Magellan GPS 315 NorthFinder Feature

[rm17]

Hello all,

I am new to GPS units and am pretty sure I'll start with a Magellan 315. I don't want your opinions on the whole unit! I just want to know if any of you have used this "NorthFinder" feature where you line up the sun icon with the sun and it gives you the correct directions for North, South, East, West. Wondering if this works well and if it's accurate.

[+My Blue Heaven]

My first unit was a 315, which I still have, but upgraded to a SporTrak Pro.

 

The north finder on the 315 is pretty handy. I have used it a number of times and it seems to be accurate enough.

 

As for the 315, I love mine. There are still things about it that I prefer over the newer SporTrak.

 

Scott

[Eeyore and Shadow]

I use north finder quite often on my 315 i've even used it with the moon and it works as well.

 

Eeyore

 

My other cachemobile is a broom!

[+geospotter]

Not only does it give you the correct directions for N,E,S, and W, it also helps when the compass screen's arrow starts to bounce around (loose bearings).

 

The GPS knows where you are, and it knows where the cache is, and it knows the direction (bearing) to the cache. What it doesn't know is which direction you are facing. By lining up the sun icon with the sun, the compass arrow points at the cache. It's a handy feature that I use all the time.

[+pizzachef]

The Northfinder feature is really handy...I mostly use it on the compass screen to make the arrow point in the correct direction. It basically eliminates the need for an electronic compass...except it doesn't work too well on cloudy days when you can't see the sun.

 

-pizzachef