Hep! My GARMIN Gpsmap 62s can't lock into new location. Again

[my62s]

I have a GARMIN GPSmap 62s unit, currently with firmware revision 3.50, with a retail version "CN North America NT 210.10 ALL" map on a SD card.

 

I am in Toronto, Canada area.

 

Some time last year I took this GPS unit to Stockholm, Sweden while on travel, loaded the unit with a retail version CN Europe NT 2010 something on a SD card, but tried many times in/around Stockholm, the unit just could not lock into current position where I was in Stockholm. Instead it only showed my last position where I used the GPS unit back at home (and I did ask for help here on this board at the time, I think).

 

Fast forward. Now I just came to Providence, Rhode Island, USA, again on a business trip for some on-site work for more than 2 weeks. So I brought this GPS unit with me hoping I could use it while I am here driving a rental car and searching for some bodies of water (lakes, rivers, ...) for some fishing early in the morning or during weekends.

 

Again now I have the same problem!!! This GPS unit now is loaded with the same retail version "CN North America NT 210.10 ALL" on the SD card. Right now each time I turn on the unit, it shows my previous location (that is,in front of my home in Toronto) with a triangle and with a red question mark, searching for satellite signal in an attempt to lock into my current location in Rhode Island, but could not find the current position? Did a "RESET ALL" to the unit, but it made no difference. Waited for it to search for like half an hour to no avail. And after searching for a while (like say 5 minutes) it will show something like "can't find satellite signal".

 

This below pic shows what this GPS unit is doing all the time now. Anyone could offer some idea why the unit can not lock into and show my current location? Thanks in advance.

 

Edited November 29, 2011 by my62s

[+mpilchfamily]

When you travel a good distance the unit needs time a good bit of time to get a lock. Its gotta download the updated atlas for the area so it know what sats it have available to it. This also happens if the unit has been off for a long period of time. You need to let the unit sit outside with a clear view of the sky for a good 30 minutes or more to get the lock.

[+splashy]

It needs a CLEAR and WIDE view of the sky WITHOUT ANYTHING between the Gps and the sats and out of reach from radar (airport) and other transmitting stations.

If you didn't use it for a long time (at home) it is completely disorientated and it might indeed take some time to have a lock.

 

Putting it on a windshield and start driving will not work in this case, because the variables from not only the sats, but also the location and speed will continually change.

 

.

Edited November 29, 2011 by splashy

[xyzee]

On a 60, one can select the Sat Page>Menu>New Location>Use Map and then pan around the world close to their present location, hit Entr. With a fairly recent almanac, and the unit showing the right date, and close to the correct time, the above will help it find the Sats, that are overhead, faster.

I wonder if the 62 has something like this. I don't remember from the one, that I had for a short time, last year.

Amen on being out in the open! Open, as being mid field on the 50 yard line, before the stands or other buildings were built. And above head level, so not even a cap brim is blocking the weak signal from the Sats.

I usually give my GPS receivers 20 minutes out in the open, before using them, on adaily basis, but after a reset one needs to let the unit sit out in the open for at least 20 min after it has made contact with, and has a good lock on the Sats, in order for it to download a current almanac into the unit.

[+luvvinbird]

As suggested, allow your 62s to take as much time as it needs to lock onto a signal. Keep it outside and motionless. You may be prompted to retry to get a signal. If so, retry. Apparently, it will launch itself into "hyperdrive" to try even harder to locate your position.

[my62s]

Thanks everyone for the replies and for the info. Sounds like I need to find an open space outside and let the unit keep trying until it locks onto a signal.

 

PS: I had been using the unit all the time on daily basis back at home until yesterday afternoon when I flew here in Rhode Island.

Edited November 30, 2011 by my62s

[+chuck4564]

I would second the advice of xyzee, from the satellite page, menu, new location, use map, while outside with a clear view of the sky.

 

One time my 60CSx software got corrupted and it would hang on the Acquiring Satellites stage. It wouldn't show any satellites being acquired. For the 60CSx to confirm software one can hold the enter key and power at startup. If the software has been corrupted the software version will show 0.00.

 

Good luck.