I have a garmin 76 handheld GPS, for the second time this year, its been unable to acquire satellites in the fog. This is the second unit I've had, the first one I gave to a friend with the warning that it might not work in fog. I called West Marine and they say all GPS are the same as far as recieving the signals. Here's a photo of a passage from Newport to Buzzards bay, speedometers broke, gps is out, and I'm using depth, chart, and buoy site to find my way. Any suggestions?
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GPS We have a Garmin 72.
about the only time we REALLY use it is in heavy fog. Contact Garmin, something isn't right. Please, keep us posted. Tom s/v GAIA
about the only time we REALLY use it is in heavy fog. Contact Garmin, something isn't right. Please, keep us posted. Tom s/v GAIA
Not working in fog?!?
Have you upgraded the software? Stu PS I'm using depth, chart, and buoy site to find my way. Not unusual and quite seamanlike.
Have you upgraded the software? Stu PS I'm using depth, chart, and buoy site to find my way. Not unusual and quite seamanlike.
Have you tried . . .
. . . an external antenna to see if it makes a difference? I have a handheld Magellan and have only had trouble aquiring when I have traveled a long distance (say 200 miles in the car) with the unit off. I have never had a problem onboard my H28.
. . . an external antenna to see if it makes a difference? I have a handheld Magellan and have only had trouble aquiring when I have traveled a long distance (say 200 miles in the car) with the unit off. I have never had a problem onboard my H28.
GPS and Fog
This is the first time I've heard of Fog blocking a GPS signal - I've used mine in heavy fog and never had a problem. How do pilots navigate through clouds? This link addresses this issue pretty well I think. http://gpsinformation.net/gpsclouds.htm There is some other problem.
This is the first time I've heard of Fog blocking a GPS signal - I've used mine in heavy fog and never had a problem. How do pilots navigate through clouds? This link addresses this issue pretty well I think. http://gpsinformation.net/gpsclouds.htm There is some other problem.
Garmin in a fog...
I, too, have a Garmin 76 and it works perfectly in fog (and all other conditions, too). If your unit is not acquiring satellites, make sure it has full power batteries AND that all the satellites are/were available in your area. There are times when the satellites are down. Finally, make sure your unit has a clear view of the satellite horizon. If you've done all this and the unit still will not acquire, you may have a defective unit.
I, too, have a Garmin 76 and it works perfectly in fog (and all other conditions, too). If your unit is not acquiring satellites, make sure it has full power batteries AND that all the satellites are/were available in your area. There are times when the satellites are down. Finally, make sure your unit has a clear view of the satellite horizon. If you've done all this and the unit still will not acquire, you may have a defective unit.
next step
Thank you for your advice fellow sailors. Garmin and west marine have said fog doesn't affect GPS. Garmin web-site says possible interference from radar tracking antenna. I'm still not sure, but next time out I'll try shutting down all equipment until gps locks onto satellites.
Thank you for your advice fellow sailors. Garmin and west marine have said fog doesn't affect GPS. Garmin web-site says possible interference from radar tracking antenna. I'm still not sure, but next time out I'll try shutting down all equipment until gps locks onto satellites.
Wake up!
William, some piece of electronic equipment is probably making it more difficult to acquire satellite signals, but for your speedometer fix- tie a knot in a rope every fifty feet eight inches, toss over spool of rope with a bucket at the end and count the knots that pass through your hands at thirty second intervals= speed! Huzzah!
William, some piece of electronic equipment is probably making it more difficult to acquire satellite signals, but for your speedometer fix- tie a knot in a rope every fifty feet eight inches, toss over spool of rope with a bucket at the end and count the knots that pass through your hands at thirty second intervals= speed! Huzzah!
GPS 76
William, Try http://www.garmin.com/products/gps76/ for full info about your model. My old Garmin GPS 12XL is still wonderful but somewhat outdated. I use it as constant backup to my bigger mounted unit. It is handy for route-plotting at home. Try: 1. new batteries, mine chews up batteries like crazy; 2. additional aerial 3. your autohelm etc instruments may be impacting it. Peter
William, Try http://www.garmin.com/products/gps76/ for full info about your model. My old Garmin GPS 12XL is still wonderful but somewhat outdated. I use it as constant backup to my bigger mounted unit. It is handy for route-plotting at home. Try: 1. new batteries, mine chews up batteries like crazy; 2. additional aerial 3. your autohelm etc instruments may be impacting it. Peter
GPS sat locating
My Map76 would not lock on to sats at the begining of the season. It kept timing out. I updated the software but it did ot help. This is the response from garmin and it worked for me, they emailed back the next day, great service!!!!! Thank you for contacting Garmin International. I recommend trying a manual AutoLocate on the unit. This will force the unit into manual satellite acquisition. To do this, please turn the unit off. Press and hold the Page button and power button simultaneously. Follow the on-screen prompts and then let the unit sit and acquire satellites for approximately 15-30 minutes. i did not get any of the on screen prompts but somehow it stopped it from timing out (stopped searching after 5 min) and within 20 minutes it locked on and no trouble since.
My Map76 would not lock on to sats at the begining of the season. It kept timing out. I updated the software but it did ot help. This is the response from garmin and it worked for me, they emailed back the next day, great service!!!!! Thank you for contacting Garmin International. I recommend trying a manual AutoLocate on the unit. This will force the unit into manual satellite acquisition. To do this, please turn the unit off. Press and hold the Page button and power button simultaneously. Follow the on-screen prompts and then let the unit sit and acquire satellites for approximately 15-30 minutes. i did not get any of the on screen prompts but somehow it stopped it from timing out (stopped searching after 5 min) and within 20 minutes it locked on and no trouble since.
I guess it's a sign of the times...
...that someone who actually knows how to use traditional navigation methods feels insecure about them and wants to use the gps even if it's reliability may be in question. I'm a believer in the idea that gps offers so many advantages to inexperienced boaters (and sailors in particular, who can't really use traditional charting techniques in the cockpit) that all of the nagging from old hands about using traditional methods is an exercise in generational intolerance or technophobia; but still, it shouldn't be considered a disaster to have to navigate "manually" from time to time! I would think it a prudent procedure when fog or rain develops to write down on paper the current gps coordinates, then keep a running list every 15 minutes or so, so that if the gps is lost one has the best data for continuing with other navigation methods...
...that someone who actually knows how to use traditional navigation methods feels insecure about them and wants to use the gps even if it's reliability may be in question. I'm a believer in the idea that gps offers so many advantages to inexperienced boaters (and sailors in particular, who can't really use traditional charting techniques in the cockpit) that all of the nagging from old hands about using traditional methods is an exercise in generational intolerance or technophobia; but still, it shouldn't be considered a disaster to have to navigate "manually" from time to time! I would think it a prudent procedure when fog or rain develops to write down on paper the current gps coordinates, then keep a running list every 15 minutes or so, so that if the gps is lost one has the best data for continuing with other navigation methods...
Emphris Data
Sounds to me that your emphris data is out of date. This data is how your gps knows which satellites are above the horizon. Refer to waynes post, this is how you force your gps to update it's data.
Sounds to me that your emphris data is out of date. This data is how your gps knows which satellites are above the horizon. Refer to waynes post, this is how you force your gps to update it's data.
Extra Mosture
If the GPS works all the time, except in the fog I dont think its the GPS. Do you run any elec equipment ONLY in the fog? If so it might be impacting it. Is their a cockpit bimini used in the fog that could restrict reception? If not I would check the connections if it only occurs during fog. Do you use the GPS in the rain? Anyway I'd look for a wet connection. Unless you have some radioactive kryptanite fog out there in Cape Cod! Good Luck!
If the GPS works all the time, except in the fog I dont think its the GPS. Do you run any elec equipment ONLY in the fog? If so it might be impacting it. Is their a cockpit bimini used in the fog that could restrict reception? If not I would check the connections if it only occurs during fog. Do you use the GPS in the rain? Anyway I'd look for a wet connection. Unless you have some radioactive kryptanite fog out there in Cape Cod! Good Luck!
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