An issue with the digital compass

[Hatul]

I'm diving in Laguna for the first time with my new Galileo Sol and set a compass bearing. I'm not very facile with the computer so I'll often press the wrong button, or just press one to see what happens. Well, some time into the dive I'm looking at the compass and accidentally press the middle button, and lo and behold my precious bearing is gone. If I were dependent on that for critical navigation I'd be lost.

So I'll keep my analogue compass. I think it's safer.

Adam

 

[tflaris]

You can change the compass settings in the software to stay on until you want it to go off.

Or

Or there are time intervals you can select. I have never experienced the problem you described.

Safe Diving


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hatul]

You can change the compass settings in the software to stay on until you want it to go off.

Or

Or there are time intervals you can select. I have never experienced the problem you described.

Safe Diving


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you misunderstood the nature of the problem. A press of the middle button sets a bearing. If you already have a bearing set, a press deletes the bearing and sets a new bearing. I don't think there is any way to bring the old bearing back.

I've never faced this loss of critical information in an analogue compass.

 

[Jorgy]

Love them old compasses they don't have buttons or need batteries......

M

 

[Jax]

On the other hand, it does not seem wise to dive a computer whose button functions are not thoroughly understood.

This is diver issue, not Sol issue.

 

[Hatul]

I would suggest that when setting a new bearing with a previous bearing in place, that the computer either save the old bearing into retrievable memory or at least asked to verify that you want the old bearing deleted.

In any case I'm keeping my analogue compass.

To Jax, you're free to your opinion that once you know the functions of your dive computer you never make mistakes, but I don't think I've come across a situation like this where a press of a button without warning deletes critical information; even in my home computer I get a warning before a file is deleted and even after deletion I can get it back. And you're much more likely to press the wrong button in the environment of diving than sitting relaxed at home.

Adam

 

[tadawson]

This would amount to grabbing the bezel on your analog compass, and giving it a spin. Let's see you get the bearing back from that! Unless you remember what it was, you are SOL on either. If you do remember, then you can reset either trivially.

I fail to see an issue myself, other than that you never apparently bothered to read the manual and learn your computer . . . . And why anyone would start randomly jabbing buttons on a device when they don't know what they do escapes me . . . .

The bigger issue that I have found with the digital compasses is that unlike an analog compass, they need to be calibrated. Recently, while in a rescue training session, we had a guy with a new computer, who also apparently didn't think the manual was important, and didn't calibrate his, and was about 20 degrees off. We were starting to really wonder what was up until he surfaced 20 minutes after the rest of us, in the wrong end of the lake!

- Tim

I would suggest that when setting a new bearing with a previous bearing in place, that the computer either save the old bearing into retrievable memory or at least asked to verify that you want the old bearing deleted.

In any case I'm keeping my analogue compass.

To Jax, you're free to your opinion that once you know the functions of your dive computer you never make mistakes, but I don't think I've come across a situation like this where a press of a button without warning deletes critical information; even in my home computer I get a warning before a file is deleted and even after deletion I can get it back. And you're much more likely to press the wrong button in the environment of diving than sitting relaxed at home.

Adam

 

[Hatul]

Just out of curiosity, can I ask if Jax and Tim are using a digital compass for navigation?

 

[tadawson]

I have used them, but generally stay away - sometimes making something electronic does *NOT* make it better, and I think this is one of those times.

- Tim

 

[CPH]

I have been using the Luna for navigation for over a year now and find it to be fantastic.
You set a bearing and LOOK AT IT. Oh yeah. It's 250degrees. There's a fish, ****, where was I. Damm, I'm lost.
Get a grip man.