Long time aquiring satelites

I find weather(overcast) effects rece[tion.

When I first turn it on for the day I have noticed it can take a while, but I have heard this from other GPS brands also.

So do I - am also having issues with satellite acquisition & locking....taking anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes for the first time in the day - and, while on a 2 hour drive, getting the "lost satellite reception" error in open country...contacted Garmin support via e-mail....they had me do the Master Reset routine - and it did not help....so, I have a RMA...they're going to next-day ship a replacement when they receive mine. I would advise you to contact Garmin support as well.

Could be sunspots, they are saying they think they will be picking up this year. Also remember that the government can mess with GPS at any time to reduce or increase accuracy.

Squatch

As I do not have the same issues with my 660 side by side with the 750.

Wonder then if it is the difference between the flip up antenna and no flip?

But, since Garmin gave me an RMA for a swap, there could be a hardware issue.

I had the same issues with a nüvi 660. I went through the reset routine without it resolving the issue. I attached an external antenna and instantly got signal. Garmin was quick to replace the unit.

Bill

I have used Garmin handheld GPS units for +10-years and I have found the nuvis 200 series to be very slow to acquire by comparison. I have downloaded the latest firmware, but it did not seem to help. On a cold start, with the vehicle moving, usually the GPS will give up and ask to go to simulation, but I just tell it to keep searching and it will lock-on in +5 minutes. Not moving until the GPS locks on may help.
Not really a big deal, because if I'm doing a lot of bopping around, the unit remains powered up and ready to go. If I install for a long trip, well, I kinda know how to get started on the trip anyway.

I have a Nuvi 670 and it locks on in about 30 seconds or less. Also I did the "G" chip update to version 3 and it seems to be a lot better, I can get reception in the basement of my house, where I couldn't before.

Sometimes, especially after an update, a soft reset makes such a difference. I know you already did that. Also, that last firmware update for the antenna was MOST EXCELLENT. A definate improvement.

I wonder why sometimes it takes 10 seconds and other times 30 seconds. The typical start times is 10-15 seconds. Good luck!

I have a new 350 Nuvi with 2009 Maps and it takes up to 15 min to lock into the satelites.

What I did is set it for another location and it finds the satelites right away within 1 min.

I then set it to go to where I originally want to go and it works every time.

There is a clitch with Garmin.

I had a 630 LG and it never once showned sign of response. It locks emediately. What LG does is very good. It prevents you to download any POI.

Cheers

I get the same thing out of my 250 most days. Usually in the morning. I was thinking it was mostly because of the storms in my area last week. But then on bright sunny clear days at the end of the week it was about the same. I have not needed it for anything but around town yet so it hasnt been an issue but if i were depending on it, it would be a bit of a hassle. Guess i could just turn it on way earlier.

I usually don't have any problems. My 760 locks on almost instantly after it boots up, and my 200w takes just a little longer, maybe about a minute or two. I live in NC and I can even get a quick lock while inside my house.

I have a Nuvi 660. Satellite reception is getting slower lately.

What's a "G" chip update? How and where I can find its version 3 update? Thanks in advance for your advice.

I have a Nuvi 660. Satellite reception is getting slower lately.

How do you do a soft reset on a Nuvi 660? I have never done it. Thanks for your advice in advance.

Run WebUpdater. It will update your unit firmware and your GPS chip firmware

Press the reset button under the antenna flap.

This not just the Nuvi, my C550 took 5-10 min in the morning to find the satellite. It's not that the signal was weak, because once it locks on, I got 4 bars out of 5.

Well it would appear that you have a somewhat unique situation......either because of where you start out in the morning or HOW you start. A lots of people report slower lock if they power up the unit while moving.

Then again, maybe it's just that tinfoil hat that you wear !

Thanks, MM

Thanks, MM. Would the soft reset change any of the personalized settings?

I was suprised today to see that it picked up the satellites with no wait at all. By the time i turned it on, punched in the address, it was good to go. I dont know if it has a "memory" of where to look for the satellites and it learns as it goes or what but it was certainly its fastest connect yet.

For me, I've never had a problem with my nuvi200W picking up a signal - it always does so in under 5 seconds, even inside my house.

GPS satellite reception will always be a global issue, and it will occur at places where people find that their location doesn't pick up satellites very well. This changes, of course, when more satellites are added or acquired by companies to expand coverage..

Sometimes I get the signal quickly and sometimes not irrespective of when the unit was last used. Seems to be no rhyme or reason...

My unit took about 10-15 minutes to lock on this morning and as long after work.It has never taken that long before

The 250W always takes longer if moving at power-on. Usually however not so long as to be a concern.

I might take notice for a while and perhaps we can start a conspiracy theory???

what model is ur gps? older garmin require u to open the antenna on the unit

With all of my Nuvi units, I find that the placement on my dashboard affects the time it takes for satellite reception. I am convinced that it takes longer to lock when the unit is directly below the tinted bar across the top of my windshield.

Only recently that it is taking much longer than normal to acquire satellites.This was not the norm, but it can take 2-5 minutes on both now.

My first Nuvi 760 locked on pretty quickly, within a minute or two. I now have a warranty replacement (for bad battery problems) and it takes much longer to acquire satellites, 5 minutes or more.