Compass

Hi,

Garmin site specifies on their Fenix units (2/3/5) it has electronic compass (like Edge units). I thought electronic compass uses the GPS chip to determine heading, so one has to be moving to get "reliable" readings. I thought the top-end outdoor watch would have magnetic compass. Is this just terminology issue, or the device really lacks accurate magnetic compass?

Thanks.

0 Subtleguru over 8 years ago

Hi,

Garmin site specifies on their Fenix units (2/3/5) it has electronic compass (like Edge units). I thought electronic compass uses the GPS chip to determine heading, so one has to be moving to get "reliable" readings. I thought the top-end outdoor watch would have magnetic compass. Is this just terminology issue, or the device really lacks accurate magnetic compass?

Thanks.

No it means the magnetometer is on a chip - no gps is required and no movement is required.

The absence of nearby magnetic source is required :-)

0 Tom Shane over 8 years ago

Cool, thanks.