"burning" In Your Gps?

[jrsower]

I updated the software on my etrex vista this past weekend. I seem to remember a thread on here somewhere (but can't find it now) that suggested turning it on outside with a clear view of the sky and leaving it alone for 30 minutes.

 

According to the writer, that will help 'accurize' my gps from then on. Is this true? How does it work and why? Do I need to do this?

 

Thanks.

[+BlueDeuce]

I believe the term is 'baking'.

 

Never tried it, never needed it. Perhaps since I drive around with my Vista on the dash when caching anyway, it takes care of this need to commune with a power signal.

[+mtn-man]

Yes, if you update your software you need to turn it on outside with as much sky as it can see for about 30 minutes. It has to cycle through each satellite and it takes time. If you go look at it you will see it going through each satellite number. It looks like it is broken or something, but let it do its thing. I wonder if they do this when they are brand new at the factory since we don't have to do it when we buy them.

[+the england's]

I have updated software before but never done that! Interesting

[+BlueDeuce]

This is the only reference I have found so far on the Garmin website. (See #3)

 

Q. I'm trying to use WAAS on my eTrex Venture/Legend/Vista but I'm not able to obtain a differential position. What could be wrong?

 

Detail:

1. Please refer to your Owner's Manual for instructions on enabling the WAAS feature.

 

2. There are currently two WAAS satellites that can be received in the United States. One is over the Atlantic Ocean and one is over the Pacific Ocean. The satellites are in a geo-stationary orbit over the equator, so the farther north you are, the greater the difficulty in picking up the signal. These factors put the satellites very close to the visible horizon, allowing the signal to be blocked by terrain or buildings (the WAAS signal is in the same frequency range as the GPS signal and is a line of sight transmission). The best results using WAAS with the eTrex Venture/Legend/Vista units will occur by literally "pointing" the patch antenna of the unit at the location of the satellite. You can determine this by looking for satellites 35 (East Coast) and 47(West Coast) on the Satellite Status page in your GPS unit.

3. You will need to allow the unit to have good visibility of the WAAS satellites and track the signal for 10-20 minutes. After the initial data collection takes place, the unit will be able to quickly acquire the WAAS satellites and will normally take about 1-2 minutes to obtain a differential position fix. For more information on how to read the satellite status page, please refer to the appropriate owner's manual for your GPS.

Edited June 2, 2004 by Elf Danach

[Swagger]

I believe you're referring to the "initialization" process, which is when the GPSr initially figures out where you are in the world. You need to do this when the unit is brand new or if you move more than a few hundred miles while it's turned off. It's necessary in order for it to be able to lock on quickly after subsequent power-ons, as it already knows approximately where you are.

 

Your owner's manual should cover this pretty well.

[thorin]

Yes, if you update your software you need to turn it on outside with as much sky as it can see for about 30 minutes. It has to cycle through each satellite and it takes time. If you go look at it you will see it going through each satellite number. It looks like it is broken or something, but let it do its thing. I wonder if they do this when they are brand new at the factory since we don't have to do it when we buy them.

Ummm actually the manuals and quick start guides I've read from various manufacturers all say to give it 15-30 mins of clear skyview on first powerup.

 

Thorin

[+mtn-man]

Yes, if you update your software you need to turn it on outside with as much sky as it can see for about 30 minutes.  It has to cycle through each satellite and it takes time.  If you go look at it you will see it going through each satellite number.  It looks like it is broken or something, but let it do its thing.  I wonder if they do this when they are brand new at the factory since we don't have to do it when we buy them.

Ummm actually the manuals and quick start guides I've read from various manufacturers all say to give it 15-30 mins of clear skyview on first powerup.

 

Thorin

Yes, the manuals do say that. When I first got mine it only took about 5 minutes to initialize. When I updated the software which took me from 500 waypoints to 1000 waypoints it took a solid 25 minutes before it was functioning properly.

[+Team Fegel]

When I first turned on my new Garmin around Christmas, it thought I was in Japan for a while until it finished locating initializing. That only took about 5 min. It did take about 20 minutes to initialize on the WAAS setting though.

[+timberlane74 & pumpkin]

I am not familiar with the Garmin units, but when using my Magellan STP, when you either update or move over 250 miles with the unit off they recommend initializing again...on the Magellan you input as part of the process your approximate location. I "assume" by doing this, it gives the unit a better idea of where you are in the world to start things up...

[+mtn-man]

I travel all the time with my Vista. I never re-initialize the unit. I just put it in the dash and within a few minutes it knows where it is. I seem to find caches OK.

[Major Catastrophe]

As the others have noted, this is a normal initialization procedure. This is to allow the unit time to download the almanac and then to get individual ephemeris data from each satellite. Because you updated your firmware, it has to start over from scratch.

 

You can start using it as soon as it has good data from four satellites, but you may not get the best accuracy. However, it will continue to download data from the other satellites until it has them all.

 

This downloading of data from the satellites is an ongoing process. The ephemeris data for each bird is only accurate for a few hours, so the GPSr is constantly getting new data from satellites as they come into view.

[Jeremy]

I think they put it in the manual to keep people from returning the unit because it "doesn't work." 30 minutes in full view of the sky is a safe bet to get satellite lock.

[+IV_Warrior]

on the Magellan you input as part of the process your approximate location. I "assume" by doing this, it gives the unit a better idea of where you are in the world to start things up...

That's exactly why. You input your location (either just selecting the state, or entering coords) and the date/time and the unit has a decent idea where you are, and what satellites it should be seeing......at least that's what I read in either the manual, or the "help" section on my Meridian..

[+Smogman]

I've nerver done that, and I've updated several times!!!!!

[Shoobie & the Sand Crabs]

if I'm correct you only have to do this the first time

[+Prime Suspect]

if I'm correct you only have to do this the first time

No, there are several occurrences that can cause you to lose your almanac data, or for your unit to consider it to be invalid. For example, if you install a new version of the OS that changes the way the memory is used, you will most likely need to reacquire the almanac data. If you leave the unit off for too long, or if your current location is a great distance from the location where you last had the unit turned on, the unit will consider the almanac data to be stale, and you will need to reacquire it.