GPS signal

Hi

I have tom tom 5 running on a HP PDA. I live in Kent and don't use the devise an aweful lot. Unfortunately, quite often it will take a long time to receive a GPS signal. Sometimes it receives a signal straight away. Other times I can drive to my intended destination without ever getting a signal. The problems seems to be intermittant. Is there something wrong with my software or is it something else? Any help out there?

Steve

[getsurfers]

What surfstar chip set dows your GPS have?

Also, does your car have sun reflective coating or heating elements? Where on the dash do you place the gps unit?

I have no idea what a "surfstar chip set" is. I doesn't matter where I put the GPS unit. I've tried it in several positions.

Steve,

The latest GPS receivers are known as SiRF III and are very sensitive. They are reported to work in the glove box. However one known problem is that most modern cars have a reflective coating that can pevent receivers picking up a signal, heating elements can do the same. There is an area on the winscreen that is usually clear of this however, behind the rear view mirror.

If your receiver is bluetooth try placing it on the rear parcel shelf.

You say 'Other times I can drive to my intended destination without ever getting a signal'. No, don't drive off before you get a lock.

Try standing outside your car, or sit inside and hold your PDA outside your window, until you get a lock. You should now find it works OK even if your car has a 'heat reflective coating'.

If you haven't used it for a while, take it outside and get a lock the day before you are to travel. The lock next day will come faster.

I also live in Kent and my car has one of those 'darn' windscreens and I used to have the same problems you are experiencing.

Another thing, which appears to help is, make sure you have no programmes running in the background 'Games, Calendar' etc.

[Martin Laverty]

Border collies post is spot on. What kind of car are you driving? If its Renault Peugeout or Citroen then the front windscreen will have an athermic coating whihc can block signals. There will be a gap behind the rearview mirror and generally there is a gap along the bottom four inches of screen. The rear and side windows normally dont have this coating.

Originally Posted by Steve Cragg

Hi

I have tom tom 5 running on a HP PDA. I live in Kent and don't use the devise an aweful lot. Unfortunately, quite often it will take a long time to receive a GPS signal. Sometimes it receives a signal straight away. Other times I can drive to my intended destination without ever getting a signal. The problems seems to be intermittant. Is there something wrong with my software or is it something else? Any help out there?

Steve

Just to add. It's strange but the athermic coating on my Citroen only really appears to affect initial lock on. If I stand outside to get the lock first, then set up in the car, it runs perfectly, even after travelling through the Medway or Dartford tunnels, although it loses the signal in the tunnel, it picks up almost immediately the other side.

One thing that does puzzle me though, recently I had to go to a funeral in Essex. I got the lock outside the car but when setting up inside I lost the signals. Three attempts and still the same problem, it just wouldn't hold the lock. I decided I would use the external aerial and all went well.

On my return I never used the external aerial and after getting the lock outside I set up in the car and everything went well. Now here's the strange thing. Since using the external aerial just the once, I have had no problems without it since. Faster lock ons and more sats. W-e-i-r-d!

[Martin Laverty]

There are a number of things that can affect the performance of your GPS weather, cloud cover, and pure blind luck and the satelites positions arent fixed. So while you may get a dozen sats quickly one day you get 8 slowly the next from a similar position as the gps has to look around for each sat.

Generally the bigger a hurry you're in the longer it takes to get a lock!

Originally Posted by Border_Collie

Just to add. It's strange but the athermic coating on my Citroen only really appears to affect initial lock on. If I stand outside to get the lock first, then set up in the car, it runs perfectly, even after travelling through the Medway or Dartford tunnels, although it loses the signal in the tunnel, it picks up almost immediately the other side.

One thing that does puzzle me though, recently I had to go to a funeral in Essex. I got the lock outside the car but when setting up inside I lost the signals. Three attempts and still the same problem, it just wouldn't hold the lock. I decided I would use the external aerial and all went well.

On my return I never used the external aerial and after getting the lock outside I set up in the car and everything went well. Now here's the strange thing. Since using the external aerial just the once, I have had no problems without it since. Faster lock ons and more sats. W-e-i-r-d!