Author Topic: OS Maps and direction indicator  (Read 12126 times)

Greytop

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OS Maps and direction indicator
« on: 18:28:24, 12/08/20 »
I have recently purchased the OS maps subscription and overall I am quite happy with it.
However I find one thing annoying, when following a route my triangle on the route continually points north, rather than the direction I am travelling in.
I have tried everything and cannot seem to resolve this.
Any ideas anyone?

WhitstableDave

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #1 on: 19:04:15, 12/08/20 »
Interesting question...

I have OS Maps on my phone, although I rarely use the app because I have a SatMap 20.

Using my phone, I've tried going offline and switching off Location, but I can't reproduce your problem.

However, like most modern phones, my phone has a compass sensor. Could it be that you have an older phone without one?.. and that the OS app needs one?
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GnP

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #2 on: 19:21:11, 12/08/20 »
I think it depends on your phone and it isn`t just down to the OS app alone .It depends on what type of sensors your phone has.

I had a phone that could only show my position on the map and the cursor always pointed north which used to frustrate me . Then I bought a CAT phone and the cursor pointed in my direction of travel , which was nice .
I think it is the magnetometer sensor that allows the cursor to show direction of travel , I but could be wrong
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sussamb

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #3 on: 19:28:28, 12/08/20 »
Definitely the phone and not the app  O0
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Greytop

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #4 on: 20:25:45, 12/08/20 »
Thank you for your replies much food for thought, although my phone is relatively new it is a Huawei and I have just read that it doesn't have a compass for some reason, or more to the point a magnetic sensor.
I will try downloading a compass app and see if that will help, though without a magnetic sensor I doubt it.
If not I will just have to put up with it I guess.
« Last Edit: 20:42:54, 12/08/20 by Greytop »

fatmanwalking

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #5 on: 23:40:40, 12/08/20 »
Funnily enough I met someone out walking last week who didn't have compass either. He had a new phone too.


GoneWest

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #6 on: 07:30:14, 13/08/20 »
Funnily enough I met someone out walking last week who didn't have compass either. He had a new phone too.

It's fairly simple: expensive phones have compasses; cheap ones don't. People who have subscriptions (as opposed to PAYG) are more likely to have expensive phones, as part of the deal, and possibly take such features a bit for granted.  ;)

fernman

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #7 on: 09:05:21, 13/08/20 »
I have just read that it doesn't have a compass for some reason, or more to the point a magnetic sensor.
I will try downloading a compass app and see if that will help, though without a magnetic sensor I doubt it.

I'm pretty sure you'll find that a compass app won't work either, as your phone is not compass enabled. That is the case with my phone. It'll probably warn you when you install one.

BuzyG

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #8 on: 13:24:22, 13/08/20 »
Same as most of the above posts.  The arrow on OSApp screen, on my phone, points in the direction I am walking. I use a mag compass all of the time anyway though.  I find it much quicker a easier to read than the phone app will ever be.


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gunwharfman

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #9 on: 13:43:47, 13/08/20 »
I've always assumed its the app that matters? For example, I use the Backcountry app with its built-in OS maps and when I tap my location button to find the direction that I want to go it's always easy. I tap the location button and the arrow on-screen shows me the North, I tap it again and it shows me a 360-degree and if I tap it again it shows me another view. I tend to be only interested in my way ahead. There is also a small compass at the bottom of the screen and if I want to I can have a full-screen compass as well. So easy for me, I have no real idea how to use a map I just follow the arrow!

I use another app when in Europe.

WhitstableDave

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #10 on: 16:25:27, 13/08/20 »
I've always assumed its the app that matters?...

The app reads the output from a piece of hardware called a magnetometer, which is in one of the chips in the phone. Combined with outputs from other physical sensors, the app can do the necessary calculations to display a compass direction (or rotate the map). So basically, the phone needs an actual compass to know which way it's pointing.
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gunwharfman

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #11 on: 16:31:53, 13/08/20 »
So it needs an app, right?  :)

gunwharfman

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #12 on: 16:32:58, 13/08/20 »
Is this subject a recognition that some apps are better than others?

WhitstableDave

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #13 on: 16:37:38, 13/08/20 »
So it needs an app, right?  :)

An application will be needed to display the results (e.g. a compass direction), but it can only do that if the phone has a physical 'compass' built in in the first place.

So you're correct that the app matters, but not that it's the app that matters. Both components matter! ;)
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WhitstableDave

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Re: OS Maps and direction indicator
« Reply #14 on: 16:38:14, 13/08/20 »
Is this subject a recognition that some apps are better than others?

At doing what?..
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