ohland
10-19-2014, 06:34 PM
Been having some oddities with the compass display on a Garmin Astro 320 dog tracking unit. The GPS map screen is pretty much dead on, but I usually use the compass (as long as Belle is somewhat close). Past week, the compass has been off by up to 30 degrees (if not more). Odd...
Today I might have found out what is up... My two year old bird hunting vest from Gander Mountain (nice vest for 60 degrees and lower) has a well intentioned shell pocket flaps, with a small rare earth magnet in the front of the pouch (flap down), one rare earth magnet in the front of the vest (flap up), and obviously, a rare earth magnet in the flap itself. Flux sensors sorta dislike strong magnetic fields in close proximity. In order to keep the Astro from snagging on dense cover, I slip it into the right zippered slash pouch... Which is very close to the top magnet and the flap magnet.
Snipped out the magnets. Went to the back yard and re-calibrated the 3 axis compass. Did it with my cell phone off on the second calibration, but the two calibrations seem to agree with each other. We'll see what Tuesday brings.
Today I might have found out what is up... My two year old bird hunting vest from Gander Mountain (nice vest for 60 degrees and lower) has a well intentioned shell pocket flaps, with a small rare earth magnet in the front of the pouch (flap down), one rare earth magnet in the front of the vest (flap up), and obviously, a rare earth magnet in the flap itself. Flux sensors sorta dislike strong magnetic fields in close proximity. In order to keep the Astro from snagging on dense cover, I slip it into the right zippered slash pouch... Which is very close to the top magnet and the flap magnet.
Snipped out the magnets. Went to the back yard and re-calibrated the 3 axis compass. Did it with my cell phone off on the second calibration, but the two calibrations seem to agree with each other. We'll see what Tuesday brings.