New GPS V - could mine be defective?

[Scabbers]

back on 26 July, I was thrilled when my new Garmin GPS V Deluxe arrived from www.gpscity.com

 

Now, overall it's working fine for both car navigation and geocaching. But i have a few complaints.

 

1) Reception is not the greatest. My basis for comparision is the Magellan GPS Companion for Palm Vx, and I have to say that the Magellan/Palm virtually never lost lock under treecover, and occasionally even works indoors. I have come to expect that the GPS V will temporarily lose lock in heavily wooded areas. Sometimes it will also lose lock when driving down a heavily tree-lined street. Now, I have learned that no handheld GPS unit will lock-on all the time. I've also read many comments here that the GPS V is MUCH better that the e-trex series for example. If that's true, then bsed on my GPS V refrence, the e-Trex would be virtually unuseable in the woods. Are my expectations just too high or what? Do I have to wait for winter for reliable performance ... after all, its just leaves right?

 

2) A couple of times the GPS V display has gone wacky. Specifically, when I move the pointer around on an active street-level map page, sometimes the display shows pixel garbage. If I keep scrolling, it will generally go blank and quickly recover with a normal, refreshed display. I can only describe it as though the display buffer gets overloaded and just gives up and displays digi-trash. Has anyone else seen anything similar?

 

Overall, I can deal with these 2 minor and infrequent problems, but it just seems to me I shouldn't have to with a $420 unit. Honestly, I also don't really want to send it back, because I waited a month to get it and don't want to give it up ... even for 2 weeks.

 

So what do y'all think ... any comments are appreciated.

[TX2CA]

The GPS signals are direct line-of-sight. They are blocked by almost everything except for some plastics, some glass, and the atmosphere. Trees, the metal roof of your car, terrain, buildings, you, and everyone near you will provide some level of signal blockage or reflection. Also, as you change direction, the number of satellites that the GPSr is locked onto will most likely change because of the changed blockage from you, etc. That's just the way GPSr's work in mobile situations.

 

Some GPSr units have better reception and signal discrimination capabilities than others. That's why your GPS-V works better under trees than an Etrex. Generally, when you pay more, you get better equipment.

 

As for the "digi-trash" display you should:

1. Make sure that your GPS-V has the latest firmware loaded. Even though it's new, I'll bet it does not have the latest software loaded, unless you've already updated it yourself.

 

2. Decrease the level of map detail to at most the default levels unless you really need the detail and clutter at the larger zoom scales. The more map detail requested, the more processing by the GPSr is required. Remember the GPS-V is based off the old X86 family of processors. Not all software problems can be attributed to Windows (which, thank God the GPS-V does not use). Even the X86 processors and their associated display processors have their own hardware and firmware quirks.

 

You've got a great GPS. Just learn it's features, as compared to the less expensive models, and you'll really appreciate the bargain you have.

 

Pau

 

TX2CA

Been There, Cached That, Bought the Tee-Shirt and the Hat!

[+Dawgies]

I purchased mine a month ago and I love it!

 

I've never lost a sat lock. I can even maintain one inside my house. Now, WAAS is useless under cover, but that's expected. If you're having that much trouble you need to contact the seller or Garmin and ask for a replacement.

 

The map scroll does the same on mine. It's as if the scroll is faster than the unit can load the map into screen memory. The more detail, the slower the load. It's something I can live with though considering the other features.

 

Good luck!

 

 

~Honest Value Never Fails~

[+Dawgies]

I purchased mine a month ago and I love it!

 

I've never lost a sat lock. I can even maintain one inside my house. Now, WAAS is useless under cover, but that's expected. If you're having that much trouble you need to contact the seller or Garmin and ask for a replacement.

 

The map scroll does the same on mine. It's as if the scroll is faster than the unit can load the map into screen memory. The more detail, the slower the load. It's something I can live with though considering the other features.

 

Good luck!

 

 

~Honest Value Never Fails~

[fig]

Scabbers,

I have had excellent reception with my V, but I don't have a differing unit to compare to, just another V, so I am afraid I am not able to help in that respect.

 

I did have a problem with mine shutting off on my motorcycle, and was told this by Garmin's support: "I would first recommend master resetting your unit, as it sounds like the unit has some corrupt data. This reset will erase all user routes and waypoints. The reset consists of holding the OUT and QUIT buttons down while turning the unit ON. The screen will flash and stay black for 15 seconds and then power on normally." I saved all my waypoints, routes, and reset the unit. Unfortunately, in my case, it didn't solve my shutoff problem. I think it is vibration and the batteries. I am going to try taping the batteries together before I stick them in the unit, or just wiring up a cig. lighter plug so I can run it off the bike's power. But I digress. I would also upgrade to the latest firmware which is 2.07 as of right now, you can find it here. I haven't seen the garbled display problem and have access to two V's so hopefully a reset and software upgrade will solve it for you.

Fig

[+KYtrex]

Sorry about the redundancy. By the time I got finished typing my reply and posted it, the other reply's were already posted. Between all of us, maybe we'll get you going ...KYtrex

 

I own a Garmin V and I will tell you about my experience with it. Maybe this will give you something to compare to.

 

When I use my V while driving in my Jeep Cherokee, it will lose reception sometimes under heavy tree cover. Usually no more than for a minute depending upon the cover. My wife's car has a sunroof(which lets in signals better) and it has never lost reception while driving in it that I can recall, although the car isn't driven along the same routes that I take my Jeep. BTW, my Jeep does not have a sunroof.

 

When using the V in my hand while walking and geocaching, it has only lost reception a couple of times under heavy tree cover. I'm talking block out the sun type trees. It has lost reception a few times while I was walking down gullies with lots of rocks and stuff, but as soon as I came out of the low spots, it picked right back up.

 

As for the pixel problem while scrolling, my V did the same thing also with the firmware version 2.05. Mine would look like the right side of the display was blotched or something. It says on Garmin's update page that version 2.07 has fixed that problem. I have already upgraded to that version and have not noticed the pixel problem yet. I guess they must have fixed it. I have scrolled around alot both while navigating and 'ready to navigate'. No problem yet.

 

Here is the link to upgrade to version 2.07 if you haven't already done so. You might want to try it.-----Version 2.07 update

 

I hope this helps.

 

KYtrex

-----------------

A "Buckeye" is just a "Hillbilly" that ran out of money on the way to Michigan

[+KYtrex]

Sorry about the redundancy. By the time I got finished typing my reply and posted it, the other reply's were already posted. Between all of us, maybe we'll get you going ...KYtrex

 

I own a Garmin V and I will tell you about my experience with it. Maybe this will give you something to compare to.

 

When I use my V while driving in my Jeep Cherokee, it will lose reception sometimes under heavy tree cover. Usually no more than for a minute depending upon the cover. My wife's car has a sunroof(which lets in signals better) and it has never lost reception while driving in it that I can recall, although the car isn't driven along the same routes that I take my Jeep. BTW, my Jeep does not have a sunroof.

 

When using the V in my hand while walking and geocaching, it has only lost reception a couple of times under heavy tree cover. I'm talking block out the sun type trees. It has lost reception a few times while I was walking down gullies with lots of rocks and stuff, but as soon as I came out of the low spots, it picked right back up.

 

As for the pixel problem while scrolling, my V did the same thing also with the firmware version 2.05. Mine would look like the right side of the display was blotched or something. It says on Garmin's update page that version 2.07 has fixed that problem. I have already upgraded to that version and have not noticed the pixel problem yet. I guess they must have fixed it. I have scrolled around alot both while navigating and 'ready to navigate'. No problem yet.

 

Here is the link to upgrade to version 2.07 if you haven't already done so. You might want to try it.-----Version 2.07 update

 

I hope this helps.

 

KYtrex

-----------------

A "Buckeye" is just a "Hillbilly" that ran out of money on the way to Michigan

[+Lil Devil]

I have a GPS V and I recently noticed a difference when using Battery Saver mode. According to the manual, 'Battery Saver reduces the rate of satellite signal sampling and is best for constant speed, straight-line travel.'

 

So it makes sense, that when the signal is sporadic, as it would be under tree cover, that you would NOT want to reduce the rate of sampling. I tried both modes yesterday while out caching, and I did find that it got lost much less often when in Normal mode. It also seemed to place me closer to the cache

 

Your mileage may vary.

 

Lil Devil

[+Lil Devil]

I have a GPS V and I recently noticed a difference when using Battery Saver mode. According to the manual, 'Battery Saver reduces the rate of satellite signal sampling and is best for constant speed, straight-line travel.'

 

So it makes sense, that when the signal is sporadic, as it would be under tree cover, that you would NOT want to reduce the rate of sampling. I tried both modes yesterday while out caching, and I did find that it got lost much less often when in Normal mode. It also seemed to place me closer to the cache

 

Your mileage may vary.

 

Lil Devil

[+Night Stalker]

I have a Sportrak and my brother-in-law has a GPS V. The V loses reception in heavily wooded areas sooner than my Sportrak, but in heavy enough wooded areas both of us lose our connection eventually. The thing I like about the GPS V is that it gives you a warning when you lose connection while my Sportrak only gives you an hour glass on the map screen to let you know when you have lost connection.

 

Lost? Keep Going. You're making good time anyway!!

[+Chris n Maria]

My GPSV was suffering the same problem and I reported it to Garmin who provided me with a beta version of 2.06 which seemed to deal with the problem. I assume whatever the fix is it is dealt with by 2.07 as well.

 

Chris

"We're not lost - we just don't know where we are"

London & UK Geocaching Resources: http://www.sheps.clara.net

[stevesim]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Night Stalker:

Snip...

The thing I like about the GPS V is that it gives you a warning when you lose connection while my Sportrak only gives you an hour glass on the map screen to let you know when you have lost connection.

---

 

The SporTrak has an optional Fix Alarm, but you have to turn it on (default is off).

 

From any screen press: [Menu], scroll to "Alarms/Msg", press [Enter], scroll to GPS Fix Alarm, press [Enter] to enable.

 

See page 58 of the SporTrak manual (Alarms) for more information.

 

Steve Simpkin

[+ZachNLiam]

All of you guys should have used a GPS 45 back in the day (around mid-1994).

 

You would place the GPS outside with as clear a view of the sky as you could. Then you'd go back in the house, wait about 15 MINUTES, then come back out and HOPE it locked on at least 3 satellites. No joke.

 

ALL the new gps units are great, if you've experienced the "old skool" daze.

 

The first time I showed my father-in-law (who still has a 45) my 9-year-old son's yellow eTrex, he just about fell over. It locked in about 10 seconds....

[+Renegade Knight]

Having used a GPS V for a bit in heavily wooded areas I've learned a couple of things about 'how to use it'.

 

First off all the GPS V tells you that you have lost lock. Other GPS's don't alwasy do this and so you think you have a lock when you really have 'crap'. The other is that the direction of the antanea matters. I've learned that keeping the antanea vertical helps a lot in woods. While I still can lose lock, I loose it a lot less often than I used too. Anytime I hold it down by my waist my body blocks enough signal to lose lock. Holding it up higher helps keep your body from blocking satalites also.

 

As for your pixel gargabe...Hopefully the 2.07 update will take care of it.

 

Good luck.

[Scabbers]

Thanks so much to everyone who replied. This has been a big help. Based on some of the comments here, I don't think there is anything defective about my unit. I've downloaded the 2.07 firmware and will load it into my unit in a day or so. I'm convinced this will correct the pixel-garbage troubles. I did confirm that this only happens in portrait mode, where left/right scrolling puts bigger demands on the display buffer.

 

Regarding signal loss ... it's not that frequent and mostly happens in the car driving through very heavy woods. I agree with the above comment about keeping the antenna perpendicular to the ground and not letting your body block the signal.

 

The only problem I'm still struggling with is getting MapSource 4.01 to be compeletely unlocked (as it should be from the start with GPS V Deluxe version. I'm sure I'll figure this out once I can grap a full hour or so to work on it.

 

thanks again ... Scott

[calliopy]

You're not kidding about the the deafness of those early Garmins. It was questionable if it would lock on at all even with a clear line of sight from here in So. California. Never had the patience to see if it would lock in a half hour so back it went the same day it arrived. Gave up on GPS after that until I came across a MAP 330 whose reception is short of amazing. Next came the GPS V and my wife and I can't live without it. We use it now for both street navigation and caching and although we haven't experenced a loss of lock while driving, it can't compare with the MAP 330 in heavy cover. Still, if we could only have one GPS, the GPS V would be it.

 

Mike & Gay

 

Beer nuts cost $1.50. Deer nuts are under a buck

[+Gimpy]

One thing you might want to check out. When you lose lock in the car, pull over & set the unit outside of the car & see what kind of reception you get in that area. If you have a newer vehicle, the windshield might be playing a big part in your problem. On my Van, the windshield is one of the newer designs that have some sort of substance impregnated into it to prevent against the rays of the sun. Also, my Vans radio antenna is built into the winshield. This combination makes for terrible satellite lock. Very poor signal strength through all that garbage. What I have to do, when running my V on the dash, is run an external antenna. When I look at my windshield, I can plainly see the interfering material. But in each upper corner, you can tell that the glass is clear. When I position the external antenna up in either corner, I get fantastic satellite lock. May not be the case with you, but just a thought. I regularly get great satellite lock everywhere else. Quite the impressive unit. Can't beat the autorouting feature. Good luck!

 

"Gimpy"

[+Gimpy]

One thing you might want to check out. When you lose lock in the car, pull over & set the unit outside of the car & see what kind of reception you get in that area. If you have a newer vehicle, the windshield might be playing a big part in your problem. On my Van, the windshield is one of the newer designs that have some sort of substance impregnated into it to prevent against the rays of the sun. Also, my Vans radio antenna is built into the winshield. This combination makes for terrible satellite lock. Very poor signal strength through all that garbage. What I have to do, when running my V on the dash, is run an external antenna. When I look at my windshield, I can plainly see the interfering material. But in each upper corner, you can tell that the glass is clear. When I position the external antenna up in either corner, I get fantastic satellite lock. May not be the case with you, but just a thought. I regularly get great satellite lock everywhere else. Quite the impressive unit. Can't beat the autorouting feature. Good luck!

 

"Gimpy"

[+KYtrex]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Scabbers:

 

The only problem I'm still struggling with is getting MapSource 4.01 to be compeletely unlocked (as it should be from the start with GPS V _Deluxe_ version. I'm sure I'll figure this out once I can grap a full hour or so to work on it.

 

---

 

FYI...My cousin recently bought the V Deluxe package. He also had trouble unlocking the whole US. He e-mailed Garmin and they sent him a different unlock code. They told him his original one was bad. Maybe this is a common problem for some reason. It shouldn't take long to unlock your CS. I would check with Garmin about it.

 

KYtrex

-----------------

A "Buckeye" is just a "Hillbilly" that ran out of money on the way to Michigan

[fig]

I thought I had a problem with the unlock code. Add your code, and then in the top middle of the menu, there is a dropdown box.

 

Mine has 3 options:

City Select

No Map

North American City Select 4.01

 

Make sure it is set to the new one that you unlocked. For about 30 minutes I thought my unlock code didn't work either.

[+Lil Devil]

I bought a 'Garmin GPS Antenna 3+ V Pilot StreetPilot III' off eBay from a place called GPSgeek. I just looked and he's got about a dozen auctions going for them right now. I paid $23.95 and am extremely happy with it. Now I can even hold my GPS on my lap, and I still see full strength on just about every satellite.

 

I also got a cigarette power cable for $9.95 from the same guy at the same time and saved on shipping. Saves the batteries while driving

 

Lil Devil

[+Lil Devil]

I bought a 'Garmin GPS Antenna 3+ V Pilot StreetPilot III' off eBay from a place called GPSgeek. I just looked and he's got about a dozen auctions going for them right now. I paid $23.95 and am extremely happy with it. Now I can even hold my GPS on my lap, and I still see full strength on just about every satellite.

 

I also got a cigarette power cable for $9.95 from the same guy at the same time and saved on shipping. Saves the batteries while driving

 

Lil Devil