2 sleuths

TopherAC, I sure wished I had the name of the rep you spoke with - I wonder if he would trade units with me? This next week I'm heading out on vacation, was planning on hiking and caching. If nobody hears from me after next week I'll be wandering around the UP trying to figure out where I really am verses where the Vista HCX thinks I am - jk. As you all know there are reports of the same issues in the Colorado and Rhino Series as well, all apparently with this new high sensitivity chip set and the latest chipset software (with a few exceptions of people who have both and everything seems AOK). Its unlikely the manufacture would not know about this issue by now. Its also likely that if they do know about it, it maybe difficult for them to admit it until a fix is available. After next week I will offer my unit back to Garmin if they would like to see it. I am just hoping they have something to offer back if not then - soon.....

This sure is frustrating..........

Welp, laid down a couple more tracks with the HCX 2.6/2.6 over the weekend. It seems I experience two different types of position error events. I guess similiar to others reports. In the first, which I have described before, the GPS slowly drifts off actual position (over many points within the track) - in this case .2 miles and then slowly drifted back. This was over a 10-20 minute period. In the second, I had what I believe is a large multipath event that the GPS never really recovers from. In this case over one point to the next point in my track GPS jumps about .2 miles then actually follows my path but skewed from actual position, over an hour with no correction. Now I don't believe the GPS continuously had multipath for over an hour, but I do know it couldnt did'nt correct itself. Never once has GPS lost sat signal (little red warning screen with beep), typically have 7-10 sats with decent reception. Waas on, lite off, compass on I have talked with Garmin, they say my problem sounds like multipath, and this can occur with high sensitive receivers. I am hoping they find whats really happening soon and can fix with software, multipath - or whatever it might be. I guess in the meantime all I can do is - when I really want to know where I am, keep my finger near the on/off button of the HCX - or my 60cs, and 3 sats.......

How were you carrying the GPS? Besides trees, and mountains/valleys, your body can block satellite signals…maybe enough to affect accuracy for part of the hike. I was indeed carrying in my coat pocket, can't say for fact my body didnt effect the signal, but I do know everytime I pulled GPS out of pocket it had excellent signal, it does take several seconds to look, maybe enough time to aquire more satelites. I've also walked the same path, same coat, since several times with no issues. It does seem like you can put this HCx anyplace and it obtains decent reception.

I have had my Vista HCx since December and have upgraded unit and chipset software several times to present version of 2.6 / 2.6. While most times my Vista HCx seems to work perfectly with wonderful satelite reception and great accuracy I seem to be seeing the same symptoms described intermittently. This past weekend I was hiking a nearby loop in a state park. To get to and from the loop I take the same trail which happens to cross a creek via bridge. Upon return I downloaded the track and noticed that my return track was shown 2 tenths of a mile upstream from where my track crossed the bridge originally. It seemed like it drifted off this distance randomly, didnt seem to follow the original path. About 10 or 15 minutes later it drifted back to original accurate track. Everything seems accurate before and after this event. While I didnt happen to look at GPS when it was in this drift mode, throughout the hike I had looked at satelite reception many times, always with at least 9 or 10 sats +-12/20 ft. Not much for leaves on the trees here yet. I really like this Vista with high sensitivity chip set, but I think I'll keep the 60cs in my backpack a bit longer.

test