Heading very sensitive moves all over the place

[alopez0105]

Hello everyone ,

I have an apex networked with a solix and instinct TM.
The heading on the apex and the solix Is pretty wild , constantly moving during slow speeds . This is a brand new set up and I was messing with the settings and I think I have maybe made it too sensitive. At the moment I have it as course up but you can constantly see the boat on the mfd moving everywhere when I'm just driving in a straight line .


Anyone know where exactly I can get this corrected ?

[SLYDoggie]

If it's moving all over the place at slow speeds then it sounds like it is using GPS rather than Heading on your maps. If you have a heading sensor, you need to use "Heading Up" and not "GPS Up". Heading is a magnetic compass and operates the exact same sitting still as it does moving at any speed... slow or fast.

[bobcoy]

The setting you don’t want is “course up”. That is the one that is calculated from the GPS. If you are moving less than 4 MPH the direction shown it is not accurate. Bob

[alopez0105]

moving all over the place is north east west pretty much all over , almost like there is interference . If i use heading up then the whole chart is moving everywhere , enough to drive me crazy . I can use north up and then you see the boat moving everywhere and then course up shows the same.

[bobcoy]

It is a preference thing. North up does not move the map around, but the boat icon will do the turning. Thats why they have the choices, you need to pick one that seems natural to you. Course is subject to a minimum speed to give accurate results(about 3.5 to 4 MPH). The Heading (magnetic north) does not care about speed. They both can be goofy from interference.
Note: If you don’t have a heading sensor, the heading choice will not work!

[alopez0105]

in my helix i used to use the heading option and never had any issues , is there a setting to adjust sensitivity of the heading or to select where it is picking up the heading from ?

[bobcoy]

Heading-Magnetic direction. (compass) Course- The direction computed by a GPS unit calculated by the relation of one point to another (moving slower than 4 MPH is not accurate enough to give an accurate course. You must have a heading sensor assigned to your network to get a”Heading”. Bob

[alopez0105]

thanks,
this makes sense

[alopez0105]

in my helix i used to use the heading option and never had any issues , is there a setting to adjust sensitivity of the heading or to select where it is picking up the heading from ?

Do you know if i am able to select the compass from my Autopilot as the sensor then ?

[Wayne P.]

Do you know if i am able to select the compass from my Autopilot as the sensor then ?

You can use the Minnkota Heading Sensor with a display if it is iPilot LINK or Advanced GPS. It's an Ethernet connection.

[alopez0105]

You can use the Minnkota Heading Sensor with a display if it is iPilot LINK or Advanced GPS. It's an Ethernet connection.

looks like the heading sensors are bluetooth now , would this work ?

[Wayne P.]

looks like the heading sensors are bluetooth now , would this work ?

The Minnkota heading sensor has always been Bluetooth. It "talks" to the iPilot/Advanced GPS via Bluetooth and can only be shared to a display via Ethernet.

The Humminbird AS GPS HS (combo GPS/Heading Sensor) connects directly to a display via its cable (not Bluetooth).

[alopez0105]

i did a little more digging and the quest bring its own heading sensor , i guess it just has to be on ad powered in order for the apex or solix to recognize it

[Wayne P.]

i did a little more digging and the quest bring its own heading sensor , i guess it just has to be on ad powered in order for the apex or solix to recognize it

Advanced GPS/Heading is turned off when the motor is stowed. The motor has to be deployed and powered to use it.

[alopez0105]

in this case since it can only be shared to the gps via ethernet , if the TM is off then the display wont recognize the heading sensor correct ? May as well just go with the hummingbird version then

[Wayne P.]

in this case since it can only be shared to the gps via ethernet , if the TM is off then the display wont recognize the heading sensor correct ? May as well just go with the hummingbird version then

Yes, BUT heading is mostly useful when GPS cannot calculate direction (like when fishing at the bow using the trolling motor). Typically at the console you are moving faster than .6mph and will have the Course Projection Line (direction of travel) displayed along with the position icon.

[alopez0105]

got it , the issue i am having is that my heading is still going crazy at 4-5mph , it not till i pick up the speed after 5 that it corrects. That is why i was wondering if there was an option in the hummingbird apex or solix to adjust the sensitivity

[alopez0105]

never had this issue with my helix and i didnt have a heading sensor then . -_-

[Wayne P.]

never had this issue with my helix and i didnt have a heading sensor then . -_-

If Heading is screwing up, it's probably because the Heading Sensor (compass) is not installed correctly.
Heading is done via Heading Sensor and has an orange Heading Line when turned on.

The lime green line is not Heading, that is the Course Projection Line (direction of travel) and is GPS calculated. GPS doesn't have the best accuracy for Course until 4.5 mph+

Some don't know they are different functions and one is not the other.

[alopez0105]

There is no heading sensor installed other than the one for my simrad autopilot , which si all networked in via nmea . I am pretty sure the apex nor the solix recognize this as a heading sensor so i am probably just going to have to buy the hummingbird heading sensor to fix the problem .