Gps Clueless

[Try On Your Wings]

Mine won't connect to satellites. I've been carrying the thing around for the past few days with my fingers crossed but I'm not getting anything.

 

I feel like I'm missing a step. Anyone want to translate owners manual for a poor rookie?

 

edited to say: haha. Thats funny. I'm a tadpole.

Edited November 27, 2004 by Try On Your Wings

[+JohnnyVegas]

Has it been intialized? and does it have clear view on the sky?

[+j9cache & Mike(j9+M)]

Reiterating above. Needs to have a really clear view of the sky. Mine loses sats. when I put it face down on my lap in the car.

[+G'n,G]

Try holding it with the screen up to the sky.

[+PDOP's]

A GPS User Manual: Working with Garmin Receivers By: Dale DePriest is a good online manual in plain language Edited November 27, 2004 by PDOP's

[+New England n00b]

Does it even turn on? Something should show up on the display, even if you are not receiving signals. If it won't turn on, are the batteries in correctly (and charged/good)?

[+Markwell]

Try holding it with the screen up to the sky.

Actually, I remember reading somewhere for the Garmins it works better to hold it up and down instead of parallel to the ground.

[+Mr Hedgehog]

According to the manuals for both of my Etrexs, they should be held vertically, not parallel to the ground. HTH.

[+NightPilot]

Where does it say they should be held vertically? I've never seen that in any eTrex manual. The patch antenna works best when the unit is held horizontally, with the antenna pointing to the sky.

[+briansnat]

Take your unit to an open field with a clear view of the sky, lay it down face up and let it sit for about 15 minutes. You should get a lock then. I had the same problem when I first received my eTrex. Couldn't get a lock from in front of my house. Once I took it to a field and it got its full almanac of sats, it was good to go from there on in.

 

Also, it has to be held horizontal for best reception.

[+Pork King]

i think according to the manual, the intitial sat aquisition takes much longer than if youve used it before. I stood out in my yard with one foot in the air and tin foil on my right hand (I use the same position to pick up Fox ). I just stayed in the same spot for about 5 minutes or so, and I got 'em. Now, it aquires sats in a matter of seconds (providing no sky cover).

[Try On Your Wings]

I love you all more than you know. I'm going to test out all of this stuff tomorrow

[Try On Your Wings]

Has it been intialized?

 

wait...what?

Edited November 28, 2004 by Try On Your Wings

[+New England n00b]

THey mean has it acquired the satelites for the first time, which takes a while, so that the GPS can know where it is in the GPS constellation, and therefore get initialized.

 

Either that, or they mean to engrave your initials in big letters on the display screen with a blunt screwdriver... (don't do that, please...)

[+AtoZ]

Orientation of the GPSr depends up on which type of antenna it has if it has a patch then the screen should be parellel to the ground. If it has a helix then the screen should be perpedicular to the ground. But I have dound it doesnt matter much. I have a helix and usually hold it at 45 degrees to parellel depending upon the mood and then some times perpedicular. Ol well some day.

cheers

[+TeamTeeGee]

Either that, or they mean to engrave your initials in big letters on the display screen with a blunt screwdriver... (don't do that, please...)

That's funny!

 

I had to do the same thing with my Etrex after purchasing it. I stood out in front of my house for a half hour trying to get it to initialize with no luck (too many trees). So, I took it down the street to the local elementary school and it only took it about five minutes to link up.