GPS losing satelites??

[vancouv]

Having got a nice Garmin GPSMAP 196 for Xmas, I've used it a couple of times while flying round locally.

I had it attached to the yoke with the supplied fitting (amazingly it didn't get in the way!!) but several times it stopped working saying it had lost the satelites it needed to keep your position fixed. Not too much of a problem when local flying, but rather irritating if using it in anger.

I realise that sitting in a metal box is not the best way of receiving signals from the sky, but has anyone had similar problems, and can you suggest ways to improve things (not including suggestions like hanging it out of the window!!!!!!!)

[Aussie Andy]

I guess you need an external antenna, or at least to put it on the dash?

[Tinstaafl]

Happens all the time. It depends on aerial position, geographical location & satellite position.

The aerial position can be helped by using an externally mounted one. If that's not feasable then you might be able to plug an extension lead into your GPS, allowing you to better position the aerial.

Some aerials have a suction cup that lets you stick it to the windscreen or similar.

[Davidt]

I used to have a yolk mount gps + suction cup ariel and lost signal regularly> Have installed a panel mount + installed ariel and the signal never waivers.

I guess its a case of yer gets what yer pays fer!

[Fuji Abound]

OK we know coverage may have the occasional "blip" but my Garmin, with an external aerial, has run around 500 hours - never lost coverage yet, cant be bad!

[Chocks Wahay]

I use a Garmin GPS II+, which is a handheld, non aviation model. I attach it to the window using a suction mount from Halfords (designed for mobile phones). The only time it has ever lost signal was due to interference from the radio when I had a particular VOR tuned in. I usually fly low winged aircraft, obviously high winged aircraft may blank more of the signal from the satelite. Maplin sell suction mounts for the aerial which allows you to remotely mount the aerial on the inside of a window.

[rotorboater]

My skymap is alway's losing it's signal, the aeriel is on the front screen but it has to look through the rotor blades above, does anyone else have problems in helicopters or is it just my set thats naf?

[Go-Around]

I think the solution is not to get to the point where you have to use the GPS in anger in the first place.
Easier said than done, I know, but GPS is never going to be 100% accurate. On good days I've seen it accurate to 6ft but on bad days, no position at all.

Apologies to all those ppruners that can use GPS in anger.

Just to add my 2p's worth. If you can get an external aerial fitted then do, it improved the GPS I was using massively. Failing that, at the front of the coaming/window.
GA

[Jeffrey]

The 196 comes with an extension lead to a suction-cupped ariel, which works very well when attached to any window (even passing it to the back seat for passenger appreciation).

I have found that if the direct-to button is pressed in the wrong sequence then the screen freezes and the only way to shut it down is to remove a battery, then go through the whole start-up again. Not conducive to 'use in anger aviation'.

[Cusco]

Sounds like you've got a dud GPS: Have you tried accessing the Garmin website and asking the obvious people on line: In my experience some one gets back to you PDQ.

I used to use a GPS 90 (son of 92) with the integral ariel and often in the depths of E Anglia lost the signal.

It didn't crash though: I merely carried on with the map and stopwatch till the signal came back.

[ If you've got to take the batteries out then you've got a major problem: most GPSs are designed to be idiot proof: hitting the keys in the wrong order isn't going to cause a major crash.]


Then when I got a 295, I used the suction ariel stuck to the windscreen (low wing Piper) and I've never lost the signal or had a freeze up.



Safe flying