[gps-talkusers] Re: Acquiring Satelites

  • From: "Bob Heiser" <k9bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 10:49:49 -0500

Hello Dick.
Do you think the higher priced receivers such as the earth mate which is around $300 get a fix sooner? or is the sportrack adequate for doing the job?
Bob
----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Myers" <dkmyers28@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2005 6:24 PM
Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Acquiring Satelites



Hello, Bob,
I also have a Sportrak. I do not use it that often, but as far as I remember from a couple months ago, it was getting a fix within five minutes of turning it on. However, I did notice that it took much longer than that when I was staying with friends in a small village way out in the wilderness. We were down kind of low, with lots of big tall trees all over, and a mountain ridge to the east of us. That meant there was not much sky to look at, and it needs to see lots of sky to get started in the morning. At that place, I could wait for up to thirty minutes for a good position.


A Magellan 1000 model was my first GPS, and the first portable GPS unit available to the public. That was more or less ten years ago. It was single channel instead of the usual twelve channels, could take up to two hours to get its first fix in the morning, and was heavy enough to make me walk leaning over a bit if I did not balance it with my twelve pound laptop on the other side.

I did not really intend to buy the Sportrak, but McGoo offered me a good deal on it and an Earthmate, so I grabbed it. It has come a long way since my first Magellan. The thing I like about it is that I can set in a POI instantly. That really comes in handy when I am riding in a car zipping through traffic and someone hollers out, "There's a McDonald's!" I hit the WP button, then remember the number until I can get time to program in a name to remember. That way, I will always know where to go when I get hungry.

I think your Magellan is OK, but you can expect those first fixes to take a while.

Walk in sunshine

Dick

(8):[(8)


From: "Bob Heiser" <k9bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Acquirint Satelites Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 12:49:24 -0500

Hello Dick,
Thank you for the reply.
I am using the Sportrak Magellan.
I have the cord plugged into the serial nine pin plug on the voice note.
How long should it take to get a fix on satellites.?
It sure is great when I am traveling on buses or walking.
Thanks Dick for any suggestions.
Bob Heiser
----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Myers" <dkmyers28@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2005 12:18 AM
Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Acquirint Satelites


Hello, Bob,
Welcome to the GPS list. Please tell me the Maker, model number, and full name of your receiver and I will check the manual.


Dick Myers

(8):[(8)


From: "Bob Heiser" <k9bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [gps-talkusers] Acquirint Satelites Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 20:02:21 -0500

Hello,
I am new to this list.
I have a voice note with the 5.1 software and am using a sportster satellite receiver.
At times it takes almost 10 minutes for the receiver to get a fix on satellites.
Is this normal?
Bob Heiser









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