# GPS Use Question.



## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

Live by technology die by technology. Normally I haven't had any issues with my GPS, but I was using it over the weekend, and it started to wig out. Normally the "bread crumb trail" that it leaves is consistent and linear. When I used it Saturday morning, it tracked my steps in the approximate order I went, if I zig zagged, it zig zagged etc. I was using it Saturday night, and it was all over the place. I went in a fairly straight line, but as I looked at it after all was said and done, it looked like I was searching the mountain for a blood trail, criss crossing all directions. I was trying to locate a specific GPS point that I had entered in, and it kept telling me I was 0.29 miles then .022 Miles away, then 0.29 Miles away and so on until I got to within feet, but it still told me 200 feet, then 500 feet. It was dark, and I hadn't been in the area to I turned back. Any idea why it would have wacked out?


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Based on your post, I'd say that "Die by technology" is probably better said in your circumstance! :lol: 

The only thing that I can see from my seat on the other side of this computer is that your satellites couldn't pin point your location clearly. Were you in heavy tree coverage, or in a deep canyon preventing the Sat's to link up? I've noticed with my GPS that 3 Sats will find my location within 200-500 feet. But 5 Sats will find me within 20 ft. 

I'd suggest trying the GPS out in an open park or football field and prove that it's not the GPS tracking device in your handheld. If it tracks you well in open terrain, I'd chalk it up to poor Sat reception.

Good luck!


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## 400BULL (Nov 16, 2007)

I have a Garmin Map60 where I can configure it for a battery Saver mode. When in the battery saver mode it dropes it accuracy for +/- 15 feet +/-75 feet. Could it be that you have your GPS set up in some kind of a mode where it is not sampling the sat signal as often, there for loosing your accuracy.

400bull


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## JedInUtah (Sep 10, 2007)

I agree with Duckholla. I would suspect poor satellite reception.

What kind of GPS are we talking about here?


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## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

Garmin Vista Cx.

I wasn't in any heavier tree cover that I had been in earlier in the morning. But maybe that is it. I haven't changed it to any mode, and battery power was at a full power on the indicator. One thing I have noticed, is that I used to be able to turn it on, and it would gather the Satellites pretty quickly. Now it seems to take forever, tells me that it can't locate a signal, I have to select new location, automatic. Even if I turn it on the last place I turned it off. It is about 4 years old, do the receivers eventually just go out?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Gitterdone,

400bull and Duckholla bring out some good points. Let me add that I don't see anything that unusual. My GPSs bounce around like that too depending on where I am at. An example would be Flaming Gorge Res. I can get down within 20 feet in some open parts of the lake and only 200 feet in the canyons. But even in the big open water there's varying degrees of accuracy i.e. Buckboard is more accurate than Anvil Draw. I find my GPSs less accurate in the Wind Rivers, versus the Uintas.

My laptop has a built-in GPS that works anytime my Verizon wireless is hooked up. From South America to the Arctic Ocean it has been fun to play with and interesting to see the difference in satellite coverage from place to place.

I carry a GPS whenever I go overnight, but don't rely on it solely to get me back to the tent or the road. Too many things can go wrong; bad batteries, a bad fall breaks the GPS, bad satelitte coverage, "I forgot where I left my GPS", or travelling in deep canyons or very heavy timber.

I had a Megellan that would go bananas sometimes. I would just take the batteries out and reinsert them and it would be fine. 

I keep a compass with my GPS(s) and know how to use it. Back when I had a real life I would take long hikes, 75 to 120 miles, frequently. I carried GPSs with pre-programmed coordinates of places I might go to on my trip. I limited using the GPS to when I was really lost or I wanted to mark an interesting spot. Most times I just used a compass and a map.

I use an old Garmin Vista XL out in the boonies. It's good enough for me. I use Lowrance in my boats. Can't remember the model numbers...high tech...high $....big learning curve.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

gitterdone81 said:


> Garmin Vista Cx.
> 
> I wasn't in any heavier tree cover that I had been in earlier in the morning. But maybe that is it. I haven't changed it to any mode, and battery power was at a full power on the indicator. One thing I have noticed, is that I used to be able to turn it on, and it would gather the Satellites pretty quickly. Now it seems to take forever, tells me that it can't locate a signal, I have to select new location, automatic. Even if I turn it on the last place I turned it off. It is about 4 years old, do the receivers eventually just go out?


Did you take the GPS far away from home? If I use mine like in Alaska, and then bring it back here it's slow; so I reset it by taking the batteries out, reinserting, and letting the GPS "find itself" again out in my yard.

Might be time talk to a Garmin Tech. Most GPS manufactures have an online tech service.


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## skeet4l (Sep 11, 2007)

There's a place on th NS that I refer to as the Devils Triangle. It's on almost flat ground and both of my GPS units lose touch with reality. After being turned around in this area and lost on the SS for a day due to a storm and GPS malfunction I've learned to carry a compass for just this type of situation. As the disclaimer always states, "don't rely on GPS as your only form of navigation". Best of luck.


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## UtahMountainMan (Jul 20, 2010)

I had a similar problem and I plugged it into my computer and ran a software update and it fixed it. Try going to the main page for your unit and see if there is an update you can download.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Two possibilities:
1-Did you stop at the bar before hiking?
2-Have you recalibrated it lately? My Magellan says to do that regularly, to better set itself to your new location.


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## JedInUtah (Sep 10, 2007)

Having used the older etrex/vista model Garmin's..........there is a big difference in the GPS antennas in those units compared to the newer models like the rino/60cx.
I had an etrex legend C model and if I was even in the car sometimes under the roof I would lose signal, let alone being in my house.
Now using a garmin rino 530hcx there is not even any comparison to the signal I get now. I can be in the house and as long as there is a window in the room I get nearly full signal.
Yes those handheld units are affordable and work for most. I had one for years and just recently upgraded last year more for snowmobiling. Lets just say there is a reason they are expensive. They work 100 times better.
This wasn't a post about just upgrading and getting rid of what you got, it may have an issue, and it may just be that the area you were in was getting a weak signal. Likely due to the antenna. Just one of those things that happens.


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## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the input. I checked for updates and I was at 2.50 and the most recent software/driver version was 3.50, so hopefully that may have fixed some of the issues.


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## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

One other thing. This was the first time I plugged in GPS coordinates and went to find the location, rather than mark the waypoint as I was in the spot, and then utilized it to find my way back. Does that impact accuracy at all?


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