Help, My Gpsr Ticks 6 Times Per Second

[ertyu]

My unit has picked up a flaw. Intermittently the clock will tick ~6 times per second, making it hopelessly lost. It seems to only happen once its locked onto at least one satellite, and not always there after. It appears to only affect the clock it uses for position while turned on, as turning it off and on again resets the clock to the correct time. Its a Magellan Meridian Gold. Any ideas? I've been waiting a couple days for a response from tech support, nothing yet.

[+Tahoe Skier5000]

Well, GPS receivers do correct their own time from the satellites as part of normal operation. If the time on your GPS is off by quite a bit and you get a position fix, the time will be set automatically.

 

Is this a brand new GPS?

 

Try letting your GPS collect all of the almanac data from the satellites. Just sit it outside for about 20 minutes or so. GPS's are kinda self-repairing in that they usually diagnose their own problem automatically and are programmed with a list of backup routines to follow if the primary ones fail. Letting your GPS chillout outside somewhere for awhile should solve the problem. Just give it plenty of time to do its thing.

 

If that doesn't work, try reinitializing the unit (instructions in your owners manual).

 

If THAT fails, and the clock still acts funny, call up magellan.

Edited June 15, 2004 by vw_ev

[ertyu]

Time is fairly accurate, shouldn't be off by much and the clock will tick fast well beyond accurate time advancing more than an hour ahead before I've given up and powered it off. Its not new, I've had it since last year and it just started doing this 2 weeks ago. I've tried it several different days at several different times, no difference. Left it sit outside for a good hour without moving, nothing. (You should see the track log, haha) Tried reinitializing it a couple times. That seems to bring the clock back inline until it locks on to a satellite again.

[+phantom4099]

Have you tried reloading the firmware?

 

Wyatt W.

[ertyu]

Haven't tried reloading the firmware. That tends to be a somewhat risky proposition so I left that for a bit later. I tried a reset all as somewhat indicated by

http://www.mtgc.org/robertlipe/myfaq/Magellan_FAQ.shtml

 

and it was able to accurately track my path to work without the 6 tick problem this morning. I'll have to check it so more to see if that illeviated the problem.