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12:53 am
April 6, 2010
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Just for the heck of it, the next time the compass icon (top left) is red don't go to the calibration page, just wave it in a figure eight a couple of times, relatively slowly and keep bending your wrist so the screen of the unit will face in all directions. Like a little kid would move a toy airplane in a figure eight with the top of the unit as the propeller.
You'll get no tone to indicate calibration because you're not on the calibrate page, but for me anyway, the icon will go from red to yellow/green, which indicates the compass is working & calibrated.
Like I posted earlier, I have never had to go to the calibration page to calibrate the compass in my 710.
By the way, I have noticed that when the batteries are showing very low on the indicator the compass tends to come out of calibration more often.
When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout
12:49 am
November 12, 2010
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Oh well - try it that way then and see what results you get.
Doesn't work for me btw.
8:30 pm
June 5, 2012
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I called Magellan yesterday. They advised to wave the figure eight in a horizontal (e.g. tabletop) plane.
1:35 am
November 12, 2010
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The "wall" method and I hold the GPSr starting with the screen facing away from me as though I am holding it up and showing the screen to someone in front of me.
1:26 am
June 5, 2012
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Do you wave in a vertical plane (like against a wall); or horizontally, (as on a table top)?
1:23 am
June 5, 2012
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Firmware = 6.52
So....as I undestand you make the figure eight vertically, like running it over the surface of a wall; not horizontally such as on a table top.
When I try to calibrate, I have been doing it horizontally, a figue eight on a table top, remebering to twist my wrist as shown in the diagram.
Too bad there is not a video to follow (youtube or other)
12:57 am
November 12, 2010
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phild31 wrote:
...When I'm in vehicle mode on a route the compass is deactivated,
You know I didn't realise that until yesterday; just before I was about to throw the 710 over the cliff! I would get out of the car and the compass would be just frozen. I then thought of changing the profile to Geocaching and voila - all good and so sorry 710 for thinking bad things about you 
I just need to understand you better.
Regarding the calibration, it is best to hold the GPSr vertically. It doesn't seem to work so well horizontally. I wave it in a figure 8 at a steady speed - like you are waving goodby speed.
What Firmware version are you running?
7:05 pm
April 6, 2010
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With my 710 I have never had to go to the calibration page, I just wave it in a figure eight and the compass calibrates.
When I'm in vehicle mode on a route the compass is deactivated, when I leave vehicle mode the compass comes on and usually calibrates itself when I move around a little.
When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout
6:21 pm
December 25, 2010
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a figure eight motion horizontally works. You will probably need to go at least two full revolutions, then the chime will indicate the process is finished. check the screen to see if you have calibrated or if it failed.
My personal experience is that i cannot usually calibrate the unit when in my vehicle. I have my compass turned off in vehicle mode.
Since firm ware upgrade(s) I have experienced very solid performance from my compass.
4:07 pm
June 5, 2012
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The calibration instructions in the manual are vague. Is the figure-eight done in a horizontal or vertical plane ? At what speed ?
Thanks for any help; this compass calibration is very frustrating !
2:33 pm
March 19, 2011
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pprass wrote:
Yes it was, but after the latest release 6.05 the calibration was fixed for me. However it suddenly stopped working and now it is annoying.
You must have just been lucky; I’ve had the condition for the whole time.
11:48 am
November 12, 2010
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Thanks Graham for your response.
"The condition was evident well before the latest firmware release"
Yes it was, but after the latest release 6.05 the calibration was fixed for me. However it suddenly stopped working and now it is annoying.
2:56 am
March 19, 2011
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Many users are experiencing the situation you describe to differing degrees and there has been much discussion in various threads. The condition was evident well before the latest firmware release. The calibration routine will most often indicate it has failed when in fact it was successful but you can only tell by going back to the map screen.
If you are moving slowly or stationary and the compass is not calibrated it will not update the map screen as you describe.
There is no work around bar turn the electronic compass off.
Magellan is aware of the problem and is currently working on a solution.
Graham.
12:39 am
November 12, 2010
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Can't get the 610 to calibrate using the calibration function. Keeps on failing. Was working perfectly well for a few weeks after the 6.05 upgrade, but now it fails everytime.
I resort to the "waving madly in the air" method, which eventually turns the compass symbol from red to white - but it then reverts to red after placing the GPS in the car cradle and taking it out again.
Also the compass stalls - and of course at the critical moment - I can move 15 to 20 metres around GZ and the distance and pointer just doesn't react.
Has anyone experienced the same, or has anyone worked out how to get the calibration to work?
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