Magellan Update Bug??

[+gallahad]

When I first purchased my Magellan Meridian Platinum (July 2003) the compass feature worked continuously. That is, the compass functioned continously, regardless of whether I was stationary or moving about.

I downloaded the latest firmware update from Magellan for my Platinum last night. Although everything else seems to be functioning properly, the compass feature is no longer continuous. It is necessary to move (about fifteen feet) before any change occurs in the compass reading.

I have communicated with Magellan about this issue but haven't received a reply yet. Happy to keep others posted on the developments via this thread as the discussion with Magellan progresses.

Just wanted others to know so that, if they elect to download the new firmware, they may discover similar problems.

[robertlipe]

5.12 requires a full compass recalibration for the compass and barometer to work correctly. Additionally, it sounds like the unit was reset for "GPS Course" instead of "Magnetic north".

[SBPhishy]

It is necessary to move (about fifteen feet) before any change occurs in the compass reading.

 

That pretty much sounds like your compass isnt even on. My Gold acts like that. You need to move a little, to get the "compass" on the compass screen to change. If, when you hold the unit flat, and spin it in a circle, the compass doesnt move, then it's not working (or on) at all.

[+RockyRiver]

Calibrate the compass, look in the menu section of the GPS for the calibration area. I had the same thing happen to me.

Edited March 19, 2004 by RockyRiver

[+gallahad]

Thanks. Thus far I have done the following:

 

Full compass recalibration - completed

 

Series of compass recalibrations (probably half a dozen) - completed

(I figured that might be the problem but recalibration didn't fix it)

 

Setup procedure for compass orientation:

 

MENU> SETUP> COMPASS ORIENT> MAGNETIC NORTH

 

Problem continues........

 

I'm still open to ideas.

[+embra]

A shot in the dark that won't hurt: in older versions I sometimes had some sort of flakiness in the electronic compass that would go away if I toggled to GPS orientation for a bit, and then back to magnetic north.

 

If you downloaded the firmware over the internet, it could be worth a try to download a new copy and reload. I have heard that a byte or two can sometimes get lost in transmission.

 

I haven't heard of this problem...99% of the time the full calibration does it. Do your temperature and barometer gauges work properly?

[+gallahad]

A shot in the dark that won't hurt: ... Do your temperature and barometer gauges work properly?

Yep, temp. and barometer working just fine.

I'm gonna take it on a short trip and wring it out.

If it can be used to find a cache with any degree of accuracy I'll use it until Thales Navigation comes up with a fix; or untiil I throw it in a lake - whichever occurs first.

 

(Love that avatar)

[+gallahad]

5.12 requires a full compass recalibration for the compass and barometer to work correctly. Additionally, it sounds like the unit was reset for "GPS Course" instead of "Magnetic north".

FOUND THE FIX

As I mentioned previously, it was set on magnetic north. But I decided that what robertlipe had to say made sense - it was behaving like it was on GPS Course.

So I turned it off, then back on again.

Then:

POWER> NAV (position screen)> MENU> SETUP> COMPASS ORIENT> GPS COURSE> ENTER> ESC>

Then I took it for a walk around the block. It performed just as it had before.

Returned home:

POWER OFF/POWER ON> NAV (position screen)> MENU> SETUP> COMPASS ORIENT> MAGNETIC NORTH ENTER> ESC> NAV (to compass screen) and Viola - it reset to the correct feature.

Looks to me like it got stuck in the GPS Course mode during download, even though the screen informed me it was in Magnetic North mode.

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I am more grateful than you can imagine.

[+embra]

POWER>  NAV (position screen)>  MENU>  SETUP>  COMPASS ORIENT>  GPS COURSE>  ENTER>  ESC>

Then I took it for a walk around the block.  It performed just as it had before.

Returned home:

POWER OFF/POWER ON>  NAV (position screen)>  MENU>  SETUP>  COMPASS ORIENT> MAGNETIC NORTH  ENTER>  ESC>  NAV (to compass screen)  and Viola  -  it reset to the correct feature.

 

*Ahem* That's what I suggested to try (although I guess I didn't say it very clearly).

 

Glad you know which way's north again.

[+gallahad]

POWER>  NAV (position screen)>  MENU>  SETUP>  COMPASS ORIENT>  GPS COURSE>  ENTER>  ESC>

Then I took it for a walk around the block.  It performed just as it had before.

Returned home:

POWER OFF/POWER ON>  NAV (position screen)>  MENU>  SETUP>  COMPASS ORIENT> MAGNETIC NORTH  ENTER>  ESC>  NAV (to compass screen)  and Viola  -  it reset to the correct feature.

 

*Ahem* That's what I suggested to try (although I guess I didn't say it very clearly).

 

Glad you know which way's north again.

Yes indeed, north is very important in this geocaching sport. That's cuz I can't find a cache unless the darn compass points directly at it as I'm facing north. Would you call that "north challenged"?

Thanks again folks. I'm off on the hunt......

(and I still love that avatar)