Magnetometer blues.

Ray Andrews · Jul 21, 2021

Actually a Tab 7a but I didn't see that in the list.

So, I bought this tablet specifically to use with the SkEye app to help orient my telescope. Alas, it has north 15 or 20 degrees off true. I've done the 'calibration' dance in every variation with no luck. There's nothing wrong with the magnetic field here, my good ol' Silva compass works fine. Android (I'm told) considers my declination here to be about 15E and it's more like 17E but that's a minor problem because the app acts like it's 20W. Not SkEye's fault tho because compass apps are equally wrong. (Mind, some compass apps jitter badly but others are steady.) I suspect this is really a hardware error, *but* I know that Android can be persuaded to correct for various errors. How can I force the tablet to accept 17E as my declination rather than 20W?

ocnbrze · Jul 21, 2021

Ray Andrews said:
Actually a Tab 7a but I didn't see that in the list.

So, I bought this tablet specifically to use with the SkEye app to help orient my telescope. Alas, it has north 15 or 20 degrees off true. I've done the 'calibration' dance in every variation with no luck. There's nothing wrong with the magnetic field here, my good ol' Silva compass works fine. Android (I'm told) considers my declination here to be about 15E and it's more like 17E but that's a minor problem because the app acts like it's 20W. Not SkEye's fault tho because compass apps are equally wrong. (Mind, some compass apps jitter badly but others are steady.) I suspect this is really a hardware error, *but* I know that Android can be persuaded to correct for various errors. How can I force the tablet to accept 17E as my declination rather than 20W?

that would be up to the app you are using. there is no android setting for this. you might want to contact the developer and see if they have a way to manually adjust the calibration to account for the needed adjustments.

puppykickr · Jul 21, 2021

Try this:

https://gauss-meter.en.uptodown.com/android

Not just a compass, but can also tell if something near the device is affecting it.

Not sure if the newest version has ads or not, if so just get an older version from the same link.

Unforgiven · Jul 21, 2021

Another thought is to use a GPS based compass. I'm not sure of the specs on your tablet if it is equipped with GPS, however.

Ray Andrews · Jul 22, 2021

puppykickr said:
Try this:

https://gauss-meter.en.uptodown.com/android

Not just a compass, but can also tell if something near the device is affecting it.

Not sure if the newest version has ads or not, if so just get an older version from the same link.

Thanks. Funny, I couldn't find that exact one on Playstore, but there seem to be a dozen apps that do about the same job. I'll play with them. Anyway too bad I have no way of fixing an entirely broken compass. You'd think someone would let me make a correction.

Ray Andrews · Jul 22, 2021

Unforgiven said:
Another thought is to use a GPS based compass. I'm not sure of the specs on your tablet if it is equipped with GPS, however.

Think is that I don't really need a compass, I need some way of correcting SkEye so that my telescope points correctly.

puppykickr · Jul 22, 2021

Are you sure that whatever you are using is wrong?

There is a difference between true North and magnetic North.

And why bother with the PlayStore?
The link I posted is legitimate.

I avoid the Play Store like the plague.

I don't know why that one particular one is not showing up in the Play Store anymore, I know that it used to, and the other apps from the same developers are still there.

Ray Andrews · Jul 22, 2021

puppykickr said:
There is a difference between true North and magnetic North.

I'm an astronomer and quite aware of declination. Thanks for mentioning it tho.

"I avoid the Play Store like the plague."

Live and learn, I've presumed that anything you can get is available there.

BTW, just compared two iphones and they both give correct readings, so this looks like a hardware issue.

Magnetometer blues.

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