compass distance

[+photolew]

Ever since the not so new app became the standard app Ive had issues with the compass.  I had an iPhone 5 and now an IPhone SE and I have the same symptons.  When using the Compass to find a cache it is very often off by 30' or more.  I've had multiple caches in which I've had the cache in my hand yet the compass is saying its still 30+ feet away.   any suggestions to improve the accuracy of my phone?   

 

[+kunarion]

21 hours ago, photolew said:

Ever since the not so new app became the standard app Ive had issues with the compass.  I had an iPhone 5 and now an IPhone SE and I have the same symptons.  When using the Compass to find a cache it is very often off by 30' or more.  I've had multiple caches in which I've had the cache in my hand yet the compass is saying its still 30+ feet away.   any suggestions to improve the accuracy of my phone?   

 

 

Without specific cache info, it's hard to guess.  But many caches were placed by phone, such as an iPhone.  GPS rarely pinpoints a spot consistently, and even if it does, it's not necessarily identifying the coordinates, it's the place that the phone has decided is GZ.  That's called "precision" but it's not "accuracy". If the Cache Owner's coordinates are a little off, and yours are also off, 30 feet is not unreasonable.  When you're that close, stop following the phone, and start looking where the description and hint tell you.  Or place the phone stationary to see if it settles out.  Or leave the forest for a clear shot at the satellites and fewer obstructions, stand in an open place as close to the the cache as possible, look at the reading and pace it out, back into the forest.  And log that the cache seemed a little off.  And look at the logs to see if others said it's a little off.

The free Official App is perfectly fine, but there are some pretty cool compass Apps for iPhones.  I bought "Spyglass" which superimposes the landscape on the compass, and used that to get a better idea of where a tricky cache may be, while I'm standing in the clearing.  I also have Commander Compass.  Sometimes one of my other Apps helps a little.

There's a great App for Android called "GPS Status" that shows the number of GPS satellites the phone has found, and it has a nice big compass indicator.  It is now available for IOS.  I've been eyeing that for my iPhone 5s.  When the GPS Apps seems to be stuck (not showing the location so well), it's nice to have an App that shows what's going on with that.

Good luck!

 

 

Edited January 3, 2018 by kunarion