GPS....help please!!!

[Carli Drake]

Sorry if this post's twice. Thought I poked the submit button but I don't see it on the board.



A friend of mine gave me a handheld Magellan GPS 2000 telling me that it didn't work. Well I put in new batteries and got it to work thru the setup screens. Then you're suppose to go outside and poke the Navigation button and it will search for the satellites. Well it does.......forever!!!!! For one very brief moment I was able to get the bar graph that the book mentioned but have never got that screen again!

I'm standing out in the middle of my 2 acre yard with no obstructions so it isn't like something is blocking the way.

Does anyone have one of these and can please tell me what I might be doing wrong? Also....are these something you can have fixed or should I just throw it away and go by a new one. The copyright on the book is 1995 so I'm guessing its that old. Anyone have any ideas????



Thanks!

Carli

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Maybe he was right and it doesn't work? LOL Sorry Carli, you made that one too easy.

 

[Andrew Zuber]

Carli-

Not an expert, but a friend had a similar unit...

He needed to purchase the external antenna to get the unit to pick up enough satellites to work properly...



az

 

[Carli Drake]

Andy....



Well working in the electronics industry.....I had thought about an external antenna, only I dismissed that idea because there isn't any place to attach it unless its like a cell phone antenna booster and it goes inside someplace. I also thought about taking it apart to see if there were any broken wires or maybe a cold solder joint on the pc board...but thought I would ask you guys before I canibalize it.

I also thought it was because of my Lat/Long... but since the satellites are along the Equator I have a good shot for them. It did actually show 5 or 6 satellites at one point but never was able to get it to "set a landmark".



Well Rob.....my defination of it working is that it lights up and something shows on the screen!! LOL Doing what it's suppose to do is another story!!!

 

[TrepMan]

Carli:



First - Have you tried www.magellangs.com? for help from the manufacturer?



I have a '97 Magellan Pioneer which requires 3 satilites to get a lock - It can take 5-10 minutes. Looking on the web your 2000 unit is MUCH fancier then mine, so it may work diferently. Have you tried placing the unit on a table or log and letting it spin for 10-20 minutes to see if it get's the lock?

 

[Carli Drake]

Hey Trep....haven't "tried" going to the web site! DUH!!! that would be too easy!!! LOL However I DID read the manual (something that most women do that men don't think to do) LOL Sorry guys....couldn't help myself.



I'll try leaving it out in the backyard in a little bit. We have a thunderstorm off in the distance and I don't want to look like a crispy critter as I get toasted trying to get my GPS to work!! LOL



No comments Rob!!!!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

What good is a GPS that takes 10-15 minutes to acquire it's position? I think I'll stick with my compass! It's a LOT faster than that! LOL

 

[Carli Drake]

Rob...that's what I was thinking...but hey...it's FREE!! I certainly wouldn't PAY for anything that didn't work!!! LOL



Carli

ps .... BTW...Nothing listed under accessories for external antenna and the "Satellite Status" screen shows the satellites and they are moving in different positions but still can't get it to lock up.........yet!

 

[Carli Drake]

Rob,



With my work with satellite stuff, I believe that you have to have atleast 3 satellites to initally triangulate your position. Then once you get that, then whenever you are out in the boat using it, you will only need one satellite to make the thing work and it should work a lot quicker as it only needs one and not three.



I have a satellite tracking program for my ham radio stuff and could go check on the best time to run outside and triangulate the thing.



Carli

 

[Mark Hofman]

Carli:



If it was me, I'd try everything I could before cracking the case. Then I'd call Magellan and ask them for an estimate on repairs. I can't believe it would cost you more to repair it than buying a new one. It may must be a broken lead to the internal antenna.

 

[Dennis Hamer]

I suggest that you throw that one away, and then go out and buy you a nice Garmin unit. LOL

 

[gone bye bye]

I had that unit for a while in 1996 and it does take longer to lock in. You can help it by telling it your current location. If you let it search it could take 2 hours to lock on. Once it knows your location, it will lock on faster next time you power it up (as long as the batteries are not removed).



Remember this is an older unit and the processing power was alot slower then. As with anything in electronics things get faster and more efficient everyday. BTW that unit will only run for about 4 hours with fresh batteries, it eats the darn things.



Mini

 

[gone bye bye]

The unit is a 5 channel reciever (i think, it may be 7). It needs at least 4 sats to lock on if my memory serves me correct.



Mini

 

[Staci Matheis]

Carli, Dear..... Here..... Take my hand..... I'll help you find your way home..... Mind if we stop off at my place for a while..... It's right on the way!



:^)

me!

 

[Staci Matheis]

U-u-uh..... Now that I think about it..... Concerning recent events in the news - that was not very politically correct. Sorry folks.



me

 

[Texas Transplant]

Too old. Too slow. Not worth the aggrevation. I've got a Garmin GPS 12 (agree - good for the price) and it works well. My newer GPSMAP76 works even better. Of course, it cost more also.



If it's a 1995 vintage, that means its at least 1994 technology. If you don't want to spring for a map unit, get the GPS12.

 

[Carli Drake]

Thanks for advise guys! I really don't need a GPS....but it was FREE!! so I took it. It wasn't something that I would run out and buy.

I'll play with it some more and see if I can get it to work......



Carli