GPS navigation while still hunting.

[lilabner]

I carry a Garmin GPS 12 with me when hunting. Always gets me back. But, the compass feature will not work so I have to use it in connection with a compass to maintain the right heading. It works OK when I walk briskly but I move very slowly when still hunting and that seems to be the problem. Is there some setting change I could make to get a compass heading out of this GPS when moving very slowly?

[MI VHNTR]

I'm not too sure if you can change the settings on the Garmin to allow the compass to work at slower speeds. I've got a Garmin ETrex Venture that does pretty well at slow speeds, but have since replaced it with a Magellan SporTrak Pro. The Magellan has a compass that will function at .5 MPH, while other Magellan units require 2 MPH. It makes it much easier to get bearings while in swamps, etc. MI VHNTR

[Hcliff]

You will have to get a unit that has an electronic compass.  This is expensive in the GPS world.  I just sold an Garmin Etrex Summit for $250 at work with this feature on it.  The ultimate unit is $350 with the electronic compass and full mapping features.  There are trade off at all GPS price ranges for what you get, mapping, compass, computer download ability, screen size etc

The more you play with them the more features you want.

Hcliff

[TedTF]

The 12 like most GPS units does have a track compass but not a true magenetic comass like the Summit or Vista. The track compass will give you a very accurate heading once you start moving.  It does not know which way you are facing until you begin to move.

[S.B.]

I have the same problem with my Garmin III. But, don't call Garmin, they couldn't tell me how to set the clock on mine. It took me a while but I figured it out. Their instructions were so far off they shocked me, and these were different than the manuals.

[kamml]

The first time I tried to use my GPS to walk out with it had me going all over the woods.  I changed my method the second time. I took a bearing, walked 5 minutes then took another bearing, and so on, it brought me out with no problems.  My current Magellan has the compass feature, but its hard to hunt and look at the the compass all the time for direction.  I prefer to take and bearing, still hunt awhile, take another bearing etc, till I am back on the road.  Ken  

[Hcliff]

Most GPS don't have compasses built in them.  They usually have a screen that gives the compass bearing to take with you own compass.

[feyxla]

Its is very dependent on how many sats your gps can see at any given time!

If you have 3 sats locked then you will have to move many meters to get a directional feedback. if you have 12 sats locked then expect a reading as little as 0.5 meter of movement.
Simple!

ALWAYS TAKE A COMPASS WITH YOU, YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT.

Compass were available long before GPS, always have that tried and tested tool at hand. Oh! and the batteries cant run out on a compass

[coug2wolfs]

lilabner

You, like 8 trillion of us, have found the same thing!  And, you have also found the remedy, use the bearing, dial it into the compass, and GO!

I have three units, all Garmin,two with electronic compasses in them. I use the feature in neither  :wink:

If I'm lazy and don't want to pull the compass I'll use the EC, but 99.99 % of the time I don't simply because it drains batteries.  And too, you just don't need it.

There is no static setting that you can change on the Garmin or any other make for that matter.  You must be moving at just about a dead run to utilize the pointer. Myself, I refuse to do that. Get the bearing, dial it into the compass and follow the arrow, you'll be fine.  :lol: