The dot next to the compass

[AnthonyMV]

Today I did what i was supposed to do. Read the manual. Well, I read a good portion of it.....
Anyways....I noticed the thing about the compass calibration....the dot....
Took me a few times...and still couldn't get it right. I went to the gym today. And afterwards did the mode button hold down thing,and i didn't really go in a circle. I just pulled out of the spot,made a left and started to press the mode button and the dot was gone. Great ! I thought.
Then I OCD'd and started to compare between my GPS and the compass. And I saw a little bit of a difference. When I got home I went around my block. The first left said south. Same with the GPS. The next left said SE, BUT the GPS said E. ???
Should I try and recalibrate all over again.....I don't know how to get the " . " back....probably disconnect the battery.......don't feel like doing that.
Any help or experience would be great.....there only 2 other threads about the compass. And didn't give me the answer I need.
Sorry for the long read.

Anthony

 

[AnthonyMV]

Also....

I looked at the "map" in the owners manual. Showed, at least to me that I'm in geographical area 12. And that's what I punched in.
Don't know if that's gonna help

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

It is in the manual. It means you need to circle calibrate.

 

[AnthonyMV]

Ok.....

But the dot is gone. Telling me that it's calibrated. No?

It is in the manual. It means you need to circle calibrate.

 

[AnthonyMV]

Btw

I did try circle calibrating at work. But I was getting no where. Maybe "strong magnetic fields" around my work site....dunno.
But, like I said. I held the button down after a left turn home from the gym. And the dot dissapeared. And the comparison between my Garmin and the trucks compass seems a little off.

But the dot is gone. Telling me that it's calibrated. No?

 

[GrantK]

But the dot is gone. Telling me that it's calibrated. No?

Not if you didn't follow the instructions in the manual.

 

[Eagle]

But the dot is gone. Telling me that it's calibrated. No?

I did try circle calibrating at work. .

There are two types of calibration: Circle Calibration and Deviation Calibration. You did the circle calibration (maybe), but did you check whether you need to adjust the deviation calibration?

 

[AnthonyMV]

What???????

I thought I did both....the owners manual is in the front seat of the car and I'm in the bathroom.....guess I'll do it all over again tommorow. But if the "." is gone will the compass let me recalibrate. I'm assuming it thinks it's calibrated since there is no dot.

There are two types of calibration: Circle Calibration and Deviation Calibration. You did the circle calibration (maybe), but did you check whether you need to adjust the deviation calibration?

 

[brockeverly]

I thought I did both....the owners manual is in the front seat of the car and I'm in the bathroom.....guess I'll do it all over again tommorow. But if the "." is gone will the compass let me recalibrate. I'm assuming it thinks it's calibrated since there is no dot.

:toilet:

 

[STLDAVE]

I thought I did both....the owners manual is in the front seat of the car and I'm in the bathroom.....guess I'll do it all over again tommorow. But if the "." is gone will the compass let me recalibrate. I'm assuming it thinks it's calibrated since there is no dot.

Just follow the instructions in the manual whether you have the dot or not. It will go into calibration mode. You don't need much room to make a circle. Just turn hard left and hold it. It took two full circles at slow speed in an empty parking lot for mine to calibrate, so choose your spot and take your time.

Or pay the dealer big $$$ to do it for you.

 

[rigtec]

I looked at the "map" in the owners manual. Showed, at least to me that I'm in geographical area 12. And that's what I punched in.
Don't know if that's gonna help

Hi AnthonyMV,

I remember when I 1st did mine and had the very same trouble.
when I "Re-checked" my steps closely, I found that I was in the wrong geographical zone, on the map; it only looked like I placed myself in the proper zone.

I live in NJ, and the graph lines are curved, so I accidently placed myself in "VA or Mass"; which are to the left, and to the right of NJ on the map.

when I corrected the problem, right away, the compass was "Dead-on"! as far as the dot being gone now, don't worry about that.

If you find that you're "zone inaccurate" and you correct it, the Dot may stay off, as it has nothing to do with your location, but the close tracking of the north pole's magnetic field.

And if by chance the Dot comes back on, simply do the "circle cal" again. I did mine in a small circle (using a little island in a park).

Hope it works out this time, Greg, (rigtec) Best regards!

 

[AnthonyMV]

Thx for all the responses

Guess I'm OCDing because there's a difference in reading between my garmin gps and the trucks compass. Like just now. I drove home from the gym and my garmin nuvi said NW and the compass said N.....annoying.

Hi AnthonyMV,

I remember when I 1st did mine and had the very same trouble.
when I "Re-checked" my steps closely, I found that I was in the wrong geographical zone, on the map; it only looked like I placed myself in the proper zone.

I live in NJ, and the graph lines are lines are curved, so I accidently placed myself in "VA or Mass"; which are to the left, and to the right of NJ.

when I corrected the problem, right away, the compass was "Dead-on"! as far as the dot being gone now, don't worry about that.

If you find that you're "zone inaccurate" and you correct it, the Dot may stay off, as it has nothing to do with your location, but the close tracking of the north pole's magnetic field.

And if by chance the Dot comes back on, simply do the "circle cal" again. I did mine in a small circle (using a little island in a park).

Hope it works out this time, Greg, (rigtec) Best regards!

 

[Eagle]

Guess I'm OCDing because there's a difference in reading between my garmin gps and the trucks compass. Like just now. I drove home from the gym and my garmin nuvi said NW and the compass said N.....annoying.

Maybe the nuvi needs a bit of calibration... :

 

[rigtec]

Hi AnthontMV,

I understand your frustration. But more than likely, your "Hand held" device isn't nearly as accurate as the equipment in your dashboard.

First off, the GPS Navigation system (in-dash), allows you to calibrate more than one parameter of Geo-focus so it can utilize a very low tolerance for inaccuracy.

I hope you will try what I suggested in my previous post; "Recheck" the zone number that you submitted during your initial calibration.

The "World Globe" (pg 475 in the owner's manual), is relatively small wrt pin pointing your exact location, so this is why I'm "Stressing" the importance of double checking.

I did my calibration twice, and now my compass is ALWAYS dead-on! Greg (rigtec) Cheers!