ccarrara Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 Do they have built in magnetic compass'? Or do the GPS antenna's somehow get directional data? Specifically, the Rhino 120, but more interested in general. Thanks Regards, Birdman Quote Link to comment
+NattyBooshka Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 Some have an electronic compass in them... the others do not know which way they are facing, but calculate the direction by the movement (as of course they can tell where they are) Looking at the Garmin website for Rhino 120 spec, I see no reference to it having a compass. Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some just grate Quote Link to comment
4x4van Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 The more expensive units sometimes have a magnetic compass, but most do not, so the unit doesn't know which direction you're facing till you start moving. You have to move in order for the compass dial to rotate to the correct orientation. Magellan's have a nice feature called "north finder", which is basically a sun and/or moon icon on the compass screen. If you are standing still, you simply line up the position of the icon with the position of the sun/moon in the sky, and that gives you the correct compass dial orientation. It works very well, although once you start moving the dial rotates and lines up anyway. We don't stop playing because we grow old...we grow old because we stop playing! Quote Link to comment
ccarrara Posted September 22, 2003 Author Share Posted September 22, 2003 That's what I figured, thanks guys. I like the Magellan thingy, that's a great idea.. Garmin should add that to their software!! Regards, Birdman Quote Link to comment
+Prime Suspect Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 What the responders above left out, is that the unit ASSUMES you are holding it oriented so that the GPS is heading in the exact same direction you are moving. If you're holding the unit angled 15° off your direction of travel, then the arrow will point 15° in the wrong direction. If you start walking backwards, the arrow will point 180° in the wrong direction. "Don't mess with a geocacher. We know all the best places to hide a body." Quote Link to comment
Cracker. Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 no different than an old fashioned magnetic compass.... Art www.yankeetoys.org www.BudBuilt.com www.pirate4x4.com Quote Link to comment
+Hawk-eye Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Cracker7M:no different than an old fashioned magnetic compass.... Art Not busting on you Art ... but you lost me on that one ... in what way? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Co-founder of the "NC/VA GEO-HOG ASSOCIATION" ... when you absolutely have to find it first! Quote Link to comment
+Deckyon Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 The Magellan Meridian Platinum has a working compass that does not require you to be moving and does not care which way you are holding it. It works just like the standard magnetic compass. I use it all the time to align my telescope to North. And off topic a bit, the Meri Plat also has a barometer and thermometer. Never used barometer, but thermometer can come in handy... --- Brad Buskey http://www.deckyon.com N38:17.281, W85:32.998 deckyon@NOSPAM.msn.com Magellan Meridian Platinum Quote Link to comment
+cmpalmer Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 As others have posted, if you are not moving, the direction arrow doesn't help you any. However, the GPS will give you a bearing reading that shows the direction to the targeted waypoint even when you are standing still. You can use this in conjuction with a magnetic compass to point you to a cache and/or to triangulate. Get one that has readable degree marks on a rotatable dial, they start at around $6. The little keychain ones won't help you much. While this next bit of advice will seem obvious to most, it took me a few times to get the hang of it when I first got my GPS: When you are within the margin of error, say the GPS says you are within 15 feet, but your accuracy reading is 23 feet, you can't trust the arrow *or* the bearing. However, the further you are from the cache, the *more* accurate the bearing. So... If you're walking around in circles within 20 feet of a cache, walk off about 50-100 feet away, set the GPS on the ground, let it settle for a while without hovering over it (your body can interfere with readings), then check the bearing. Transfer the bearing to your compass dial and sight along the compass arrow. It *should* be pointing to the cache. One reading is usually good enough to decide which clump of bushes or rocks to look under, otherwise pick two landmarks along the sight line (say, two trees or a tree and a rock), then move off in another direction and do the same thing. The point where the second sight line crosses the imaginary line between your two landmarks *should* be pretty close to the cache. Another good technique to learn is how to pace off a distance. Measure a 50 foot interval and count how many paces it takes you to cross it (do it several times). Memorize this number. It is very useful if tree cover prevents readings near a cache -- you can move to a clearing, get a bearing and a distance, then pace off the distance while walking along the bearing. -- stream of did I lock the front door? consciousness Quote Link to comment
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