Thread: Heading sensor

If Trolling motor is in the stowed position and you were trying to navigate to a waypoint slowly you will not have a heading line only course over ground. The Heading sensor for the trolling motor would only work if it is in the water. Also, if you have a external heading sensor GPS antenna you will have to turn off the terrova in order to have heading and course over ground from your external GPS. I have dealt with the same issue since purchasing mine. The heading sensor on the trolling motor works great if you are trying to cast to a waypoint

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The heading sensor helps the Terrova in spotlock, spotlock jog and the advanced Autopilot

Originally Posted by johnboy1

Why would you need a heading sensor if you have a Terrova trolling motor?


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Are you asking you about needing an extra heading sensor or referring to The Heading sensor that comes with the trolling motor? The response I gave earlier is a situation that I have came across with the I pilot link with a stand-alone I pilot I think the results would be different

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That unit that comes with a Spot Lock motor is not a heading sensor. It is a compass. It is required to use the jog feature on those motors…it in no way helps with Spot Lock. A stand alone heading sensor will always show the direction of the boat even sitting still. On Humminbird sonars unless the boat is traveling I think at or over .5 mph you will get a circle. If above .5 mph you get a a boat icon pointing in the direction you are headed. A stand alone heading sensor will give you a direction indicator all the time.

Regards


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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

That unit that comes with a Spot Lock motor is not a heading sensor. It is a compass. It is required to use the jog feature on those motors…it in no way helps with Spot Lock. A stand alone heading sensor will always show the direction of the boat even sitting still. On Humminbird sonars unless the boat is traveling I think at or over .5 mph you will get a circle. If above .5 mph you get a a boat icon pointing in the direction you are headed. A stand alone heading sensor will give you a direction indicator all the time.

Regards


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My terrova has the heading sensor that came with the unit and it does work with the spot lock feature and Jog. It is also a compass it uses as well. When I'm at the bow I have boat heading and also shows where the trolling motor is pointing on my map. When I am in motion I also get course over ground so I have a total of three lines on my unit. Given mind I also have link so I'm sure things may be different with trolling motors without that feature. I have tested the compass by putting a magnet around the heading sensor when spot locked and it will cause the trolling motor to do all sorts of crazy things. I also have an external GPS heading sensor over my transducer at the stern. The only way I can use the external GPS for heading is to have my terrova powered off otherwise you lose the heading line unless the trolling motor is placed in the water although you maintain course over ground as long as you're moving with outboard power. With the link system it does not matter which GPS Source you have selected, the terrova always takes priority as long as it's powered on. I may have gotten completely off topic but just stating what I have noticed with mine

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Thanks to everyone, all helped me better understand the sensor.


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Originally Posted by huntersdad

My terrova has the heading sensor that came with the unit and it does work with the spot lock feature and Jog. It is also a compass it uses as well. When I'm at the bow I have boat heading and also shows where the trolling motor is pointing on my map. When I am in motion I also get course over ground so I have a total of three lines on my unit. Given mind I also have link so I'm sure things may be different with trolling motors without that feature. I have tested the compass by putting a magnet around the heading sensor when spot locked and it will cause the trolling motor to do all sorts of crazy things. I also have an external GPS heading sensor over my transducer at the stern. The only way I can use the external GPS for heading is to have my terrova powered off otherwise you lose the heading line unless the trolling motor is placed in the water although you maintain course over ground as long as you're moving with outboard power. With the link system it does not matter which GPS Source you have selected, the terrova always takes priority as long as it's powered on. I may have gotten completely off topic but just stating what I have noticed with mine

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I don’t have an Link system. I have seen it discussed many times about the sensor that comes with the trolling motors. Many think it helps with Spot Lock. According to Minn Kota it does not. My experience is it makes no difference on Spot Lock. I have used it with and without on my motor. My Spot Lock is as solid as a rock…..with or without the sensor. But without the sensor there is no jog feature.

Regards


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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

I don’t have an Link system. I have seen it discussed many times about the sensor that comes with the trolling motors. Many think it helps with Spot Lock. According to Minn Kota it does not. My experience is it makes no difference on Spot Lock. I have used it with and without on my motor. My Spot Lock is as solid as a rock…..with or without the sensor. But without the sensor there is no jog feature.

Regards


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You are correct, I had to talk to MinnKota myself regarding interference issues I was having. A test is to disconnect the heading sensor and see if the problem still exists. You only need the heading sensor for the jog feature. The sensor helps tell the trolling motor where it's going because it needs to know where it's at.

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