Should have it mid next week.

Will report on its performance and how it well integrates GLONASS.

The leaves in the nearby forest are all down, however, so won't get a
feeling for acquisition in the woods until summer.

I also look forward to seeing how well the mag compass performs.

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On 11/19/2011 1:48 PM, Alan Browne wrote:
> Should have it mid next week.
>
> Will report on its performance and how it well integrates GLONASS.
>
> The leaves in the nearby forest are all down, however, so won't get a
> feeling for acquisition in the woods until summer.
>
> I also look forward to seeing how well the mag compass performs.
>
With the 2-axis compass, you just rotated the GPS to "calibrate" it. I
wonder what it done for a 3-axis compass?

Hint: You look a lot less silly twisting the GPS around in your hand to
do the cal then rotating your body. ;-)

I still use a real compass (Cammenga lensatic). It is far easier to fix
on the target when you have a sighting slot.

If you decide to get a Cammenga, the phosphorus version is fine for
civilian use. You just "juice it" with your flashlight. Given the price
of these compasses today, I suspect they are still made in the USA. The
phosphorus version will outlive you. The tritium version has a 12 year
half life. I'm not sure how long people keep them before deeming them
too dim to see at night. It has an electromagnetic damping scheme, so
there is no fluid inside it to deteriorate over time.

The GPS compass is useful only when you are moving so slowly that the
differential GPS reading is not accurate. When I first got the GPSmap60,
I did some testing before I considered it trustworthy. Basically just
navigation to a point. I found the compass was terrible. There is a
setting in the GPS to determine at what speed you allow the compass to
be used instead of differential readings (i.e. virtual compass). I set
it up so the compass was never used. The only time your movement on foot
is slow enough to need a compass is when climbing at a steep angle
(huffing and puffing), poor footing (slipping backwards), etc. For most
navigation, the differential location scheme is fine.

On Nov 19, 4:48*pm, Alan Browne <alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
wrote:
> Should have it mid next week.
>
> Will report on its performance and how it well integrates GLONASS.
>
> The leaves in the nearby forest are all down, however, so won't get a
> feeling for acquisition in the woods until summer.
>
> I also look forward to seeing how well the mag compass performs.
>
> --
> gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.

I'm curious if there is a NMEA output for using the Etrex with my
laptop navigation software.

--- CHAS

On 2011-11-19 21:34 , miso wrote:
> On 11/19/2011 1:48 PM, Alan Browne wrote:
>> Should have it mid next week.
>>
>> Will report on its performance and how it well integrates GLONASS.
>>
>> The leaves in the nearby forest are all down, however, so won't get a
>> feeling for acquisition in the woods until summer.
>>
>> I also look forward to seeing how well the mag compass performs.
>>
> With the 2-axis compass, you just rotated the GPS to "calibrate" it. I
> wonder what it done for a 3-axis compass?
>
> Hint: You look a lot less silly twisting the GPS around in your hand to
> do the cal then rotating your body. ;-)
>
> I still use a real compass (Cammenga lensatic). It is far easier to fix
> on the target when you have a sighting slot.

I have an orienteering compass which is great for aligning on where to
go and less good on taking bearing lines to fix ones position.

I'd like to buy a thumb compass for orienteering. Not even any bearing
markings, just a rotating bezel. Smaller. No strings. Fast.

> If you decide to get a Cammenga, the phosphorus version is fine for
> civilian use. You just "juice it" with your flashlight. Given the price
> of these compasses today, I suspect they are still made in the USA. The
> phosphorus version will outlive you. The tritium version has a 12 year
> half life. I'm not sure how long people keep them before deeming them
> too dim to see at night. It has an electromagnetic damping scheme, so
> there is no fluid inside it to deteriorate over time.

One day perhaps for long hikes.

>
> The GPS compass is useful only when you are moving so slowly that the
> differential GPS reading is not accurate. When I first got the GPSmap60,
> I did some testing before I considered it trustworthy. Basically just
> navigation to a point. I found the compass was terrible. There is a
> setting in the GPS to determine at what speed you allow the compass to
> be used instead of differential readings (i.e. virtual compass). I set
> it up so the compass was never used. The only time your movement on foot
> is slow enough to need a compass is when climbing at a steep angle
> (huffing and puffing), poor footing (slipping backwards), etc. For most
> navigation, the differential location scheme is fine.

Good points. However, the weakness of the GPS is that it determines the
track along which the receiver is moving. It is not relative to the
case of the receiver. So working with a map is tedious. Of course a
real compass is best for working with a map.

Neglected to mention I also look forward to using the baro alt on the etrex.



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gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.

On 2011-11-19 21:59 , HIPAR wrote:
> On Nov 19, 4:48 pm, Alan Browne<alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
> wrote:
>> Should have it mid next week.
>>
>> Will report on its performance and how it well integrates GLONASS.
>>
>> The leaves in the nearby forest are all down, however, so won't get a
>> feeling for acquisition in the woods until summer.
>>
>> I also look forward to seeing how well the mag compass performs.
>>
>> --
>> gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.
>
> I'm curious if there is a NMEA output for using the Etrex with my
> laptop navigation software.

I don't think it has a separate real time output. I may be wrong. For
real time I use a "Microsoft" GPS (USB) puck which can be configured for
NMEA and another format. (Sirf based Pharos receiver). I use that with
MS Streets and Trips which is not bad.


--
gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.

On Nov 20, 10:50*am, Alan Browne <alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
wrote:
> O> > navigation, the differential location scheme is fine.
>
> Good points. *However, the weakness of the GPS is that it determines the
> track along which the receiver is moving. *It is not relative to the
> case of the receiver. *So working with a map is tedious. *Of course a
> real compass is best for working with a map.
>
> --

Actually, when navigating the sailboat, I more interested about where
I'm actually going rather than which way I'm pointing. I'm not saying
my compass isn't useful for sighting plotting bearings or steering to
a nearby destination getting close enough to see it. But I often quip
the 'compass is overrated' just to start trouble with the 'Old Salts'.

--- CHAS

On Nov 20, 10:53*am, Alan Browne <alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
wrote:
> On 2011-11-19 21:59 , HIPAR wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Nov 19, 4:48 pm, Alan Browne<alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
> > wrote:
> >> Should have it mid next week.
>
> >> Will report on its performance and how it well integrates GLONASS.
>
> >> The leaves in the nearby forest are all down, however, so won't get a
> >> feeling for acquisition in the woods until summer.
>
> >> I also look forward to seeing how well the mag compass performs.
>
> >> --
> >> gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.
>
> > I'm curious if there is a NMEA output for using the Etrex with my
> > laptop navigation software.
>
> I don't think it has a separate real time output. *I may be wrong. *For
> real time I use a "Microsoft" GPS (USB) puck which can be configured for
> NMEA and another format. *(Sirf based Pharos receiver). *I use that with
> MS Streets and Trips which is not bad.
>
> --
For anyone interested in Laptop navigation, there is a very nice web
site devoted to doing that. You can find experts on laptop software
and hardware at www.laptopgpsworld.com They are very friendly and
helpful.

Funny thing, there's another site that mirrors this discussion where I
got into trouble. Someone over there asked about Microsoft Streets
and Trips so I suggested he go to Laptop GPS World for help. That got
me banned for life.

I 'contribute' at Laptop GPS World with the screen name MrUmbra.

--- CHAS

Alan Browne wrote:
> I have an orienteering compass which is great for aligning on where to
> go and less good on taking bearing lines to fix ones position.

Good for you!
>
> I'd like to buy a thumb compass for orienteering. Not even any bearing
> markings, just a rotating bezel. Smaller. No strings. Fast.

I run 60-80 orienteering competitions every year, have done so since
around 1968.

These days we run with a GPS tracker watch (Garmin 405 for me) and use
that to do micro-comparisons between route choices done by different
competitors:

http://tmsw.no/qr/index.php?user=terjem

I've tried seriously about 3 times over the last 25 years or so to
switch from my regular orienteering compass to a thumb compass, but I
really can't get used to it. :-)

Terje
--
- <Terje.Mathisen at tmsw.no>
"almost all programming can be viewed as an exercise in caching"

On 2011-11-20 15:15 , HIPAR wrote:
> On Nov 20, 10:50 am, Alan Browne<alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
> wrote:
>> O> > navigation, the differential location scheme is fine.
>>
>> Good points. However, the weakness of the GPS is that it determines the
>> track along which the receiver is moving. It is not relative to the
>> case of the receiver. So working with a map is tedious. Of course a
>> real compass is best for working with a map.
>>
>> --
>
> Actually, when navigating the sailboat, I more interested about where
> I'm actually going rather than which way I'm pointing. I'm not saying
> my compass isn't useful for sighting plotting bearings or steering to
> a nearby destination getting close enough to see it. But I often quip
> the 'compass is overrated' just to start trouble with the 'Old Salts'.

As a pilot heading v. track is a very important distinction, esp. in a
crosswind approach.

--
gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.

On 2011-11-20 15:17 , HIPAR wrote:
> On Nov 20, 10:53 am, Alan Browne<alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
> wrote:
>> On 2011-11-19 21:59 , HIPAR wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Nov 19, 4:48 pm, Alan Browne<alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Should have it mid next week.
>>
>>>> Will report on its performance and how it well integrates GLONASS.
>>
>>>> The leaves in the nearby forest are all down, however, so won't get a
>>>> feeling for acquisition in the woods until summer.
>>
>>>> I also look forward to seeing how well the mag compass performs.
>>
>>>> --
>>>> gmail originated posts filtered due to spam.
>>
>>> I'm curious if there is a NMEA output for using the Etrex with my
>>> laptop navigation software.
>>
>> I don't think it has a separate real time output. I may be wrong. For
>> real time I use a "Microsoft" GPS (USB) puck which can be configured for
>> NMEA and another format. (Sirf based Pharos receiver). I use that with
>> MS Streets and Trips which is not bad.
>>
>> --
> For anyone interested in Laptop navigation, there is a very nice web
> site devoted to doing that. You can find experts on laptop software
> and hardware at www.laptopgpsworld.com They are very friendly and
> helpful.
>
> Funny thing, there's another site that mirrors this discussion where I
> got into trouble. Someone over there asked about Microsoft Streets
> and Trips so I suggested he go to Laptop GPS World for help. That got
> me banned for life.

Nothing wrong with MS Streets and Trips. The interface has a few odd
behaviours that are a PITA, but it _works_ and it's cheap. When I
originally bought it, it was $70 WITH the GPS receiver.

The only App that I've found that is close to it for OS X is very
expensive, has no GPS receiver and the maps cost extra! So I'll
probably put Fusion on the Macbook Air and load WinXP so I can use good
ole MS Streets and Trips on it.


--
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