Garmin ETrex

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Mine is pretty old, but has hardly been used. I only needed it when I was unsure of where I was in the mountains, which was pretty rare. However I dug it out today to measure the distance of one of the dog walks. It is struggling to find satellites. It finds one fairly quickly, then really struggles. At one pint it had got to 3, but then spat its dummy and went back to none. I’ve tried doing a reset (start, return and page buttons simultaneously)as advised by interweb to no avail. Anyone got any ideas?

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

The system “rolls over” every 1024 weeks, last time in 2019. which causes instruments lose their almanac. If you haven’t used it since then it might be the reason. All I can suggest is a reset, which you appear to have done, followed by a lengthy outdoor exposure to the open sky. Best of luck, google might suggest something better.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, maybe you need to update the software from Garman, I have to do this with my Sat-Nav every now and then.

Regards Nick.

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

As an aside, We went 2-300 miles away using a Garmin. It’s brains got scrambled. We were supposed to get off the Interstate in a big City and take another one. No notice was given when we passed the turn point. We would go 20 miles away and the unit would sort of hint that We passed the turn. We would turn around with the same results. Started stopping at gas stations and the Young ones running things had not heard of a town 20 miles away. Tried to buy a map but no one has them anymore. Finally got to the destination and the Guy told Us His Garmin does notwork there and a Friends new Harley dresser’s Garmin is worthless also. When I got home I got on the horn to Garmin and complained. They told Me that when the units are shipped They are programed for the area around Garmins home base which is 2-3000 miles from My house. Thanks for not telling anyone. Buyer beware.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

Just for clarity the e-trex the OP is discussing is a hand-held GPS locator, not a sat-nav.

I think Clive’s suggestion is the best advice, but do also replace the batteries, or at least remove them for a short while to ‘power-down’ the unit completely before restarting.

Then let it see some sky. Good luck..

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Let it see lots of clear open sky, without moving, possibly for a few hours.   GPS needs to see at least four strong satellites, and the number in view changes as the earth rotates.   Ideally, the receiver has an up-to-date ephemeris, that is an understanding of which satellites will be in view at a given time, that enables it to switch seamlessly as satellites rise and fall over the horizon.   Otherwise it has to look for new satellites, which can take a long time, especially if the sky-view is restricted or the receiver has a poor antenna.

Modern receivers tend to be much better than old ones, partly because of hardware and software improvements, and partly because they reduce gaps by using GPS, GLONASS, Galileo,  BDS and QZSS together.  But they all still take time to sort their act out if the ephemeris is wrong.

I have an early GPS only Etrex that hasn’t been used for at least 5 years.  Wonder what it will do if I switch it on?  I predict won’t work at all, or will take a hour or two in the garden to sort itself out.  It’s ephemeris must be hopelessly out of date!

Although receivers can build an new ephemeris whilst mobile, not recommended because the sky-view changes, and reflections of buildings and hills give contradictory signal strengths.   If it works, no problem, but give a confused satnav time by parking in the open and let it suck in several clean satellite signals.

Sat Navs have another problem: out of date maps!  These, if available at all, have to be updated over the internet.   Last time I used a Sat nav in Bristol, most of the city centre was wrong – new roads, remodelled junctions, and the one way system was different.    My kids all use Smartphones, and I guess the maps are all kept up-to-date in the cloud.   Poor old grandad, first paper maps bite the dust, and now sat navs seem to be on the way out…

Dave

 

 

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

It turns itself off after a fairly short time, so leaving exposed for ages doesn’t work. I’ve been into settings to try to disable this, but can’t find anything

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

This page might be of some help, Duncan

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=bcmalPHQYy9kQ10HDNsZg8

I don’t think you mention which specific eTrex you have … but it includes its own applicability list, which is decent of them.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ Garmin’s product support has always seemed good … even my ancient GPSMap76 gets its own page.

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