Help Evo Google Sky/Compass doesn't work right. Tried figure 8's

[Yith]

Hi, just got a new Evo a few days ago.

First day or two Google Sky worked fine, but I realized yesterday Google Sky didn't want to move left/right from holding the phone sideways but would move up/down.

I found if I gave is a good shake left/right it would work right as far as I could tell.

I checked around for what it might be and saw it could be a problem with the magnetic sensor.

I tried the compass app and I get a "abnormal magnetic field detected" message right away.

Should I return this or maybe reset some sort of setting or is there another way to calibrate?

Thanks.

 

[EarlyMon]

Welcome to the forum!

Are you near anything that would give such a reading?

Also - check your Sky settings for location and make sure it's got the right idea where you are. Sounds dumb, I know, nothing personal - I've seen it reset on updates and so forth.

PS - I always use the Compass by Snaptic to cal my compass prior to using Sky - that gives _excellent_ accuracy. Use it for zeroing on Messier objects - and it will identify _exactly_ the latest Jupiter/Uranus conjunction, a few degrees south of east, just above the horizon.

 

[Yith]

Welcome to the forum!

Are you near anything that would give such a reading?

Also - check your Sky settings for location and make sure it's got the right idea where you are. Sounds dumb, I know, nothing personal - I've seen it reset on updates and so forth.

PS - I always use the Compass by Snaptic to cal my compass prior to using Sky - that gives _excellent_ accuracy. Use it for zeroing on Messier objects - and it will identify _exactly_ the latest Jupiter/Uranus conjunction, a few degrees south of east, just above the horizon.

Ok doing figure 8's by twisting my wrist resets it every time and now google Sky and the compass agree where north is. BUT if I close the compass and instantly open it back up it's all crazy again. Same with Google Sky.

I have a CRT monitor in front of me, and I know it makes this touch light I have at the desk act funny. I'm about to go out so I'll try calibrating it and see if it sticks.

Hopefully I don't have to exchange it and then get rid of the CRT.

 

[EarlyMon]

You can also download Tricorder and tap the MAG button on the left, then SCAN button in the upper right - move it around your environment. If you've got interference from that CRT, it might show up right off.

Many report it's common to have to cal before use - on this and a number of other phones.

We live in an electrically noisy world and that does no good for delicate sensors.

PS - fwiw, I use a figure 8 that's parallel to the ground (i.e., level) and about a foot and a half long.

 

[Yith]

I downloaded tricorder but I'm not sure what interference shows up as. It seems like it starts working as it should a bit quicker now but you think these issues are quite normal?


Thanks for the help : )

 

[EarlyMon]

I downloaded tricorder but I'm not sure what interference shows up as. It seems like it starts working as it should a bit quicker now but you think these issues are quite normal?

It's normal for the phone to require magnetic calibrations - for whatever reason I can't explain, the more I've done this over time, the less it's seemed to be out of whack as I go along.

It's normal for Google Sky to be a little idiosyncratic - seems like they've updated it frequently, so maybe I've become accustomed to the kinks getting ironed out.

Shaking or any other application of horsepower for the phone to know it's being repositioned for Sky to work - not normal at all.

Thanks for the help : )

Absolutely - we're all this together and us skygazers gotta stick together!

(SkyQuest XT10 with full sets of plossl and lanthanum eyepieces)