Does Straight Matter?

 

I've never really thought of this until now and this may be a totally stupid question.

Does having the c340 or any GPS for that matter perfectly straight aligned with the road matter for it calculating the direction your going such as N,S,E,W.

I like to point my c340 at an angle towards me so I can see/read it while I'm driving.

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Orbital

orbital wrote: Does having

orbital wrote:

Does having the c340 or any GPS for that matter perfectly straight aligned with the road matter for it calculating the direction your going such as N,S,E,W.

If it does matter, it's not enough that you'd notice. smile

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*Keith* MacBook Pro *wifi iPad(2012) w/BadElf GPS & iPhone6 + Navigon*

GPS Orientation

The physical orientation of the GPS doesn't matter (so long as the antenna is able to receive signals).

Direction is usually calculated by comparing your current position to your earlier position(s). For example -- if your earlier position is East of where you are now, then it's easy to deduce that you're going West.

I've seen some handheld models that also have a magnetic compass. I haven't used a unit with this feature, so I'm not sure how they behave.

JM

Thank you for the quick

Thank you for the quick reply.....
I though that it mattered in some way.

When I have it off the mount and in my hand,
it changes direction as I rotated it. I was just
thinking that maybe some form of Triangulation technology countered acted that when your moving at high speeds.

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Orbital

tell me more :)

orbital wrote:

When I have it off the mount and in my hand, it changes direction as I rotated it. I was just thinking that maybe some form of Triangulation technology countered acted that when your moving at high speeds.

Interesting -- Is this while you're moving down the road? What does the display look like? -- I know some of the older TomTom units had inertial sensors.

JM

Gosh and I thought this was

Gosh and I thought this was a question about alternate lifestyles....

lmao...

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. . If I only had a brain....................................... http://www.hugginsnet.com/ilovemymio ..................................................... GPS Units in Use: Mio C310x (primary) and Garmin eTrex Legend for GeoCaching.

JM,

JM,
Sorry I should have been a little more descriptive on the rotating thing. No this is while I'm outside the car not moving and spinning it around in my hand. The c340 changes from North, South, East, West. It takes a minute but as you rotate it at 90 degree intervals it changes direction just like a magnetic compass.

Oh and Robinh, after I posted, I looked at the title and was like hummmmm should I change that? ( LOL )

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Orbital

GPS Direction

orbital wrote:

Does having the c340 or any GPS for that matter perfectly straight aligned with the road matter for it calculating the direction your going such as N,S,E,W.
I like to point my c340 at an angle towards me so I can see/read it while I'm driving.

I don't think this question was ever answered. I don't know the answer, however whenever I turn on my GPS the car is always pointed in the right direction, so somehow the GPS must know the direction it is pointed in without actually moving.

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Garmin StreetPilot c530, Mapsource

GPS Direction

I don't think this question was ever answered. I don't know the answer, however whenever I turn on my GPS the car is always pointed in the right direction, so somehow the GPS must know the direction it is pointed in without actually moving. [/quote]

I think it may just remember the last position and direction it was in when you turned it off.

re GPS Direction

mchristofas wrote:

I think it may just remember the last position and direction it was in when you turned it off.

Yes, it does remember the last position. However, in a test with my Garmin c530, Standing perfectly still and rotating the unit around its axis, the direction and car position changes. I suppose this could be due to the antenae position in the unit and the slight forward and backward movement this would make in the rotation, however I doubt that the unit is that accurate in relation to the satelite position.

Update: Answered my own question: Changes in direction stated were not that repeatable. Unit shows slight speed movement when direction changes, therefore, I suppose it is measuring a slight movement in relation to the satellites. Moving 1 pace in any direction is enough to get accurate change in direction.

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Garmin StreetPilot c530, Mapsource