satnav info sought

[Simon]

I'm glad you said that, Steve. 

[Steve]

If my wife stands looking at a sunset she still doesn't know which way north is, and yet she has had a superior scottish education ( so she keeps telling me). I rest my case.

[J!ll]

Doesn't mean we can't drive though! 

[Steve]

Oh she can drive , just wish I could do all the multitasking she does at the same time!

[Glenn]

Doesn't mean we can't drive though! 

You can drive,  just don't know where you are going. 

[Glenn]

If my wife stands looking at a sunset she still doesn't know which way north is, and yet she has had a superior scottish education ( so she keeps telling me). I rest my case.

It's the side of the tree that the moss/lichen mainly grows on in the northern hemisphere.

[Steve]

True it's the side that retains the moisture usually, however not something to do whilst walking the dog!

[Clive]

Mrs Clive would rather get lost than use the satnav. 

[talos]

Had a Garmin for years, never froze, I suggest you have a faulty unit or have it sited wrong, remember some cars have heated windscreens, I know this can cause a problem, no matter if the heat be on or off. The only time the unit can freeze is if it cannot "see" the satellite, E.g. tunnels, some tall buildings or in a Forrest with a dense  canopy.

[Steve]

Good points Bob, as you say it's not infallible,line of sight is required.

[Broadback]

Thanks for the kind thoughts gentle readers. I have returned the unit and had a replacement, no problem, so onward and upwards, in the correct directions I trust. 

[J!ll]

You can drive,  just don't know where you are going. 

Can with my Garmin 

[talos]

Thanks for the kind thoughts gentle readers. I have returned the unit and had a replacement, no problem, so onward and upwards, in the correct directions I trust. 

Just have faith  it will get you there

[Lance]

Had a Garmin for years, never froze, I suggest you have a faulty unit or have it sited wrong, remember some cars have heated windscreens, I know this can cause a problem, no matter if the heat be on or off. The only time the unit can freeze is if it cannot "see" the satellite, E.g. tunnels, some tall buildings or in a Forrest with a dense  canopy.

Whilst true, I never had a problem using sat-nav with the heated screen in my old fiesta. I've found with tomtom on the iphone and my car's built in nav that if they lose signal going through a tunnel etc they don't simply freeze, but make a guestimate of where you would be on the map - the car does this more accurately presumably because it knows the speed you are doing at all times.

[Broadback]

If the Garmin loses the sat signal it tells you so. I am certain mine was faulty, anyway I have the replacement now. :-))

[talos]

If the Garmin loses the sat signal it tells you so. I am certain mine was faulty, anyway I have the replacement now. :-))

Mine doesn't , it just stops updating until it locks on again.

[J!ll]

Mine too.

[Broadback]

Mine doesn't , it just stops updating until it locks on again.

Can you explain that statement please Talos?

[Clive]

It can't update the route until it receives a signal from the satellite.  With my Tom Tom the display greys out and it guesses where you are if you are in a tunnel or difficult area. 

[Simon]

With my Navigon, the little icon to show it's receiving the signal goes orange, but the route continues.  I'm guessing it just carries on at the speed you were going when it last had a signal, and updates when the signal returns.  Presumably, they have some sort of capacity for planning ahead, so a temporary loss of signal shouldn't affect things too much, otherwise you'd be a bit stuffed if you had to negotiate a junction in a tunnel, or just the other side of it.

[Steve]

I guess it's programmed to stick to the route or road for a limited duration.

[talos]

Can you explain that statement please Talos?

Yes it stops tracking, the display shows no forward movement until the unit "sees" a satellite, then it locks onto the newly received signal and the display then jumps forward to the present position.

[talos]

I guess it's programmed to stick to the route or road for a limited duration.

Even if the signal is lost for a moment the internal clock still runs, if it knows your last recorded speed and direction calculated against time it will give an estimated position, all this goes to pot of course if in the meantime you have stopped or changed direction.

[Glenn]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350814752268&clk_rvr_id=491089193706

[Simon]

That looks quite a good deal, Glenn.  Might have a punt on that one myself.