The Flippin' North Arrow Map Screen

[+Ima Freeman]

Anyone share my pain ?

 

When navigating to a cache using the map screen, my map will occasionally flip 180 degrees showing "North" for instance in the opposite direction I am traveling. I know instinctively or by the sun the machine is wrong, flip the screen to compensate and my unit immediately flips again to the wrong orientation.

 

Do that enough times, it settles down and accepts my correction for a bit only to do it again way too soon.

 

I can't blame to software update as this was happening before, actually I had hoped the fix would have been built in....

 

Any suggestions ?

 

Thanks.

 

KT

[+N8OFP - Del]

Are you walking when this happens or driving?

 

If you are walking and you unit has a magnetic compass function you maybe falling below the minimum speed and duration and the magnetic compass is kicking in. Check your owners manual for magnetic compass settings. If you can't turn the magnetic compass off set it for the lowest speed (0 mph) and the longest duration possible.

[+Ima Freeman]

Are you walking when this happens or driving?

 

Ahhaaa ! This sounds promising ! I like the theory. Thanks for checking in Del.

 

In fact it does happen while walking and maybe I notice it more when I am standing still, checking out the map or making a couple steps this way or that. Funny, I disgruntedly commented to myself yesterday while driving how solid the map was !

 

I'll grab my manual and see what kind of settings there are to play around with on the Montana 600. This is encouraging ! Thanks again !

 

KT

[+Mineral2]

Your compass likely just needs to be calibrated. It's good to run the calibration regularly. Some recommend after every battery change, but I just wait until it seems off. I wouldn't turn off the electronic compass, otherwise you HAVE to be moving to get your direction, and that's less than ideal.

[+Ima Freeman]

Your compass likely just needs to be calibrated. It's good to run the calibration regularly. Some recommend after every battery change, but I just wait until it seems off. I wouldn't turn off the electronic compass, otherwise you HAVE to be moving to get your direction, and that's less than ideal.

 

Thanks Min, yeah I'd rather have the compass on myself. I'll put it through another calibration gyration, something I've been doing a lot lately but seemingly to little avail.

 

KT

[+Mineral2]

if you have to calibrate very often, and it doesn't fix the problem, you might have a faulty compass and it would be time to contact Garmin.

[insig]

Check your speed and your GPS accuracy when this is happening. Put both items on data fields in the dashboard on the map. If you GPS accuracy is bad, you'll be jumping around a lot and the device will think you're moving in random directions (the speed field will show something rather than 0).

[+Ima Freeman]

Also....

 

What is happening, especially while I am standing still trying to figure my next move is that my little blue triangle dances and hunts the screen like a beagle sniffing for a hare.

 

Lets say I am navigating to a cache and it appears on my screen that my prize is 90 degrees to my left, no wait behind me at 7 o'clock, no just up ahead, oooh no, out further at 2 o'clock, nope here to my left..... ggggrrrrr.....

[+Mr Kaswa]

How do you have the map set? Is it set to "North Up", or "Track Up"? As you might guess, "Track Up" will flip your map around so that the direction of travel is up.

[+Ima Freeman]

Well, I'll bet most of you guys know about the following site, but maybe it will help another new Montana Owner with questions:

 

http://garminmontanagpsr.wikispaces.com/Common+Issues?responseToken=09cfdf7f9734dc91c894d35ad3a6d700f

 

My issue is spelled out pretty clearly in #7 although for me the problem occurs while walking, not driving.

 

"Navigating (Track Up) while mounted in the automotive cradle, Montana reports direction of travel correctly, but when stopped the unit seems to have trouble maintaining correct bearing, and the map screen will rotate in random directions until travel resumes."

 

Sounds like one of those things I have to live with for now....

 

Thanks to all who responded !