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I tried to go back to the truck today and found my compass would stick. It would try to go the right way and then put north up again which was 180 out. I tried to calibrate with no help. The only way I got back was to watch the distance to the waypoint it would work. I also find it often shows the dogs in the wrong direction but the distance to the dogs seems ok. I have updated software so I dont think this is an issue.

Not to hijack your thread. How do you update the software ?

Go to Garmin look for Alpha updates and plug into the computer and follow directions

I have the same troubles with my 220... makes me a little leery of ugrading to the 320.

Do you have the tracking direction from track up? That's what I typically run my 220 as.

Changing the map orientation to map up or track up has nothing to do with the operation of the Alpha compass. i would have to check it again on the 220 and 320. It has been some time since checking that. Yes it does change things when on the map screen since the map changes direction. But just like when the unit is set to north up. The unit only will show you the direction of your travel, or are facing with the arrow in the middle. It does add an indicator at the top of the screen to show the direction of north.

Aside from this. The compass screen works independently. I have been trying to duplicate your issues. Since this is now the second thread I have seen on it. Personally I never use the compass screen. Can follow things very well on just the map screen. Have not had or seen any issues with the pointer on the map screen. Now on the compass screen. When I first started to try to duplicate the issue. My compass was a bit flaky. That is it would bounce around a bit more. Dont know if I have ever calibrated the compass on this unit. So I did just that. That took care of the flaky issue right away.

So at this point I have not been able to duplicate the issue. So bear with me just a bit while I ask some stupid questions. First does every know that the direction you are facing on the compass screen is shown on the top side or antenna side of the unit. Arrows are only for dogs.

is there anything you can think of that you are doing at the time the compass does not show correctly? Are you carrying the unit or getting the unit close to a magnetic source at any time? This will jack it up real quick. In my tests it will mimic the polarity of the magnet at the time. Once it has been exposed to a magnet. It will need to be calibrated again.

I will keep trying to duplicate the issue. But so far there is nothing other than a magnet allowing me to even come close to duplicating your issue.

Several years ago did have an issue with a 220 compass. Standing next to my partner in the woods. I calibrated it, and handed it back. Right away he looked at it and it was goofy again. Did this twice with same results. I then looked him over, and it became real clear. He was wearing a pair of finger mittens. With magnets to hold the mitten top back while using just the fingers. A change of gloves fixed that quick. Has since learned to use just the map screen.

I have now messed with every setting that could possibly make a difference at all. Position setups. Magnetic vs true north, and so on. Nothing I do with the unit makes a difference. Maybe there is something in the areas you are hunting. Some places have large deposits of iron. This will mess up any compass out there.

I will continue to try to figure out the problem. But will need your help to figure it out. Please try some of the things I have mentioned. Especially looking for magnetic sources.

The map screen was as backward s the compass. I did know which direction North was and both the map screen and compass were backwards. It just seemed the unit was hung up and would try to work but the compass would swing back to North no matter which way I held it. I did have it set to track up.

I called Garmin and they recomended resetting the unit. You push the top left corner when turning it on and everthing gets reset. You have to add in your collars again and lose all data stored. I did this and it still did not work until I calibrated the compass. It seems to work at the house now but the real test is yet to come. Usually I dont mess with the compass to find the truck, I normally have a good idea where it is. The problem is after dark and temps are dropping I dont want to do any more walking than I have to.

The guy I talked to at Garmin said the Alpha has been pretty much bullet proof so far. He was very helpful in answering all questions so I am happy with the support so far. I will be taking a backup now since I have no trust in this unit.

I forgot to mention no magnets. I was carring it in a chest pocket in my coat with the antennae outside the coat. It might have been in close proximity of a chew can lid that is metal.

Tried to use it again this weekend. First time out the truck worked perfect, 0nly one collar being used the others turned off. Second time several hours later, compass would not work but maps did. Collar would not link up even though I tried turning both the collar and the handheld off several times. Tried to recalibrate compass that did not work. I had collar in one hand and reciever in the other and it showed dog 9 miles away. As I walked toward truck the dog showed getting close.r even though the truck was only a couple hundred yards away the receiver thought the truck was the dog showing it getting closer, it still thought it was close to 9 miles though. Drove 500 miles back home turned on collar and receiver and it seems to work.
The collar never showed gps stength or battery on the handheld when I was having problems. Cant figure why it wouldnt hook up after several attempts? I tried toning the collar and of course that didnt work.
I am starting to think that I should have went with the astro and an older tritronics collar. The Alpha is a good idea, but at best its an undependable piece of JUNK.
I would try to send it in but I took off work for a few weeks to hunt, and a piece of junk is better than nothing.
If Garmin was a good outfit they would send me one overnight express while I sent the other one in but I highly doubt that will happen.

I agree. The alpha is junk. The compass doesn't work and range way shorter than on the older system. Should have stuck with the dc30's.