FM Traffic problem - in Atlanta

 

I have a Kenwood head unit which has a built-in Garmin GPS which I've hooked up a GTM10 to. I purchased the Clear Channel and Navteq subscriptions for it so that it would work anywhere there is traffic data.

About 2 weeks ago my traffic went from lots of things happening to 'No Data'.

The FM reception is fine (3-bars).

I called Garmin and they gave me some new Key-Codes to try for the subscription. It reset the GTM10 (I ended up having to power the Kenwood off so it would take the new code) and, right then, I was up and running. I thought the problem was fixed.

Then the next day the problem was back. Since then I've noticed the traffic data cutting in and out.

Now, I have a Nuvi 1490T which I used in rental cars which also has the dual-subscription deal happening. When I plug it in I get traffic fine.

What I think is happening is that the GTM10 is one of:
- the GTM10 suddenly decided it can't decode traffic data from one of the services.
- there is a radio station in Atlanta that is one of the ones that is broadcasting traffic data but someone kicked the plug out of the wall for the machine that takes the data from some feed and inserts it into the RDS portion of the FM transmission. For whatever reason my in-dash GPS with the car's antenna seems to favor this station.

Those are my two guesses. Garmin is aware and they have a call into their automotive division to try to figure out what's going on.

Does anyone have any diagnostic ideas or have seen a similar pattern with traffic data in Atlanta? I know you can go to the nüvi diagnostics screen (and I have) but I haven't found a way into the Kenwood/Garmin diagnostics screen.

Thanks,
Brad

As a followup: I think I

As a followup:

I think I just got dropped by Garmin on this one. I never got a call back from their automotive dept.

I don't really blame them - the GTM10 was out of warranty (and not by just a day or anything).

I ended up ordering another GTM10. I tried just replacing the USB cable to see if, by chance, it was some kind of short/break in that cable, but it wasn't. I eventually just replaced the GTM10 and now I have traffic again.

Lessons learned:
- don't do dual subs on your traffic receiver. This complicates what isn't working (well, on the old units) as you won't be able to tell which service is having a problem (I was getting data from somewhere, every so often).
- Although I didn't do this: If you start having problems receiving traffic just replace the traffic receiver (if it's out of warranty). Don't subscribe to the second service thinking that it will fix it as it'll sometimes still pick up the other (non-working) service.

Stumped on this One

Brad, we are stumped on this one.

We have a lot of knowledgeable forum participants on Garmin units, but even though the Kenwood is made by Garmin it may not be similar to the units we know about.

The other problem is how the different traffic services interact. The one with the strongest FM signal is the one which will be used, and the car antenna will supply the strongest signal. The signal from the GTM10 will never be stronger than the car antenna. Hopefully, the problem was due to a broken GTM10.

Here on Long Island NY, Clear Channel has better data than Navteq, so I wouldn't want Navteq to be the preferred provider just because they have the strongest signal at a location, so I just have one provider.

dobs108 - nuvi 760 - GTM20

Yep - that's another trade

Yep - that's another trade off for dual-subs. You may get a signal you don't want.

The benefit is getting the signal in an area you wouldn't otherwise be covered in (smaller cities).

I realize I was in a really limited situation on who would know, however:
- Kenwood w/ Garmin built in
- Location: Atlanta
- GTM10
- Dual sub

How many folks on POI are going to match that?

Anyway, the new GTM10 is working. I have a 3 month trial which I'll let it run with and then I'll just do Clear Channel.

My main reason for posting a follow-up was to help someone in the future in case they came across a similar situation.

Thanks for the response, though.

If this GTM10 screws up after just a few (2) years I'm going to be annoyed, though...