ChicagoCanineCrew

I have been having almost the same problem! I got a Magellan GPS 3000 for Christmas (old, no warranty info etc) and have not been able to get a lock since... Tried most of what you did except for downloading software because I don't know where to find that or how to put it on the gps... I tried outside my house, in an open park, in a parking lot, (upright) etc... For varying amounts of time. I did get it to find 3 satellites (3 bars) in the parking lot but it still did not get a lock and when I looked at the sat status screen it only showed 'numbers' for one satellite, the others shows were all ' * ' (no signal.) I am wondering if I DO get it to get a lock finally, is it going to be this difficult every time I am search for a cache?

Sorry to reply to this so late but I had a related question-- How small does a cache have to be to be considered a micro? Would a container the size of an 8 or 9 oz bottle (big enough for small items) be considered a micro cache?

Make friends with someone who is technologically-oriented and has other technologically-oriented friends, and ask them if they know of any GPSr's lying around that someone is not using or someone who is buying a new one and would be willing to get rid of their old one. That's pretty much how I got mine (well it was actually a gift but it's an old un-needed model). And my digital camera. And my laptop. And my computer chair. Except it was all through my brother and not a friend... It pays to know people who know people/companies who throw out their old computer stuff! Edited to add: I forgot one-- that's also how I got my Blackberry

Hey all, Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who replied here! Even though I wasn't the one asking this was VERY helpful to me, especially since I have a Magellan I am going to go out and try to get a lock on mine now. Thanks! (crossing fingers)

Is it just me or are other people reading these to the tune of "Turkey in the Straw"? (Do your ears hang low, etc...)

I think this is a case where having a dog with you could come in handy Assuming it's a 'dogs-allowed' area of course. I've found that no one pays attention to you/what you're doing if you've got a dog with you, unless they want to ask about the dog. People with dogs are just somehow less suspicious! Example, there's a suburb near my house without sidewalks on the sidestreets, and pretty much no one who lives there walks. I go to the area with friends to get ice cream during the summer and we often walk around the neighborhood to eat it. If we have no dog, people look suspiciously at us. If we are walking a dog, they just ignore us. I've also found this it true with police officers-- they tend to be less suspicious of people with dogs... I remember when I was young enough to be under city curfew laws a friend and I used to walk around way past curfew a lot. We always had our dogs with us though, and none of the police passing ever bugged us, except once or twice to wave and smile at the dogs! Aside from simply walking WITH a dog, having one can also be useful in that if someone catches you searching for a cache you have more things to make up such as you're looking for your dog's lost tennis ball