greyowl1

New to the forum but have a couple of issues I hope the members can help with. I have a 60CSX ( my second) but I seem to have navigational issues when I am practicing , specifically walking & trying to navigate to a projected waypoint. When I set a waypoint target which I know is absolutely straight west (straight west down a 1/2 mile street to an intersection, the bearing & heading degrees often jump widely, sometimes varying 20-30 degrees as I walk down the street which I know is straight west. In my mind the bearing "degrees " & compass arrow should lock right on the position but the jumps do a better job of potentially getting me lost. It also makes a difference whether I hold the unit flat or up & down. There is always some movement when walking but does it always need to be held flat for navigation? Seems to work better moving faster in a boat etc. I like the CSX but am losing confidence in it & almost feel better about my older e-trex Legend.
Any member experiences / comments would be appreciated. Thanks

mike06

Did you calibrate your compass?

greyowl1

Pretty sure I did but will verify when I get back & check. ( in Mex just now). I use the bearing & heading degrees a lot & these jump around.
Question - does everyone else's CSX lock on a degree ( say 90 deg / straight west) & hold firm or does yours jump arounf also?
Thanks

HumVee

You don't have to wait until you get home to recalibrate your magnetic compass. According to page 50 of the Owner's Manual for your GPSMAP 60CSx, you should recalibrate your compass whenever you've travelled more than 100 miles from your last calibration point (or if you've changed out the batteries and/or are experiencing a large temperature differential). I think Manatoba, Canada to Mexico qualifies as "more than 100 miles"!

The steps are easy:

1. In the Compass screen (select Page to cycle through if you're not already there), press Menu.
2. Scroll down to Calibrate Compass and press Enter.
3. In the Calibrate Compass screen, press Enter (Start is alreay highlighted) to begin calibration.
4. Keep the GPS unit flat (horizontal), and turn it slowly in two complete circles.
   • Pay attention to the screen...if you're going too fast or too slow, that will be indicated - adjust accordingly.
   • You want to slowly spin the GPS unit, not your body - imagine the axis point is through the center of the GPS unit.
5. If you fail calibration, just try again.
6. If you succeed with calibration, press Enter to return to the Compass screen.

See the screen captures for visual examples. Do not attempt calibration if you are near large deposits of metal or electrical cables (i.e., cars & buildings) - an open area outdoors is best.

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greyowl1

Thanks guys. I believe I have it calibrated OK , but do you find that you always have to walk with it , holding it flat or at a bit of a forward tilt to get it to read properly? ( 90 degrees is actually 90 deg , straight East) Without the benefit of holding another unit beside mine I'm trying to determine if other owners units operate from a verticle position (ie: holding it in front of you ) or is my unit defective in some way. (this was a warranty replacement for my first unit)

Appreciate the feedback

HumVee

greyowl1, yes - that's absolutely the case. Just like an anolog compass (magnetic needle suspended in liquid), you must hold the GPS perfectly horizontal to get a good reading. Only the newest Garmin handheld GPS units such as the Oregon 450's, Oregon 550's and the Dakota 20 have the new 3-axis digital compass sensor that doesn't care what angle you hold your GPS unit at. It will be the rage in everything coming out these days. Even the iPhone 3Gs has a 3-axis digital compass now....