Garmin - slow to pickup Satelites

[rev-erend]

Hi

I've got a Garmin 360 (European mapping) and sometimes it takes ages to pick up satelites.. also noticed a buddy had one and he reported the same.

Anyone else have this issue ?

[stemll]

Yes. Which is one reason why I've just sold it and replaced with with a TomTom Go 720. Yesterday, it picked up 10 satellites from my front room!

[casbar]

Have a Garmin 660, never had an issue with it picking up sats

[Roop]

Has it always been like this or degenerated over time...? The newer units have much more sensitive GPS receivers meaning they will hold a lock better, but they also acquire faster.

I had a problem with my old TomTom (PDA based one) where something in the GPS receiver failed meaning it effectively 'cold started' every time I turned it on. A cold start can take up to 10 minutes or more to get an initial position fix.

[rev-erend]

It's the second unit I've had - the first lasted for 3 months and just did a white screen on me and never worked again. They replaced it with a new one - so it's about 2 months old.

[spdpug98]

I thought I was the only one with this problem, I have a Navman 510 which i've had for a few years and the pick up time on it is so slow. It does seem to be getting worse the other day I had driven over 7 miles before it picked up a signal, I usually wait on the drive until it picks up a signal some days it can be alomst instant and other days I get bored of waiting and drive off.

[rev-erend]

I drove 7 miles and was virtually at my destination and the sat nat still did not have a signal..

I have to phone the guy and get directions.. now like you I power it up for 10 mins and hope it hads a signal before I leave home.

Think I might call Garmin .. will it be unit no 3 ?

[Denis O]

I had a Becker which would often refuse to pick up satelites although it did get me all the way to Venice last year without a problem. That was the exception to the rule though.

Bought a TT720 and it could pick up satelites in a lead box surrounded by kryptonite so I guess it depends on the quality of the machine.

[Podie]

Cold boot on some of the Garmin's is notoriously slow..

Driving whilst it's trying to establish a fix will only exacerbate the problem too.

Best advice is to turn it on, leave it on a window sill about 5 mins before using it.


ETA - have you got the latest firmware?

Edited by Podie on Friday 7th March 10:33

[DIW35]

No problem picking up satellites on my 360. In fact with it inside the car, which was inside the Eurotunnel train, it was still picking them up. It was only when the train entered the tunnel that it finally lost lock.

[rev-erend]

Podie said:

Cold boot on some of the Garmin's is notoriously slow..

Driving whilst it's trying to establish a fix will only exacerbate the problem too.

Best advice is to turn it on, leave it on a window sill about 5 mins before using it.


ETA - have you got the latest firmware?

Edited by Podie on Friday 7th March 10:33

Yes - started to do this .. start it 5 mins before the journey and never start it and just start to drive.. it just does not work.

Bit rubbish really..