Greetings all! I have an HP 48 GX calculator that I use daily with an SMI BCE card. I use it daily for foundation footings. I start with one point on the footing and run a traverse from that point with mostly 90 degree angles. Everything used to work out perfectly. But now I noticed that if my traverse has a short distance like say 1.67 feet, the calculator begins to make the angle something like 89.5959 or 90.0001. Once that tiny error begins, it carries on and when I close the final angle it might be 89.5700. Does anyone know how to change a setting so that it is always a perfect 90 degrees regardless of how short the distance is in a traverse? I think I may have hit a button and changed a setting but I don't think so. Any help from you fine folks would be greatly appreciated!!
What version?
I may have a manual.....
Most settings are found using buttons:
CHG
MORE
and
NXT
check setting for
BKAZ back azimuth
CE curvature of earth
CAB compute angle right, usually all set at 0
I am not sure of the version off hand. I just know it is a bce smi card not v6. I keep the calculator at work. I am still having trouble. I was able to run an all 90 degree traverse with no error regardless of hor dist--even if it was 0.01.
You may try a nondestructive reset. Type (alpha key) k k (enter key).
That should reset any stray settings but leave the jobs intact.
That's never happened to me in the years I've used SMI. In the CHG menu there is a DSPLY toggle between 1" and .1" but that shouldn't effect your comps. I would start with fresh batteries in the calc and ram card. After that try the system halt or reset as explained in section 5-16 of the HP manual.
Maybe the program card is corrupt?
Bob