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Best compass app for Android and iOS?


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Field Compass Plus looks like the ideal solution, but it requires a license. There is a sale at the moment...

 

Is there a way for the app to save more than 3 readings?

 

How accurate is the app? Can the app help calibrate the sensor if I sense that there is an inaccurate reading?

Edited by Sgt_Strider
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Field Compass Plus looks like the ideal solution, but it requires a license. There is a sale at the moment...

 

Is there a way for the app to save more than 3 readings?

 

How accurate is the app? Can the app help calibrate the sensor if I sense that there is an inaccurate reading?

It can only hold 3 bearings, but you can overwrite a bearing setting if you so desire.

 

My smartphone has GPS and GLONASS capabilities. I disable the network location services and find it very accurate.

It has a setting to detect if the reading is off and will prompt you to recalibrate if necessary.

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Field Compass Plus looks like the ideal solution, but it requires a license. There is a sale at the moment...

 

Is there a way for the app to save more than 3 readings?

 

How accurate is the app? Can the app help calibrate the sensor if I sense that there is an inaccurate reading?

It can only hold 3 bearings, but you can overwrite a bearing setting if you so desire.

 

My smartphone has GPS and GLONASS capabilities. I disable the network location services and find it very accurate.

It has a setting to detect if the reading is off and will prompt you to recalibrate if necessary.

 

So the software itself have a setting to help recalibrate my phone's sensors?

 

Can you tell me if the compass data displayed in the app is base on either the geographic north or magnetic north? I'm assuming all appps (Android or iOS) are showing data base on the magnetic north as a reference. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

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It can only hold 3 bearings, but you can overwrite a bearing setting if you so desire.

 

My smartphone has GPS and GLONASS capabilities. I disable the network location services and find it very accurate.

It has a setting to detect if the reading is off and will prompt you to recalibrate if necessary.

 

So the software itself have a setting to help recalibrate my phone's sensors?

 

Can you tell me if the compass data displayed in the app is base on either the geographic north or magnetic north? I'm assuming all appps (Android or iOS) are showing data base on the magnetic north as a reference. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't see an obvious setting in the app to calibrate the compass, just a setting to let you know that it needs calibrating. Perhaps it launches one if it's needed.

I used to use a compass app made by Catch, but when Apple bough Catch and most of the Catch apps were pulled from Google Play, I removed it.

 

You can set the compass app to use either magnetic or true north.

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It can only hold 3 bearings, but you can overwrite a bearing setting if you so desire.

 

My smartphone has GPS and GLONASS capabilities. I disable the network location services and find it very accurate.

It has a setting to detect if the reading is off and will prompt you to recalibrate if necessary.

 

So the software itself have a setting to help recalibrate my phone's sensors?

 

Can you tell me if the compass data displayed in the app is base on either the geographic north or magnetic north? I'm assuming all appps (Android or iOS) are showing data base on the magnetic north as a reference. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't see an obvious setting in the app to calibrate the compass, just a setting to let you know that it needs calibrating. Perhaps it launches one if it's needed.

I used to use a compass app made by Catch, but when Apple bough Catch and most of the Catch apps were pulled from Google Play, I removed it.

 

You can set the compass app to use either magnetic or true north.

 

So how does the app know that it needs calibrating? I don't understand how this setting is going to help.

 

Can the app show both the magnetic and true north data simultaneously? Which one do you think is ultimately going to be more accurate? Magnetic or true north? I'm new to this, but I have a feeling that magnetic may be less accurate if the sensors aren't properly calibrated.

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It can only hold 3 bearings, but you can overwrite a bearing setting if you so desire.

 

My smartphone has GPS and GLONASS capabilities. I disable the network location services and find it very accurate.

It has a setting to detect if the reading is off and will prompt you to recalibrate if necessary.

 

So the software itself have a setting to help recalibrate my phone's sensors?

 

Can you tell me if the compass data displayed in the app is base on either the geographic north or magnetic north? I'm assuming all appps (Android or iOS) are showing data base on the magnetic north as a reference. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't see an obvious setting in the app to calibrate the compass, just a setting to let you know that it needs calibrating. Perhaps it launches one if it's needed.

I used to use a compass app made by Catch, but when Apple bough Catch and most of the Catch apps were pulled from Google Play, I removed it.

 

You can set the compass app to use either magnetic or true north.

 

So how does the app know that it needs calibrating? I don't understand how this setting is going to help.

 

Can the app show both the magnetic and true north data simultaneously? Which one do you think is ultimately going to be more accurate? Magnetic or true north? I'm new to this, but I have a feeling that magnetic may be less accurate if the sensors aren't properly calibrated.

It just has a setting to check for magnetic interference and advise if calibration is needed.

 

I'll have to test it with my analog compasses and see how accurate it is.

 

The app cannot show magnetic and true at the same time, although you might be able to get it to by using the magnetic declination value and then set one of the bearing values.

 

I keep mine set at true north, as that is how the majority of geocaches that require projections, etc. are setup around here.

Edited by BlackRose67
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It can only hold 3 bearings, but you can overwrite a bearing setting if you so desire.

 

My smartphone has GPS and GLONASS capabilities. I disable the network location services and find it very accurate.

It has a setting to detect if the reading is off and will prompt you to recalibrate if necessary.

 

So the software itself have a setting to help recalibrate my phone's sensors?

 

Can you tell me if the compass data displayed in the app is base on either the geographic north or magnetic north? I'm assuming all appps (Android or iOS) are showing data base on the magnetic north as a reference. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't see an obvious setting in the app to calibrate the compass, just a setting to let you know that it needs calibrating. Perhaps it launches one if it's needed.

I used to use a compass app made by Catch, but when Apple bough Catch and most of the Catch apps were pulled from Google Play, I removed it.

 

You can set the compass app to use either magnetic or true north.

 

So how does the app know that it needs calibrating? I don't understand how this setting is going to help.

 

Can the app show both the magnetic and true north data simultaneously? Which one do you think is ultimately going to be more accurate? Magnetic or true north? I'm new to this, but I have a feeling that magnetic may be less accurate if the sensors aren't properly calibrated.

It just has a setting to check for magnetic interference and advise if calibration is needed.

 

I'll have to test it with my analog compasses and see how accurate it is.

 

The app cannot show magnetic and true at the same time, although you might be able to get it to by using the magnetic declination value and then set one of the bearing values.

 

I keep mine set at true north, as that is how the majority of geocaches that require projections, etc. are setup around here.

 

You've been amazing! Thanks for the response BlackRose!

 

I'm not very good at reading and understanding bearing data. If I were to have a value in degrees for the magnetic declination value, how do I know if it's north, west, south, or east? I think I read somewhere that the direction itself isn't always listed and that from looking at the degree is enough to know where the bearing is. Can you explain a simple way for me to read and interpret the number?

 

If I were to set the app to true north, will it be easy to convert the data to one that is base off the magnetic declination value?

 

Base on what you have said, would it be safe to conclude that the true north data will be more accurate since it's not relying on any sensors?

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For iOS you may want to check out Commander Compass. There is a lite version that is free. The full version sometimes goes on sale or is offered for free for short periods.

Spyglass by Pavel Ahafonau

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spyglass/id332639548?mt=8

 

They are all in the same family of apps. See for yourself: http://happymagenta.com/spyglass/manuals.html

 

And it is probably the best for iOS.

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I use "GPS Status & Toolbox" on my Nexus, it does all you mention as well as some GPS functions.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2

+1

It is a very nice app.

 

Thanks for the suggestion guys. So I notice that this app is a freemium app. Is it worth buying the license for it? How much does it cost because I don't see any dollar figures in Google Play.

 

Also, how does GPS Status & Toolbox compare to another popular app named Ultra GPS Logger? I'm looking for the app that will give me the most information even information that I can't think of at the moment, but may come in handy in the future. Are there other good, but free solutions?

 

So one of my objectives is to use the app with my camera for geotagging purposes. If I were to load up either GPS Status & Toolbox or Ultra GPS Logger (have to figure out which apps to buy) on my Nexus 5 and then mount the phone on my DSLR's hotshoe, just how accurate will the heading, orientation, and roll/pitch information be? The mount that I have in mind will hold the phone in landscape position and then easily slide into the camera's hotshoe. I figure this should give me relatively accurate information, but I'm not sure if the phone's sensors are sensitive enough where if I tilt the camera up or down, the phone will properly display the actual roll/pitch information. I also don't know how accurate the heading and orientation information be when the phone is in landscape position held into place by a mount.

Link to comment

 

Field Compass Plus looks like the ideal solution, but it requires a license. There is a sale at the moment...

 

Is there a way for the app to save more than 3 readings?

 

How accurate is the app? Can the app help calibrate the sensor if I sense that there is an inaccurate reading?

It can only hold 3 bearings, but you can overwrite a bearing setting if you so desire.

 

My smartphone has GPS and GLONASS capabilities. I disable the network location services and find it very accurate.

It has a setting to detect if the reading is off and will prompt you to recalibrate if necessary.

 

Can you tell me where this setting is for detecting if the reading is off or not?

Link to comment

 

Field Compass Plus looks like the ideal solution, but it requires a license. There is a sale at the moment...

 

Is there a way for the app to save more than 3 readings?

 

How accurate is the app? Can the app help calibrate the sensor if I sense that there is an inaccurate reading?

It can only hold 3 bearings, but you can overwrite a bearing setting if you so desire.

 

My smartphone has GPS and GLONASS capabilities. I disable the network location services and find it very accurate.

It has a setting to detect if the reading is off and will prompt you to recalibrate if necessary.

 

Can you tell me where this setting is for detecting if the reading is off or not?

It's a Settings option called "Calibration Check".

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I use "GPS Status & Toolbox" on my Nexus, it does all you mention as well as some GPS functions.

 

https://play.google....psim.gpsstatus2

Another +1 for this one. Since it fires up any and every sensor in the device, it does eat a bit of battery, though. Needs to be used with a little caution.

 

So I notice that this app is a freemium app. Is it worth buying the license for it? How much does it cost because I don't see any dollar figures in Google Play.

 

Also, how does GPS Status & Toolbox compare to another popular app named Ultra GPS Logger? I'm looking for the app that will give me the most information even information that I can't think of at the moment, but may come in handy in the future. Are there other good, but free solutions?

 

So one of my objectives is to use the app with my camera for geotagging purposes. If I were to load up either GPS Status & Toolbox or Ultra GPS Logger (have to figure out which apps to buy) on my Nexus 5 and then mount the phone on my DSLR's hotshoe, just how accurate will the heading, orientation, and roll/pitch information be? The mount that I have in mind will hold the phone in landscape position and then easily slide into the camera's hotshoe. I figure this should give me relatively accurate information, but I'm not sure if the phone's sensors are sensitive enough where if I tilt the camera up or down, the phone will properly display the actual roll/pitch information. I also don't know how accurate the heading and orientation information be when the phone is in landscape position held into place by a mount.

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