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Navigation Question
Posted: 26 Feb 10 3:43 PM
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I recently tried the navigation feature and found the direction the compass arrow was pointing for my waypoint to be off as much as 45 degrees. I tried with multiple points, similar results. I know the direction was not correct because I had a line of site to the waypoints for up to a mile and had I followed the arrow, for example at night or in the fog, I would not have arrived at the waypoint in the shortest possible path. I performed this test on multiple points on different days in different locations with similar results. If I ignore the arrow and go directly to the point, TO indicates I have arrived at my destination. part of this may be the magnetic compass in the phone, but the error in direction (~45 degrees) is over twice the declination for this area, and it is not consistently in one direction. Something to look at or maybe I'm doing something wrong? Have any other users experienced this?
As a suggestion, in the navigation screen, show the actual bearing to the waypoint along with the distance that you are navigating to. Currenty you just have the arrow and distance. TO knows the bearing very accurately by inversing and displays the distance nicely. With the large amount of empty screen, increased font size would be nice for a quick glance (and older eyes).
Another suggestion, while navigating in the map mode, show a direct dashed line between the current position and the waypoint. Also give a bearing and distance somewhere onscreen. This would be particularly helpful when the waypoint is off the screen. The user would be able to see what kind of obstacles are in the way primarily when out in the mountains.
Phone Settings:
Datum WGS84/NAD83
Androids Magnetic Compass activated
TO Ver 4.0.6
HTC Eris Ver 1.5
Bill |
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Bob Wold
Posts: 890
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Re: Navigation Question
Posted: 26 Feb 10 5:57 PM
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Bill,
Thanks for the thorough post and ideas. I'm going to add these suggestions to the road map:
1. Draw a line between you and the waypoint on the map
2. Look into increasing font size on the navigation screen
3. Investigate Error in the Arrow on the Compass
Bill: where are you located? Also, does this arrow point correctly when you turn off the magnetic compass in the settings screen of our application? If the "heading" is significantly off, which happens as you get closer to the poles, the bearing will end up being off also since it's directly relative to your current heading.
We had considered augmenting the readings from the magnetic compass to approximate true north when you get closer to the poles, but decided that allowing the user to turn off the magnetic compass was sufficient initially. If turning it off works for you let me know. We may need to explore that idea again.
Thanks.
Bob |
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Re: Navigation Question
Posted: 02 Mar 10 3:59 AM
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Bob,
I had a chance to try the navigation again, this time with the magnetic compas turned off. The arrow was spot on. I turned on the mag compass again and it threw the arrow way off. So as long as your moving the arrow will be correct with the mag compass turned off. That's not real practical however when your in the mountains trying to navigate to a waypoint.
In your road map, I think it would also be helpful to add a bearing to the waypoint in the navigation screen. The bearing needs to be referencing true north, not magnetic.
Also in the road map, a bearing and distance would be nice while in the map mode IMO.
Keep up the good work, you guys have a great product for the Android phones and it keeps getting better! |
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Bob Wold
Posts: 890
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Re: Navigation Question
Posted: 02 Mar 10 6:30 PM
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Bill:
Thanks for the feedback.
I don't think you ever mentioned where you are on the Globe. I'd like to understand where you are so we can post a notice for users in your region that the Magnetic Compass is bad because of the variance between Magnetic North and True North in the mean time.
Thanks!
Bob |
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Re: Navigation Question
Posted: 02 Mar 10 6:52 PM
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Bob,
I'm located in Wenatchee, Washington. The declination for the region is ~16.5 degrees East.
Here is a NOAA site for estimating magnetic declination
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomagmodels/struts/calcDeclination
Bill |
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Bob Wold
Posts: 890
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Re: Navigation Question
Posted: 04 Jan 11 8:53 PM
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I'm having similar problems. The compass does not point North; it can be off by 45 degrees or more. I'm in Ohio; declination is about 8.5degrees. I've compared the T.O. compass to a free compass app and to a handheld magnetic compass -- both indicate that the T.O. compass is way off. Interestingly, if I ask to navigate to a point, the navigation arrow points to the correct direction on the compass (i.e. if the point is due E, the arrow will point to the 'E' on the compass)...but since the compass does not point North, I can't navigate....
Thanks!
-mike |
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kevin77
Posts: 1237
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Re: Navigation Question
Posted: 04 Jan 11 8:58 PM
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| Have you tried changing the settings in our application to turn on/off the use of the magnetic compass (you didn't mention it)? |
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Re: Navigation Question
Posted: 05 Jan 11 7:41 PM
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I did try that, but when I turned off the magnetic compass the compass seemed to lock pointing N. The directional arrow still pointed to the correct direction on the compass, but the compass always pointed N (even when I turned to face another direction). From what bill2750 said earlier, though, it sounds like I should turn the magnetic compass off and then start walking?? i.e. it doesn't know what direction I'm going until I start moving. I'll check that this afternoon or tomorrow.
-mike |
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