My GPS freezes here....but why???

[Guest Artful Dodger]

I have a great GPS. The GPSMAP 76. Great unit works like a horse and its a pretty all round cool gizmo. Recently, on three trips to Long Island here in New York, the unit totally froze - no reason. I use the unit sometimes for route directions while driving in a foreign area. I took out and replaced the battery to get it working again.

 

I was baffled as to why but ignored it. Finally I figured out today why as I was driving in the same area again. Every time I went over the THROGGS NECK BRIDGE in Long Island, the unit freezes. It never freezes anywhere else...

 

I'm submitting this story to Ripley's Believe It or Not.

 

Anyone have any idea as to why?? )

 

[This message has been edited by Artful Dodger (edited 09 September 2001).]

[Guest Kerry]

asily available from the local electronics store, range ~ 2-3km. Several years ago at the Moscow air show the Russians were opening marketing a 4W GPS jammer with a range of around 200km, cost $4000.

 

Interference and signal issues will become an ever increasing problem in the future.

 

By the way the U.S Military don't have (didn't take out / forgot) sprectrum licences to cover the GPS signal freq's.

 

Cheers, Kerry.

 

 

[This message has been edited by Kerry (edited 09 September 2001).]

[Guest stayfloopy]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Artful Dodger:

driving in the same area again. Every time I went over the THROGGS NECK BRIDGE in Long Island, the unit freezes. It never freezes anywhere else...

---

 

I too travel to Long Island for geocaches sometimes. It didn't happen with my Etrex the last few times I drove on the Throgs Neck bridge. Is that problem consistently repeatable? Does it matter which lane you pick? (i.e. cash lane or ezpass lane)

[Guest Cachier]

I had a similar experience on vacation at the Canavaral National Seashores about 2 years ago. I had been using my Garmin Etrex for local navigation and waypoint marking. While on the beach, within distant-site of the launching complex, I turned the unit on and could not get a lock on any anything for the entire 3 hours that I was there. Changing out the batteries didn't help either. The next day, farther down the coast, it seemed to work fine.

 

Concerned that I was having problems with my newly purchased received, I spoke with a Garmin tech rep. who told me that the government had been experimenting selectively blocking GPS coverage with certain strategic areas. Something altogether different from the prior days of selective availability. Could it be possible that there are planned strategic "blind spots" in GPS coverage? Maybe the Throggs is one of them. ?

 

Cachier

[Guest Artful Dodger]

quote:

---

Originally posted by stayfloopy:

I too travel to Long Island for geocaches sometimes. It didn't happen with my Etrex the last few times I drove on the Throgs Neck bridge. Is that problem consistently repeatable? Does it matter which lane you pick? (i.e. cash lane or ezpass lane)

 

---

 

Stayfloopy,

 

It consistently happens IN BOTH DIRECTIONS while travelling in the cache (er, cash)lane. Perhaps this is only a 'feature' within my GPSMAP 76 unit? I'm just keen to find out why as it is very puzzling...

[Guest Artful Dodger]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cachier:

Could it be possible that there are planned strategic "blind spots" in GPS coverage? Maybe the Throggs is one of them. ?

 

Cachier

 

---

 

Possibly...but then if it was just a 'blind spot' then all I would experience would be a drop in satellite aquisition until I left the 'zone' - as it is, my unit just freezes every time I cross this damm bridge.

 

Perhaps I've gone A Bridge Too Far