GPS Lost Reception

[Locksmith]

We are in northern Mississippi near Memphis Tn and we are having a problem with our GPS (Garmin Nuvi 650). most of the time we are receiving messages that it is searching for satellites. I might add we are taking side trips in our car. Is it because the satellites are below the horizon with trees or obstructions? We have traveled all over the east from the Dakotas east and north and south with no problems. Any advice would be appreciated.
Locksmith

[BCooke]

Are you in heavy trees?
The GPS satellites are available around the world.

[Gary RVRoamer]

The receiver needs a clear view of the overhead sky to "see" a minimum of three satellites to get an accurate position. Overhead trees, tunnels, and nearby tall buildings can block the signal. Your car roof is probably blocking a good share of the sky, so the choice of satellites is limited.

Since the 650 is a portable unit, can you try placing it further up on the dashboard so it can see more sky? That sometimes helps. Older Garmin GPS has a jack for an external antenna that can be placed for better reception, but few Nuvi models have that anymore.

[topdownman]

Okay, let me tell you what happened to me. Occasionally, my GPS would do the same thing, start searching for a signal. Mostly at the most inopportune time. Then other times, it would work perfectly. I finally figured it out.

My DVD player is located right above the dashboard in a compartment. On occasions when the generator was running and the DVD player was ON, the GPS would not work. Turning the DVD player off corrected the problem. Evidently, the laser or something inside the DVD player mucked with the satellite signal. Satellites can "see through" fiberglass, but not electronics

I'm ashamed to say this went on for months before I finally figured out what the problem was.

[Locksmith]

No it happens in wide open areas, no trees, mounted on windshield, never any problems before. Maybe it's time to look into a new Rand McNally 5510;
Thanks

[Robert L]

Call Garmin, they'll help you...

Originally Posted by topdownman

Okay, let me tell you what happened to me. Occasionally, my GPS would do the same thing, start searching for a signal. Mostly at the most inopportune time. Then other times, it would work perfectly. I finally figured it out.

.

[Gadget63]

if you have traveled to different parts of the country, your Garmin unit might have to be recalibrated by doing a system reset. Somewhere in the menu structure there is a choice to reset the unit. I had the same problem and that worked for me.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by topdownman

Okay, let me tell you what happened to me. Occasionally, my GPS would do the same thing, start searching for a signal. Mostly at the most inopportune time. Then other times, it would work perfectly. I finally figured it out.

My DVD player is located right above the dashboard in a compartment. On occasions when the generator was running and the DVD player was ON, the GPS would not work. Turning the DVD player off corrected the problem. Evidently, the laser or something inside the DVD player mucked with the satellite signal. Satellites can "see through" fiberglass, but not electronics

I'm ashamed to say this went on for months before I finally figured out what the problem was.

Funny you should mention this. About a month ago I got a new Verizon Mi-Fi Jetpack 4G. I could not get this thing to work. Very limited signal. So I took it back to Best Buy and it worked perfectly there. Back home I went and no go. I decided to move it out of the office and took it out onto the porch. Bingo, it worked perfectly and I had signal throughout the house, even in the office! That got me looking around the office and when I unplugged the scanner the Mi-Fi started to work so much better. Plug the scanner back in and the Mi-Fi stopped working till I got it about 10 feet away.

So the story here is electronics are weird. Just like the florescent fixtures causing problems with the furnace thermostat. Check what is close by. So many things can screw up other things. Now the GPS ... see if it works removed from other influences.

[Vulture47]

We took our Garmin Nuvi with us to Honolulu last fall. The unit could not find satellites until we told it we were in Hawaii (instead of Washington state). Once we did, it worked fine. When we returned to Washington, we didn't have to do anything.

[topdownman]

Why is it that these things always seem to lose their satellite position when you have no idea where you are going?

[JohnBoyToo]

the same reason furnaces don't break in the summer and air conditioners don't break in the winter