Jump to content

Garmin Monterra Compass Mis-calibrated


yogazoo

Recommended Posts

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I was sure to account for any potential declination / true north / magnetic north settings that could throw it off. Based on others experiencing the same problem it sounds like an issue that I'm sure will be corrected in short order. Thanks all.

Link to comment

I know it's only two days removed, but any resolution to the issue yet? Are you, yogazoo, able to re-calibrate? If I recall, the Montana had a re-calibration issue as well for some of the units. Mine didn't have that issue.

My Monterra Calibrates fine. This problem is in the software for the Garmin Outdoor Apps Compass App. Other third-party Compass Apps work fine. This was reported to Development some time ago but we haven't had a release running up to the Product Ship so I would expect an update soon and maybe this will be fixed - along with a few other issues.

Link to comment

My Monterra Calibrates fine. This problem is in the software for the Garmin Outdoor Apps Compass App. Other third-party Compass Apps work fine. This was reported to Development some time ago but we haven't had a release running up to the Product Ship so I would expect an update soon and maybe this will be fixed - along with a few other issues.

 

As stated, the sensor works and calibrates fine. Not a hardware problem. I'll just use a third party compass app until a fix is released. No biggie as you know the Monterra runs android apps. So far, overall, I'm really liking many of the features and functionality of the Monterra. Data collection using both Garmin and third party apps like those from Trimble and ArcGIS is pretty awesome! I also like being able to load up a ton of MP3's to listen to on the go!

Link to comment

There are two ways, once you've dragged and dropped your .gpx file, to make sure your unit has the caches. One is to cycle the power. Next time up, the caches should appear. The other is to simply disconnect the unit from the USB and the unit should recognize the file and the caches that are in there as the Garmin Outdoors "app" continually looks to update the unit (my guess as to part of the reason why the battery life isn't as good as hoped, although I've yet to put it through its paces).

Edited by coachstahly
Link to comment

There are two ways, once you've dragged and dropped your .gpx file, to make sure your unit has the caches. One is to cycle the power. Next time up, the caches should appear. The other is to simply disconnect the unit from the USB and the unit should recognize the file and the caches that are in there as the Garmin Outdoors "app" continually looks to update the unit (my guess as to part of the reason why the battery life isn't as good as hoped, although I've yet to put it through its paces).

Garmin Outdoor Apps (GOA) will,as you note, "look for GPX files" when (1) you Power On, (2) disconnect USB, (3) the GOA abnormally stops and is restarted by the OS. I don't believe this process is continuously running though. Since this is a process that can be initiated, I requested a Feature Request to have a User Initiated "Load Maps and look for GPX files" process. I encourage all Monterra owners to do the same.

Edited by DRTBYK
Link to comment

My GOA showed (via the app interface) that it was running the entire time I was out and about yesterday, only once selecting anything from the .gpx file I loaded. The rest of the time I was using the satellites and navigating to the sets of coordinates. It may not be "running" continuously, but it was on in the background (at the very least) and drawing on the battery. After sitting all night to charge (and forgetting to power it off), I checked the battery from settings to see that the two highest drawing apps are GOA at 54% and Android System at 32%.

Link to comment

My GOA showed (via the app interface) that it was running the entire time I was out and about yesterday, only once selecting anything from the .gpx file I loaded. The rest of the time I was using the satellites and navigating to the sets of coordinates. It may not be "running" continuously, but it was on in the background (at the very least) and drawing on the battery. After sitting all night to charge (and forgetting to power it off), I checked the battery from settings to see that the two highest drawing apps are GOA at 54% and Android System at 32%.

Yes, I misunderstood what you were indicating was running full time. The GOA is a Root App that does run (or should) full time. I was referring to the "initialization" process within GOA. It is that process that "loads maps" and "looks for GPX files".

Link to comment

My GOA showed (via the app interface) that it was running the entire time I was out and about yesterday, only once selecting anything from the .gpx file I loaded. The rest of the time I was using the satellites and navigating to the sets of coordinates. It may not be "running" continuously, but it was on in the background (at the very least) and drawing on the battery. After sitting all night to charge (and forgetting to power it off), I checked the battery from settings to see that the two highest drawing apps are GOA at 54% and Android System at 32%.

Yes, I misunderstood what you were indicating was running full time. The GOA is a Root App that does run (or should) full time. I was referring to the "initialization" process within GOA. It is that process that "loads maps" and "looks for GPX files".

Completely understand and agree.

Link to comment

My GOA showed (via the app interface) that it was running the entire time I was out and about yesterday, only once selecting anything from the .gpx file I loaded. The rest of the time I was using the satellites and navigating to the sets of coordinates. It may not be "running" continuously, but it was on in the background (at the very least) and drawing on the battery. After sitting all night to charge (and forgetting to power it off), I checked the battery from settings to see that the two highest drawing apps are GOA at 54% and Android System at 32%.

Yes, I misunderstood what you were indicating was running full time. The GOA is a Root App that does run (or should) full time. I was referring to the "initialization" process within GOA. It is that process that "loads maps" and "looks for GPX files".

Completely understand and agree.

The only problem now is that if you're Monterra is mounted in a AMPS Rugged Mount and you do an "init" the unit must be removed to allow the "init" to finish. Then you can put it back into the Mount.

Link to comment

My compass seems to be off on my Monterra. So here's how I use it. I pick a cache, hit Go, home button, compass (the big one with the 4 fields at top). It's not pointing to where the cache is, which is entirely frustrating.

 

Some people said they downloaded a 3rd party app. Which ones would that be? And is it going to point me to the cache? Thanks.

Link to comment

My compass seems to be off on my Monterra.

 

Kris,

 

There's a multitude of free compass apps on the Android marketplace. Just go to the Google Play Store and choose a bunch, try them out, and keep the one you like. Third party developers, guys in their garage or basement, appear to be more competent at Android compass development and integration than the giant Garmin corporation. Sometimes I swear they just don't even try.

 

I'm just guessing here but I'm pretty sure that none of the third party apps will "point" you to your selected geocache. You can get the bearing azimuth to the cache from the trip computer and use a third party compass app to follow that azimuth. You could also just turn off the magnetic compass and use the GPS compass (compass settings menu). The only downside to that is you'll have to be moving for it to properly orientate.

 

Software updates since release have been non-existent. For some reason the Monterra, with it's oft sluggish operation and multitude of bugs, hasn't been getting any update love. Rather perplexing given it's price point.

Edited by yogazoo
Link to comment

My compass seems to be off on my Monterra.

 

Kris,

 

There's a multitude of free compass apps on the Android marketplace. Just go to the Google Play Store and choose a bunch, try them out, and keep the one you like. Third party developers, guys in their garage or basement, appear to be more competent at Android compass development and integration than the giant Garmin corporation. Sometimes I swear they just don't even try.

 

I'm just guessing here but I'm pretty sure that none of the third party apps will "point" you to your selected geocache. You can get the bearing azimuth to the cache from the trip computer and use a third party compass app to follow that azimuth. You could also just turn off the magnetic compass and use the GPS compass (compass settings menu). The only downside to that is you'll have to be moving for it to properly orientate.

 

Software updates since release have been non-existent. For some reason the Monterra, with it's oft sluggish operation and multitude of bugs, hasn't been getting any update love. Rather perplexing given it's price point.

 

I'm a bit confused. I'm using the GPS compass, it's set to True (like my Montana) and I was moving towards caches today. The compass was not pointing in the same direction as my montana.

Link to comment

"I'm a bit confused"

 

That's right, the Garmin app compass is 60 degrees clockwise off. You can calibrate until your blue in the face and it will still be off. The sensor (hardware) is just fine as proven by the third party compass apps orientating correctly. The Garmin compass app (software) is just flat out broken and it has been, to my understanding, ever since software version 1.0. A rather large, in your face bug to be left just hanging out there on a $700 navigation product. Garmin will fix it... eventually.

Edited by yogazoo
Link to comment

...and a nuvi that you have to buy City Navigator for no less! :(

Can you share with us what your expectations were before you purchased the Monterra?

Sure. I anticipated a Montana kind of as a base, but adding the Android, the wi-fi and the apps. It is so unready for release it is unreal. The Geocaching dashboard doesn't even work when in the car mount. It points to the nearest cache and doesn't stop pointing at that cache regardless of whether you have gotten closer to other nearest caches. (Not to mention it points 30-60 degrees off as noted already) It draws maps ugly, with fat ugly lines for trails, a white background for labels, draws things at weird scales. The Garmin Outdoor app is constantly crashing. I could go on and am sure I will have more to add...I have only had it for two days so far!

Link to comment

Sure. I anticipated a Montana kind of as a base, but adding the Android, the wi-fi and the apps. It is so unready for release it is unreal. The Geocaching dashboard doesn't even work when in the car mount. It points to the nearest cache and doesn't stop pointing at that cache regardless of whether you have gotten closer to other nearest caches. (Not to mention it points 30-60 degrees off as noted already) It draws maps ugly, with fat ugly lines for trails, a white background for labels, draws things at weird scales. The Garmin Outdoor app is constantly crashing. I could go on and am sure I will have more to add...I have only had it for two days so far!

Ahhh, had you read my review your expectations may have been different.

Link to comment

Ahhh, had you read my review your expectations may have been different.

Actually, I did read your review and others. Everything I saw seemed mostly positive (maybe I wanted to believe and therefore mostly saw the positive, lol) until I believe it was yogazoo that wrote some frank stuff. I had ordered this thing way when it was announced back in June.

 

Besides, I would have to say the Monterra still has a lot of potential to be an awesome unit. It just currently is nowhere near ready for prime time. Hopefully Garmin is well aware of this and is working frantically behind the scenes to get a firmware update or two released to fix this thing ASAP! You'd think I would have learned from the Colorado!

Link to comment

Don't get me wrong. I generally like the Monterra and think it CAN be a great unit. It's potential to be great is somewhat hampered right now by not-so-fantastic software and stupid bugs. It's frustrating as @% and becomes more-so as time slips by without a single software update. I hadn't thought about it in these terms but MaliBooBoo is right, it is more like a glorified nuvi instead of a true rugged crossover (like the Montana is). When you go to the Monterra page on the Garmin website you see images of test tubes and field gear so the glorified nuvi track is indeed unfortunate.

 

Perhaps Garmin is banking on the ability for the Monterra to add third party apps to make it cool but the ArcGIS app is quite poor and worthless without 3G, the other mapping apps should be redundant with (and inferior to) the Garmin app, and I don't really need a bubble level on my GPS unit. Social media and email are the least of my concerns when I'm outdoors and I have to wait until I get back home to access Wi-fi anyway.

 

There are plenty of frustrating bugs on the Monterra wiki that should have been addressed before the model started shipping. I hope Garmin issues a fix to at least some of them before the lot of people open it up on Christmas morning. We'll see before too long whether Garmin makes this Monterra really happen or whether it and myself taper off into the uninspired.

 

To be fair, none of the early reviews, including DRTBYK's excellent summary, really gave the Monterra glowing praise. However, as for myself, I always try to look at new Garmin units in a more positive light for mainly two reasons 1) there are plenty of h8ers out there just looking for a reason to be unreasonable in their Garmin bashing, and 2) I wouldn't want to dissuade anyone down the road after (if) the software matures and it actually grows into itself. A single software update could turn the Monterra into something grand.

Edited by yogazoo
Link to comment

Don't get me wrong. I generally like the Monterra and think it CAN be a great unit. It's potential to be great is somewhat hampered right now by not-so-fantastic software and stupid bugs. It's frustrating as @% and becomes more-so as time slips by without a single software update. I hadn't thought about it in these terms but MaliBooBoo is right, it is more like a glorified nuvi instead of a true rugged crossover (like the Montana is). When you go to the Monterra page on the Garmin website you see images of test tubes and field gear so the glorified nuvi track is indeed unfortunate.

 

Perhaps Garmin is banking on the ability for the Monterra to add third party apps to make it cool but the ArcGIS app is quite poor and worthless without 3G, the other mapping apps should be redundant with (and inferior to) the Garmin app, and I don't really need a bubble level on my GPS unit. Social media and email are the least of my concerns when I'm outdoors and I have to wait until I get back home to access Wi-fi anyway.

 

There are plenty of frustrating bugs on the Monterra wiki that should have been addressed before the model started shipping. I hope Garmin issues a fix to at least some of them before the lot of people open it up on Christmas morning. We'll see before too long whether Garmin makes this Monterra really happen or whether it and myself taper off into the uninspired.

 

To be fair, none of the early reviews really gave the Monterra glowing praise. However, as for myself, I always try to look at new Garmin units in a more positive light for mainly two reasons 1) there are plenty of h8ers out there just looking for a reason to be unreasonable in their Garmin bashing, and 2) I wouldn't want to dissuade anyone down the road after (if) the software matures and it actually grows into itself. A single software update could turn the Monterra into something grand.

Well said! I also currently think there is lots of potential for this unit if/when the software matures. And thanks for the heads up about the Monterra wiki. I didn't realize that one existed already. Lots of red on the issues page!!

Link to comment
However, as for myself, I always try to look at new Garmin units in a more positive light for mainly two reasons 1) there are plenty of h8ers out there just looking for a reason to be unreasonable in their Garmin bashing, and 2) I wouldn't want to dissuade anyone down the road after (if) the software matures and it actually grows into itself. A single software update could turn the Monterra into something grand.

 

Very well said. Pretty much the same reason I prefer to work with Garmin to help them get it right by giving them constructive feedback.

Link to comment

"for mainly two reasons 1) there are plenty of h8ers out there just looking for a reason to be unreasonable in their Garmin bashing, and 2) I wouldn't want to dissuade anyone down the road after (if) the software matures and it actually grows into itself. A single software update could turn the Monterra into something grand."

 

Naming the by now countless errors of the different models and especially the outdoor models is confused with bashing, the way to try not to talk about critical errors shows the result what we have now.

 

A Monterra that actually works in the basic navigation functions, but all the extra's not really good or not at all.

Was Garmin aware the customer would NEVER have accepted such an unfinished (software) product they would never have launched it in the state it is now.

The fact they launched it in this state should make you wonder 'what where they thinking', a total disrespect for the Garmin customer, because they accept whatever we put on the market, as long as it looks good.

 

The Garmin customer is very loyal (even if it doesn't seems so, I'm) and hopes for the better, but once again we fell in the same marketing trap and now we hope they resolve issues that shouldn't have been there in the first place. With the Montana errors fresh in the mind and many still existing, this might be doubtful.

 

BTW there is a RUMOR the Monterra will be called back after the holidays, this could explain why they don't launch software updates.

 

Post you Monterra error @

 

product.support@Garmin.com and include:

 

a copy of the GarminDevice.xml file located in the [GPSr]\Internal Storage\Garmin\ directory.

any *.gpx files associated with the crash or bug from the [GPSr]\Internal Storage\Garmin\GPX\ or [µSD]\Garmin\GPX\ directories.

any *.ggz files associated with the crash or bug from the [GPSr]\Internal Storage\Garmin\GGZ\ or [µSD]\Garmin\GGZ\ directories.

 

See the Monterra wiki for progress

http://garminmonterra.wikispaces.com/Hardware

Edited by splashy
Link to comment

What I can't understand is why knowledgeable GPS users and readers of this forum would buy a new Garmin model as soon as its introduced. I bought a 60 CSx, Oregon 450, and 62S but only after they had been out well over a year and re the 450 and 62 still bought about 3 months too soon. Why not wait until the bugs are gone and the price drops.....believe me I like new gadgets but I don't need the aggravation.

Link to comment

Actually, I did read your review and others. Everything I saw seemed mostly positive (maybe I wanted to believe and therefore mostly saw the positive, lol) until I believe it was yogazoo that wrote some frank stuff. I had ordered this thing way when it was announced back in June.

 

Besides, I would have to say the Monterra still has a lot of potential to be an awesome unit. It just currently is nowhere near ready for prime time. Hopefully Garmin is well aware of this and is working frantically behind the scenes to get a firmware update or two released to fix this thing ASAP! You'd think I would have learned from the Colorado!

I have been an "alpha/beta-tester" for many many years. In the past seven or eight years I have tried to focus on the requirements of the Adventure Riding and Dual Sport Riding Moto community and more recently the Geocaching community while providing Garmin (and one other brand) constructive input relative to the features and functions these communities were looking for from high-end devices.

 

At the same time, in my evaluation of these products I try to remain neutral in my perspective so as to provide honest information to the people that attend my classes/seminars or read my reviews. What I will not do is be a Press Release parrot like most of the other "reviews" that get published on the web. As a retired Engineer who has spent many decades working with advanced technologies I do sometimes find myself expecting more from Garmin than maybe I should. Yes, my expectations for the Monterra are high. The device is capable of delivering high-end functionality to many user communities -- as is the target Garmin presents in their marketing. Lately in my writings I have suggested that Garmin customers should require higher product code quality for newly released devices. We as customers have lead Garmin to their current delivery model by accepting new devices that clearly should not have been released from development. And it is this condition that has lead to my frustration with Garmin Management. But, I continue to believe that Garmin is the one company that can address all of our requirements so I will continue to work with them, when invited, to try and explain use-cases and therefore the benefits to the user and to Garmin of the features we seek.

 

So, the reason I mentioned the "review" was because I wanted potential customers to be able to make an informed decision and not discover after the fact that the device doesn't work at the level most would expect.

Link to comment
. . . .

BTW there is a RUMOR the Monterra will be called back after the holidays, this could explain why they don't launch software updates.

. . . .

 

Interesting rumor but it's not the hardware that has the majority of the issues; it's the software. Although, maybe they will send us all a Monterra Pro, which has 4G LTE cellular radios and the Iridium 9603 SBD Transceiver. :D

Link to comment

Yes mine is the same way about 60 degrees off is there any new info out I am going to call Garmin again today

I think we will see a software update this week...

 

It's out now!

 

System Software Update just out for the Monterra!

 

Go to System Settings\About Monterra\System Update while connected to WiFi to find it.

 

(Going from memory on the path here - my Monterra is updating itself so I can't remember the exact path, or version number, or the changelog...)

Edited by Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...