LCX 111c HD with Point 1

[paddler]

My old GPS antenna (LGC 2000) failed last year, so I replaced it with a Point 1. I was up fishing yesterday and found that my Trip Calculator is off by a considerable amount. I set a goto on my autopilot for a waypoint ~2 miles away and reset my trip calculator to "0". By the time I got there it read ~2.7, I calulated an error of +33%. Also, my heading sensor is off by up to ~40*.

I checked the distance to a distant waypoint today, it was 804 miles per the unit and 806 miles per Google Earth. So the static GPS seems fine. Any ideas?

My buddy has an HDS unit which we used to calibrate the Point 1 before installing it on my boat, since you cannot do a calibration on the LCX.

[Basshopper]

Which also means its not calibrated on your boat. You cannot move a point 1 without calibrating Get your buddies HDS on your boat and recalibrate it. Before you installed it did it check out for zero noise or magnetic interfearance in that location first?

[glennie]

Is your Point-1 powered on the NMEA network? There might be compatibility issues with the old blue NMEA and Point-1 too.

[paddler]

Which also means its not calibrated on your boat. You cannot move a point 1 without calibrating Get your buddies HDS on your boat and recalibrate it. Before you installed it did it check out for zero noise or magnetic interfearance in that location first?

Thanks, that must be the issue. He fishes out of a kayak. I'll see if I can borrow his HDS unit to put in my boat and hook it up to my Point 1 to calibrate it. His unit should be pretty portable.

Is it possible to calibrate my Point 1 by towing my boat around a parking lot? Seems like that should work fine. If so it would be much more convenient as my back yard backs onto a parking lot but the nearest reservoir is 35 miles away.

No interference where we were before.

[Basshopper]

Thanks, that must be the issue. He fishes out of a kayak. I'll see if I can borrow his HDS unit to put in my boat and hook it up to my Point 1 to calibrate it. His unit should be pretty portable.

Is it possible to calibrate my Point 1 by towing my boat around a parking lot? Seems like that should work fine. If so it would be much more convenient as my back yard backs onto a parking lot but the nearest reservoir is 35 miles away.

No interference where we were before.

Yes in the circle parking lot as long as it connected to the HDS and you can see that after 390 degrees it says calibration Complete.

[NoCAL]

You can calibrate a Point 1 without an HDS. You disconnect the Point 1 from the network, then reconnect it and immediately start circling the boat, after 2 circles, the sensor enters calibration mode. Complete another circle and then about 1/4 of another one and it should be calibrated. This is direct from the manual. Only issue is you don’t know if it took or not.

[paddler]

Yes in the circle parking lot as long as it connected to the HDS and you can see that after 390 degrees it says calibration Complete.

Excellent. I'll drive, my buddy will watch in the boat.

[paddler]

You can calibrate a Point 1 without an HDS. You disconnect the Point 1 from the network, then reconnect it and immediately start circling the boat, after 2 circles, the sensor enters calibration mode. Complete another circle and then about 1/4 of another one and it should be calibrated. This is direct from the manual. Only issue is you don’t know if it took or not.

Excellent once again. And thanks again. My buddy will be back in town Wednesday, I plan to fish Thursday. I he's not available for a parking lot calibration I'll do the blind thing Thursday. I should be able to tell if it works.

[paddler]

I tried to calibrate the Point 1 last evening in a parking lot, not sure it worked as when I positioned the boat pointing north, about 330* according to my console-mounted Ritchie compass, my heading sensor read 259*. I'm going to try it again on the water today. Not sure if the first two circles are time critical, the last 1 1/4 is.

Not having confirmation makes it more difficult.

[NoCAL]

The actual degrees can be influenced by a number of things especially by the install. It is very difficult to get the arrow on the Point 1 pointed directly parallel with the bow. I’ve seen some installs where the arrow was pointed AT the bow and so off by a couple degrees. The most important thing a heading sensor does is provide heading info while the boat is NOT moving. If the boat IS moving, GPS does a pretty good job of inferring heading. Try this, on the map page, turn on Heading Up. Does the boat icon point straight up? Watch it for a couple minutes especially if there is some current or wind moving the boat in a direction other than forward. Does the icon remain pointed up? If so, the Point 1 is working and calibrated.

[paddler]

The actual degrees can be influenced by a number of things especially by the install. It is very difficult to get the arrow on the Point 1 pointed directly parallel with the bow. I’ve seen some installs where the arrow was pointed AT the bow and so off by a couple degrees. The most important thing a heading sensor does is provide heading info while the boat is NOT moving. If the boat IS moving, GPS does a pretty good job of inferring heading. Try this, on the map page, turn on Heading Up. Does the boat icon point straight up? Watch it for a couple minutes especially if there is some current or wind moving the boat in a direction other than forward. Does the icon remain pointed up? If so, the Point 1 is working and calibrated.

Thanks. I'm mainly concerned about my trip calculator being accurate. When I do a Goto to a waypoint, the trip calculator should increase by the distance to the waypoint originally shown when I start the navigation. The other day the trip calculator increased by 133% of the distance to waypoint. Very confusing.

[NoCAL]

I’m not sure that’s related to heading. Isn’t trip calculator using GPS? Current position, desired position, and speed. Those are all GPS functions. No calibration is needed for GPS. I’m not sure I can help more. Never use trip calculator

[paddler]

Thanks again. On the water now, heading sensor seems good. I checked my trip calculator, it seems to be maybe 10% optimistic at troll speed. Too busy fishing to mess with it any more. Couple of nice walleye in the boat, released one just under 16". A few small wipers released so far.

[NoCAL]

Congrats

[paddler]

Here are two sets of photos. The first three show fairly close agreement between my compass, AP and heading sensor. Trolling at ~2.8MPH. The second three show close agreement between my compass and AP, but the heading sensor is off by ~60*. No idea why. Not going to worry about it as it appears to be calibrated. Sometimes. My LGC2000 never did this.

[Basshopper]

The LGC2000 was only GPS not a Electronic Compass heading sensor.

[NoCAL]

Good point!

[paddler]

Good point!

Shouldn't the heading sensor always point in the direction of the boat centerline when there's no wind or current? Mine can be 60* off.

[NoCAL]

Possibly a poor mounting location. Put a compass or phone electromagnetic app near the spot and check. Mine is a bit off while the big motor is running but as soon as it stops, the icon points straight up. You do have to be sure you have Heading Up selected on the Chart page. Some people like North up but with a heading sensor it will change the way the icon points. Also make sure the arrow on the puck is pointing exactly parallel with the keel of the boat.

[paddler]

Possibly a poor mounting location. Put a compass or phone electromagnetic app near the spot and check. Mine is a bit off while the big motor is running but as soon as it stops, the icon points straight up. You do have to be sure you have Heading Up selected on the Chart page. Some people like North up but with a heading sensor it will change the way the icon points. Also make sure the arrow on the puck is pointing exactly parallel with the keel of the boat.

I'll check my mounting location, but won't be moving the puck. I prefer North Up and will continue using it. I was careful to make sure the arrow on the puck is properly aligned with the keel. It may be off just a bit but it's as close as I can get it.

It's just weird that sometimes it appears to be accurate and at other times it's clearly off. Not going to worry it too much.