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GPS Heading and Heading on a Garmin® Marine Device

GPS Heading and Heading in the Garmin® Marine Databar options are two different options that provide different information. GPS Heading supplies COG (course over ground). COG is the actual direction of the vessel's progress between two points on the surface of the earth. COG data is gathered and calculated from the GPS antenna. The data is affected by outside factors such as tides, currents, speed of the vessel, and wind. If the antenna is not working, the vessel is moving too slowly or is at anchor GPS Heading displayed on the chartplotter may not be correct or missing. With the wrong settings and GPS Heading selected, users notice that the map spins when going at slow speeds, or when they compare their magnetic compass to the GPS Heading listed on the Garmin Marine Chartplotter, readings do not match.  


The GPS antenna does not supply heading data. Heading information comes from a magnetic heading sensor that displays the direction of the bow of the vessel at all times. If accurate heading information is required, install a heading sensor. Garmin Marine Autopilots have a 9-axis heading sensor built-in to the system. Chartplotter data fields can display this information if set correctly to Heading rather than GPS Heading. If there is no autopilot on the boat, a separate heading sensor can be purchased and installed on the boat. 


On a Garmin Marine Touch screen device from within the Navigation chart press and hold one of the data bars to change. For the Heading field, press Navigation > Heading. For GPS Heading, press GPS > GPS Heading (COG) 


For non-touch screen devices from within the Navigation chart, press the Menu button > Edit Overlays > Edit Layout use the arrow button to move the cursor to the desired data bar to edit, the data field highlights when editable. Press the select button, choose Navigation for Heading or GPS for GPS Heading (COG).

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