Fish Finder/GPS question

[BaitCaster]

Okay, I installed my new Humminbird 798si on the boat yesterday. I fired it up in the driveway and noticed the GPS seemed a little confused (maybe because the boat wasn't in the water?). It actually had the location of the boat correct on the map, on land. However, it couldn't figure out which way the boat was pointed. Is there something I need to do to calibrate the GPS or will this sort itself out once I get the boat on the water?

 

[Bugpac]

you have to be moving for it to figure out which way the boat is pointing, It is just referencing a spot, It doesn't know which way you installed it.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Move the boat, LOL


You are fine - it will show you when you move

 

[BaitCaster]

Thx fellas. That's what I thought.

 

[justnortherns]

you have to be moving for it to figure out which way the boat is pointing, It is just referencing a spot, It doesn't know which way you installed it.

+1. GPS needs a little movement to be able to calculate the pointing direction. When the speed is non-zero, the receiver also figures out the pointing direction at the same time.

Some devices (such as iphones or android phones) use a compass or magnetometer to get coarse pointing direction when not moving (by detecting magnetic north). When GPS picks up the movement it corrects the pointing direction from the coarse information to the more accurate GPS information.