Inverted compass rotation on my digital watch - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 12:41:45 am
content: Hi, recently I bought a spovan elementum 2 digital watch that has a digital compass function.The compass actually detects the north perfectly, but, when you start rotating the compass, the arrow that points north compensates the rotation of the compass in the wrong direction, so it doesn't points the north any more. What do you think it's causing this issue, is there any way to fix it?

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 12:47:17 am
content: I opened the watch, but the main chip has a black blop in it, and I don't see any kind of sensors besides what I think is the barometer, if you need photos of the PCB just tell me and I would disassembly it again.

author: TheMG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 01:21:13 am
content: Nothing wrong with it. Your compass has a reversed compass rose, the watch does not. Maybe there's a setting to change it, maybe not, but the watch is definitely not faulty.That is because the way your magnetic compass is designed to be used, you're supposed to point it with the red line in the direction where you are "sighting", and then read the bearing off the compass rose at the red line. This differs from a different style of magnetic compass that has a non-moving rose and just a pointer that moves instead.

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 01:29:47 am
content: What's a reciprocal bearing? It's normal that the compass doest point north all the time ?

author: TheMG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 01:34:19 am
content: Sorry, wasn't quick enough updating my post. I have more information now, read it again.It's just the way your magnetic compass is designed to be used, vs the watch. The watch doesn't "point north", it tells you the heading/bearing where the watch is pointing.

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 01:58:20 am
content: I don't really know what do you mean, I mean, I think it's wrong because how the compass moves, the 3 dots are suppose to be pointing north all the time, that's what's is on the manual, but it changes the direction the wrong way, I mean, when you rotate the watch clock wise, the compass should rotate anti clock wise to continue pointing with the 3 dots to the north, but instead it rotate in the same direction, so if you turn 90°, the compass rotates another 90° in the same direction inverting the measurements of West and East.

author: fzabkar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 02:31:43 am
content: See page 53:http://forum.watch.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=612263&d=1389983611

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 02:38:04 am
content: Its not the same model, and no the save compass, but, if you read page 51 you will see it says the 3 dots always points to the magnetic north, but as you can see in the photos, mine doest points the north correctly, showing the wrong direction on the top and the middle of the display.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 02:59:13 am
content: looks fine to me, the 3 dots are showing the direction the N symbol on the watch is pointing

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 03:06:19 am
content: Nop, as you can see in this photo, the 3 dots are on the W, and the watch says that the direction I'm pointing is West, when in reality is East.I would like to send a video, but is too large.

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 10:49:50 pm
content: Looks wrong to me...If you hold it above your head and look up at it is the bearing correct?

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2020, 10:53:16 pm
content: I tried, and no, it seem that to get the correct mesurment you have to do 360 - the degrees that you read, and change the W for a E and vice versa.

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2020, 10:02:04 am
content: If everything is in the COB and there are no "software" settings I don't see what can be done with it.Any chance it may be a cheap clone?

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2020, 12:40:08 pm
content: It could be a clone yes, but only like 10€ less than the original, besides that, intrigued about what could it be and if I'm able to change it by hardware.

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2020, 06:41:37 pm
content: There is a setting for True Course or North Up. In North Upthe three arrows stay at North and you read the digital heading(not very useful) in True Course the three arrows indicate the directionthat the fixed 'N' on the bezel is pointing and in addition you getthe digital reading, two indications of the direction you are facing(very useful). The translation in the manual is probably bogus!!!Here's the big question, if you are trying to follow a map whichis aligned to true north and your compass reads magnetic northwhat is your local 'Magnetic Variation'. Where I live it is 10deg.

author: Jorge_dPO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2020, 07:43:04 pm
content: I don't know if I have that setting