thcri Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 I have mounted my 60CS on my dash of my pickup using the suction cup mount and I have my cigaretter adapter plugged in. When my pickup is sitting for a while the GPS no longer will know where it is. The north arrow will be pointing everyplace but north. While it is in this position I will click on a waypoint to do routing and it will come up with a real goofy direction to get to where I really want to go. In other words it will show up to go south for a bit, go around the block and head back the direction it should have shown in the first place. If I start moving it finds where it is but I have to do a re-calibrate for it to correct the true direction it should be going. Am I just losing satellites, would an external antenna be better? murph Quote Link to comment
+Volwrath Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 Avoid UTurn is on and your compass is off? Quote Link to comment
+JT & PJ Cole Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 Just an idea, but does the 60cs work in the truck, say with you holding it out the window? Or in a different position? With the engine off? Un plugged from the cigar lighter? If so, you might need a externa antenna. There might be interference from the truck's computer, or window tint might be blocking the signal. Quote Link to comment
thcri Posted March 13, 2004 Author Share Posted March 13, 2004 Once I start moving it works great. I notice that it only takes about a minute of sitting as to when it loses it's signal. If I buy the external antenna, would it not be mounted inside also and do the same thing? murph Quote Link to comment
+Volwrath Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 Avoid UTurn is on and your compass is off? Avoid UTurn is on (in the route menu and your compass (sensor) is off? Quote Link to comment
thcri Posted March 13, 2004 Author Share Posted March 13, 2004 Avoid UTurn is on and your compass is off? Avoid UTurn is on (in the route menu and your compass (sensor) is off? I can't seem to find the Uturn feature in the routes menu. I didn't have any routes in the gps so I added on and still can't find it. compass is easy, just hold the page key for a bit. murph Quote Link to comment
+Wienerdog Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 On the 60C avoiding U turns is found here... Press > Menu >Menu >Setup > Routing > Enter > Follow Road Options > Enter and deselect U-Turns. Can't comment on the compass settings... Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about the 60CS But that won't stop me from some thoughts on the subject. First off, it sounds like the unit is using GPS information to set the pointer, not the magnetic compass. As long as you move it works great. When you stop, any slight drift in the signal will be seen as movement and the pointer will move all around. You probably don't notice this much while hiking since you probably don't sit perfectly still that long. You need to make sure that you've enabled the compass sensor. Also check what positions are supported by the internal compass. Some units will work either way, but some require you to hold the unit in a specific position. (Vertical or flat) It's possible that the dash mount is holding it the wrong way. I've heard that some units have to have the compass re-calibrated each time the batteries are changed. I don't know if it's because of the brief power interruption, (which should be easily fixable) or the different battery voltage. If it's the different battery voltage, I have to wonder what that power cord does to the situation as I'm sure the truck's voltage changes between stopped, idle and driving. You might see if the unit works better on batteries. You might have something near the unit, maybe even under the dash that has a powerful magnet that's messing up the unit's compass. Do you have any cell phone mount that uses a magnet to hold the phone? You might also repeat the experiment outside of the truck. Quote Link to comment
4x5shooter Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 To me, it sounds like the compass (sensor) is on. There is a built in delay for the unit to switch from the GPS compass to the sensor compass when you're going less than 10mph for at least 90 seconds (this is adjustable, but that is the default). If the unit is pointing up, like it would be on your dash, that sensor compass would act screwy and the map might rotate around. You can tell if the compass is on because there's an icon for it on the title bar of each screen. But I guess you are saying you've turned it off? Quote Link to comment
+Rubberhead Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 thcri, When sitting still the error reading in a GPS makes the unit think that you are moving just slightly in a random direction. If one of these small errors make the unit think that you've changed directions then your orientation on the map will change. This is the major reason an electronic compass was added so some GPS unit. If your electronic compass is turned on, but your unit is near vertical, you still may have this problem. The other thing that happens is that your GPS will switch from using the electronic compass to the GPS-based differential compass once you get above a certain speed. The manual for the 60CS (page 15) shows this setting to be 10 MPH. There is also a time delay before the unit switches back to the electronic compass. The default in the manual (same page)looks like 90 seconds. You may want to shorten this period. Quote Link to comment
+Volwrath Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 To me, it sounds like the compass (sensor) is on. There is a built in delay for the unit to switch from the GPS compass to the sensor compass when you're going less than 10mph for at least 90 seconds (this is adjustable, but that is the default). If the unit is pointing up, like it would be on your dash, that sensor compass would act screwy and the map might rotate around. You can tell if the compass is on because there's an icon for it on the title bar of each screen. But I guess you are saying you've turned it off? Now that I think about it, I think you are right. I have the 60C, and it doesnt happen to me. Turn OFF the compass and try it! Quote Link to comment
thcri Posted March 13, 2004 Author Share Posted March 13, 2004 Turning the compass off pretty much solves the problem. Thanks guys. murph Quote Link to comment
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