90 degrees to the left or right and also if it is off by 180 degrees.

This worked for me!

 

I don't know how I haven't seen this post before.

 

I've had the same problem for a year or two with an iPhone 7.

The distance would count down as I approached the cache but the arrow would point in a completely different direction.  My problem seemed to be with the Geocaching app not the phone, as the compass worked fine with other apps such as Adventure Lab or Wherigo.

 

I've tried other fixes suggested on this and other posts but nothing worked until now.

Lifting the top of the phone by about 30 degrees readjusts the arrow to the correct position after a second or two.  I might have to do this more than once while navigating to a cache but it's been working for a few days so hopefully this simple action is all it needs.

 

Thanks acachebox!

[+acachebox]

An update to this tread.

I just bought a new I Phone and I can say the tilt correction while navigating to a cache works. If you are navigating to a cache move the phone as held in your hand from the horizontal the compass will revert to a north orientation display. If you bring the phone back to a horizontal position and tilt it slightly upward the asthma is displayed correctly. With the newer phone that correction is instantaneously.

With luck maybe someday Apple will understand what an asthma is used for a correct the software.

[+acachebox]

I hope those who had this issue will get this post.

I finally got through to an Apple software type and had a lengthily conversation. He was able to duplicate the problem as I described it and was convinced it should be forwarded to engineering. Continuing our conversation he came up with the idea it might have something to do with the screen rotation feature, which was adopted, just after the time frame I said the problem started. Turns out the screen rotation feature can be lock off. We each locked that feature and the problem stopped. 

Depending on what version I Phone you have you can lock the screen rotation feature off while caching.

That is a feature that each developer can also lock in their software and Apple may advise Ground Speak to consider including that in a revision.

[worrellsquirrel]

On 11/19/2021 at 4:04 PM, acachebox said:

I hope those who had this issue will get this post.

I finally got through to an Apple software type and had a lengthily conversation. He was able to duplicate the problem as I described it and was convinced it should be forwarded to engineering. Continuing our conversation he came up with the idea it might have something to do with the screen rotation feature, which was adopted, just after the time frame I said the problem started. Turns out the screen rotation feature can be lock off. We each locked that feature and the problem stopped. 

Depending on what version I Phone you have you can lock the screen rotation feature off while caching.

That is a feature that each developer can also lock in their software and Apple may advise Ground Speak to consider including that in a revision.

Thank you for providing more information about the issue. I was able to reproduce this and have notified our engineers.

[+kunarion]

On 11/19/2021 at 4:04 PM, acachebox said:

I hope those who had this issue will get this post.

I finally got through to an Apple software type and had a lengthily conversation. He was able to duplicate the problem as I described it and was convinced it should be forwarded to engineering. Continuing our conversation he came up with the idea it might have something to do with the screen rotation feature, which was adopted, just after the time frame I said the problem started. Turns out the screen rotation feature can be lock off. We each locked that feature and the problem stopped. 

Depending on what version I Phone you have you can lock the screen rotation feature off while caching.

That is a feature that each developer can also lock in their software and Apple may advise Ground Speak to consider including that in a revision.

That’s a great find!

On my iPhone 8, screen lock is in the Control Center (where the flashlight is), pull it up from the bottom of the screen.

 

The app keeps its pointer correct when the option is set.  I also tried it by running Anchor Pointer,  an app that prevents any other apps from rotating while it’s open (it had no effect).

 

Does this bug exist in iphone models higher than iPhone 8?  I may upgrade a model number or two someday, and that might help me decide.  Mine also has the bug mentioned in another topic affecting similar models where the distance wanders around by as far as 300 feet.

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by kunarion