All The Techies Out There I Need Your Help!

[Team Onebrow]

Ok so here is the problem, I cannot get a satalite lock Period! I cannot get a satelite no matter what I try. I have left it outside for 30 mins. I have initlize the unit serveral times, laid it flat and in the open & upgraded the software from 4.06 to 5.35, and still no luck. Could someone please help me. I am ready to toss this thing!

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited December 31, 2004 by onebrow

[+Stunod]

It sounds like you have done everything right. Might be time to call Magellan Tech Support and get an RMA number to send it back.

[+EScout]

Did the GPSr work well previously? Did it work before and after the firmware upgrade? Do you use an SD memory card? With mapping programs?

Try clearing all of your waypoints and tracks, take out the card, and put the GPSr out for a while to acquire. Make sure you have fresh batteries in it.

Edited December 31, 2004 by EScout

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Do you have the unit turned on?

 

Just kidding. Go to the screen that shows the satellite pattern and the signal strength of each satellite. If you have a friend that you can compare the satellite ID#s, with, that will help. If your receiver is trying to pickup different satellites you will need to contact Magellan. If your unit is trying to track the same satellites, but is showing no signal strength, then the antenna is probably bad, back to Magellan it goes.

 

Call Magellan and let them know what you found and they can be more definitive about how to repair your unit.

 

Good luck,

 

John

[dave and jaime]

Ok so here is the problem, I cannot get a satalite lock Period! I cannot get a satelite no matter what I try. I have left it outside for 30 mins. I have initlize the unit serveral times, laid it flat and in the open & upgraded the software from 4.06 to 5.35, and still no luck. Could someone please help me. I am ready to toss this thing!

 

Thanks in advance!

not to nitpick but:

 

1)do not lay magellan quad helix based recievers flat. this almost prevents reception. should be verticial.

2)assuming meridian menus are similar to my gps315, try to inilitiaze from a known coordinate. within a couple of degrees of location would be quite sufficient.

 

post back to update your progress.

[+Natureboy44]

As a megellan owner I can confirm that it is important to have your unit upright and not laying down, but make sure the top of your unit is not leaning against a tree or other object which will interfere with reception. Assuming you've initialized correctly (this is important and I'd suggest using entering coordinates and making sure your set to the correct time), I can't think of anything else except to make sure you are in an open area (i.e. away from buildings and not under heavy tree cover. For the first lock, I would also suggest doing this with the GPSr stationary (i.e. not in a moving car). Good luck!

[+Thot]

All I can add is try a new location. It is very difficult for my unit to get a lock in my front yard. You want as much sky visible as possible. Magellans get much better reception when vertical, but when I go caching I lay mine flat on my dashboard and pushed the long ways against the windshield -- it always gets a lock in 3-5 minutes (sometimes quicker).

 

The first time you do this on a new unit it can take much longer. When you first turn on a new unit or after changing firmware it has no idea where it is. The better it knows roughly where it is the quicker it gets a lock. You can speed this up by doing the following:

 

Go to Menu > Setup > Initialize > Enter Coordinates and enter some coordinates near where you are. If you don’t know any, enter your zipcode on the main geocaching.com webpage, choose the first cache that appears and enter its coordinates. After doing this is should get a lock fairly quickly (within say 3-5 minutes) if the gadget has a good view of the sky.

Edited January 1, 2005 by Thot

[Team Onebrow]

I will give it a try one more time today. I have the coordinates logged in and I will see if I can get a sat lock. The thing that is really aggravating is that is that i just got this unit on Dec 26 and have not been able to use it.

 

If this dosent work has anybody had to deal with Magellan customer service and their repair dept. Do you think that they will repair it for free or do I need to call the retailer that I bought it from to get a replacement?

[Team Onebrow]

Well I went out to a park in my neighborhood to try out everything that everybody had mentioned: I stood the unit up straight, I had it in an open area (free of trees) and had it just sit there with no movement and the Magellan Gold would not get a lock. It looks like I am going to have to get in touch with Magellan.

 

Thanks for everyone's help.

[+EraSeek]

Does the screen show a date/time on it and if so what is that date?

[Team Onebrow]

The satelite screen does not have a date a time. I don't think that this thing is going to work no mater what screen I'm on. Unless there are anymore thoughts on this matter, I'm going to call Magellan on Monday!

[Dale_Lynn]

At one time there was a bit of information about Magellan units in the GPS/SOFTWRE section about some "reset" and "boot" features when powering up unit...

 

It s been something like a year or a year and a half ago that I I remember accessing the information.... Maybe searching archives may shed some light on problem.

 

(edit) ... You may find something on site listed below...

 

http://gpsinformation.net/main/magellan-codes.txt

 

Dale

Edited January 2, 2005 by Dale_Lynn

[+Ufemism]

That happened with the satellite lock with the first unit I purchased in November. I took it back to Wally World the next day and exchanged it for one that has worked perfectly! The first one I got was in a completely different type of box (a gold box if I remember correctly) and the 2nd one was in a white box. The units looked exactly the same, however. I would just take it back where you got it and exchange it. They checked the 2nd one right there in the store for me to make sure it was working.

[+Thot]

I think it’s a dead soldier. I should have suggested you look at the satellite screen. You should see at least one or two satellite bars. As a minimum you should get ghost bars – outlines of empty bars.

[+shawhh]

garmin fan myself, so i don't know if this would work for you, but when my gpsmap76s failed in a similar manner i (with some guidance from the forum crew) went to the garmin website and found directions for a "master reset". once done the unit has worked perfectly. hope you can get it back to life. -harry

[Team Onebrow]

Thot, I ordered this unit online so on Monday I will be calling them. Any idea if Magellan will cover the problem. Take into account that i received the unit on Dec 26.

[+ChicagoCanineCrew]

I will give it a try one more time today.  I have the coordinates logged in and I will see if I can get a sat lock.  The thing that is really aggravating is that is that i just got this unit on Dec 26 and have not been able to use it.

I have been having almost the same problem! I got a Magellan GPS 3000 for Christmas (old, no warranty info etc) and have not been able to get a lock since... Tried most of what you did except for downloading software because I don't know where to find that or how to put it on the gps...

I tried outside my house, in an open park, in a parking lot, (upright) etc... For varying amounts of time.

I did get it to find 3 satellites (3 bars) in the parking lot but it still did not get a lock and when I looked at the sat status screen it only showed 'numbers' for one satellite, the others shows were all ' * ' (no signal.)

 

I am wondering if I DO get it to get a lock finally, is it going to be this difficult every time I am search for a cache?

Edited January 2, 2005 by ChicagoCanine

[Team Onebrow]

You are lucky you got 3 locks, I got 0.

[+Thot]

Any idea if Magellan will cover the problem.  Take into account that i received the unit on Dec 26.

I can't imagine why they wouldn't. It's brand new and never worked, plus they have a one year warranty. I figure you'll be out the cost of shipping.

[Midnight Rider]

Sorry you are having such a rough time with the new Magellan. The Meridian Gold is a really nice little unit. I would contact Magellan first before contacting the company you bought it from. Magellan may be able to walk you through something and save you the trouble.

 

Good luck no matter what.

[Team Onebrow]

Thanks Midnight Rider, I appreciate it. I have contacted Magellan via e-mail an await there response. What is sooooo frustrating is that i have gone Geocaching with my friend and I think the addiction bug has got me.