Sigo Kilo 8k and BaseMap

[Randycw]

I recently acquired a Sig Kilo 8k and am learning to make use of its feature set. I am stumped on getting it to properly work with BaseMap! It is very likely some bonehead item I am missing.

When I range a known target (in this case from out of my office window to the local community college gym) the Sig shows 3,088 yards at 4N, while the Remote Marker shown on BaseMap is at 3,560 at 42N -- nowhere near the college gym on the map (indeed there is 0.8 of a mile difference)! I have recalibrated the compasses on both the Kilo and my phone with no real change in the result. I could sure use some troubleshooting help!

 

[Randycw]

Just an update in case anyone else runs into the same, or similar, issue.

Sig's tech support was not very helpful at all. Acted like I was bothering them with the call. Suggested I pull the battery from the Kilo and then re-calibrate the compass, even though the Sig compass and Basemap compass were in agreement. We tried this -- no improvement. Sig then said it would be best to contact Basemap support.

So far Basemap support has been outstanding. They had me try several remote markers and send them bug reports from the app with each attempt. They stayed on the phone the entire time of doing this. They are combing those bug reports now to see what they can sort out. They have contacted me, via email, each of the last 2 days to give me a status update on what they've worked out -- which is not much to report yet, but there does seem to be a bug in the data. They have escalated the issue to the programmers.

I am not even a BaseMap customer -- I am running the free version of their app -- and they are treating me like this! I am very likely to upgrade to their Pro (paid) version for the year and see if I can get the functionality out of it that I have enjoyed with onX.

 

[Snapper314]

Just an update in case anyone else runs into the same, or similar, issue.

Sig's tech support was not very helpful at all. Acted like I was bothering them with the call. Suggested I pull the battery from the Kilo and then re-calibrate the compass, even though the Sig compass and Basemap compass were in agreement. We tried this -- no improvement. Sig then said it would be best to contact Basemap support.

So far Basemap support has been outstanding. They had me try several remote markers and send them bug reports from the app with each attempt. They stayed on the phone the entire time of doing this. They are combing those bug reports now to see what they can sort out. They have contacted me, via email, each of the last 2 days to give me a status update on what they've worked out -- which is not much to report yet, but there does seem to be a bug in the data. They have escalated the issue to the programmers.

I am not even a BaseMap customer -- I am running the free version of their app -- and they are treating me like this! I am very likely to upgrade to their Pro (paid) version for the year and see if I can get the functionality out of it that I have enjoyed with onX.

I have this same combo. Please keep us updated on what they figure out.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Have you considered the issue with some compasses not reading correctly while indoors?

 

[Randycw]

Have you considered the issue with some compasses not reading correctly while indoors?

Excellent question, and from my initial post a reasonable one since I noted it was from out a window. However, both compasses were calibrated outdoors well away from structures, and several trial point with the Basemap support folks were taken outside at least 30 feet from any structure.

 

[Randycw]

Well, I am disappointed to report that Basemap tech support has gone silent on me -- no response in the last 12 days to two follow up emails and a voicemail. So for the time being, there is no solution being offered either from Sig nor Basemap; therefore I'd suggest that the remote marker function advertised by Sig is strictly a gimmick and should not be considered at all in your buying decision! (Fortunately, the remote marker function was not part of my purchase choice.)

 

[Long Range 338]

I was unaware that the integration piece was complete and have been waiting for a firmware update to even attempt to use the Basemap features on my 10k. Did either company confirm that the features are supported in current firmware?

 

[Randycw]

Did either company confirm that the features are supported in current firmware?

Honestly, this is the first I have heard that the current firmware doesn't support the Remote Marker feature, and neither Sig's nor Basemap's tech support suggested a firmware issue; I've spent at least 2 hours on the phone with Basemap trying to correct the issues I am having and sending them bug reports from the app.

So to directly answer your question, no neither company confirmed that the features are support in the current firmware, but they didn't behave like it was a known issue that the current firmware didn't work.

 

[Long Range 338]

Per their website it looks like you have to have the pro upgrade for it to work...

Sig Rangefinder | BaseMap Inc

www.basemap.com

 

[Cynical]

Per their website it looks like you have to have the pro upgrade for it to work...

Sig Rangefinder | BaseMap Inc

www.basemap.com

I have BaseMap Pro and remote markers don’t work for me, using either 10k’s (current FW) or 6k’s.

 

[Long Range 338]

Hmm. Are you using an iPhone or droid?

 

[Dayandnight]

Does this feature work for anyone? My phone compass is busted and they are not in sync with each other.

 

[Randycw]

Per BaseMap tech support -- the Pro version is not needed to have remote marker work.

HOWEVER, BaseMap has gone completely silent on me -- no repsonse to email or phone calls for the last month. Very disappointed in them on this front.

As for the Sig Kilo 8K -- I am still very happy with the purchase and appreciate the way it handles data displayed in the viewfinder, and the speed in which it is displayed. Revic's display feels very 1980s with its display.

 

[Dayandnight]

Any new follow up to this problem?

 

[Randycw]

Any new follow up to this problem?

None. Base Map support has been completely silent with me since November. Sig has also gone silent since December -- all I got in December is that they are aware of the issue and will send a firmware fix soon. I haven't seen any firmware fixes yet, and don't expect one either as I think the error was on Base Map's side of the data processing.

 

[Dayandnight]

Well atleast that’s something! I was wondering if it had anything to do with our phones internal compass. I compared lots of iphones compass and no two were the same. It looks like basemap is synced to iphone compass as well

 

[BigJimFish]

The compass is rangefinders is not very accurate. The one in the phone isn’t either but it supliments it’s magnetic compass with gps readings which greatly helps. Little solid state compass chips just suck. To my understanding the remote point feature in base maps is a pay version feature btw. At least it was when I did the review on the sig 10ks and Leica geovids. There is a little section in those reviews on what to expect from remote point drops. The reviews are on the front page.