+TEAM 360 Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 Took my MeriPlat out for an open field test today. Had the WAAS and Electronic Compass options both activated. Made 4 different passes over a marker in the open field from about 175 feet out and got: Approaching from the east:N33.20.277 W11157.219 Approaching from the west:N33.20.275 W111.57.214 Approaching from the north:N33.20.264 W111.57.211 Approaching from the south:N33.20.260 W111.57.212 Now those coordinates are not too terribly different, but that's not what is bothering me. Temperature was 82, 1:31 p.m. Arizona time, clear skies, no electrical or power lines around, had a solid lock on 6 satellites with a confirmed 3D view, and I even recalibrated the electronic compass on site before all of this. Now, here's the problems: when I went to the other end of the field and cleared it all out, I then entered a GOTO for each of those coordinates, I ended up at least 40 feet off the mark in multiple directions. On one approach, the unit said I still had 120 feet to go, and I was standing right on top of the marker. Tried it with the compass both on and off. (Compass was right on, verified it with the position of the sun after calibration.) Also, I noticed that as I stood there, at one end of the field my altitude went WAY up, and then as I walked across, it dropped from 1100 to 700 feet on one of the passes. Funny, I didn't notice that I just walked off the side of a cliff. Anyone else experience this kind of WAYPOINT DRIFT during a cache hunt or a GOTO on a known coordinate or the altitude change with a Meridian series? I just uploaded 4.02 onto it, and am wondering if I should go back to the original 3.something version. My Magellan 315 used to be dead nuts on (tripped over a cache once or twice), and it was a whole lot less expensive. Wish I had that antenna in the new Platinum. [This message was edited by Indiana Jeff on March 11, 2003 at 02:47 PM.] Quote Link to comment
iweb Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 My Platinum was working perfect until I "upgraded" to 4.06 and then it went nuts and I could not get it to do anything right. I just put 3.12 back on and its back to normal, I can get within 2 ft. of a cache! Seems like some upgrade fine and some don't, mine didn't! Quote Link to comment
+-=(GEO)=- Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 And that's what you're experiencing right now. I've upgraded the firmware 3 times now, and of all the versions, 4.02 has demonstrated the most problems: for instance, I always overshoot caches now while I used to be able to be dead on. Also, the accuracy of the compass is lacking and is downright whacky sometimes. I can't wait for the final release of 4.06 as I can't seem to load the unofficial version w/o killing my GPS Hopefully, 4.02 will just be a bad memory soon. Quote Link to comment
+TEAM 360 Posted March 11, 2003 Author Share Posted March 11, 2003 Well, okay, how do I go BACK to the original version? Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 Past firmware files are available at the yahoo meridian group. You might want to give 4.06 a try since you've got a Plat. It's been working ok for me (but then 4.02 didn't seem to present problems for me, either). If that's no better, 3.12 is in there, too. Max Often wrong but seldom in doubt Quote Link to comment
+TEAM 360 Posted March 11, 2003 Author Share Posted March 11, 2003 Man, thanks a million...I went and downloaded version 4.06 into the unit, and will be back here on Wednesday to give you the results, and if THIS doesn't do the trick, I already have the original version on the hard drive here, ready to go. YOU GUYS ARE LIFESAVERS, I WAS SWEATIN' THAT I ALREADY MESSED IT UP..THANK YOU... [This message was edited by Indiana Jeff on March 11, 2003 at 08:38 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 Sorry, hit the post button after typing only a few words. I fixed my post, so hit refresh and it should show right. Firmwares are in a folder at that link. Max Often wrong but seldom in doubt Quote Link to comment
+Searching_ut Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 You didn't say what sort of terrain you were in. Locking on to only six satellites however sounds like somethings blocking the sky view in at least one direction. My sportraks behave like this quite often, as I've reported on my webpage and my postings over the last few months. They don't however behave like that on flat land, with clear skys and good sat geometry. If you're in a canyon, even a small one, within half a mile or so of a cliff, or in other similar situations then what you describe is very common. Testing my receivers in the manner you describe is something I do with all of mine in a wide variety of areas in order to learn the quirks of the unit. Good luck sorting it out Jeff Quote Link to comment
+TEAM 360 Posted March 12, 2003 Author Share Posted March 12, 2003 Did the test with version 4.06 for the Platinums, and the results were worse. I took multiple reading approaching the center of a soccer field from the four different directions, and then when I did a GOTO and approached: The first time I was S.E. of the center by 90'. Same thing the second time. Third time I was S.E. of the center by 40'. Fourth approach I was South by 70'. I went home and went back to version 3.12. Then I gave it the real test: finding a cache. I did one close by, at coordinates N33.39.196 W111.27.841 and when the unit said I was 3' away, I stopped and looked behind a bush about 3' away, and THERE IT WAS. BOOM! Gonna stick with the original version of 3.12 for now. Quote Link to comment
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