GPS Unit constantly "Acquiring Satelites"

massimofinance

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 30, 2004
Messages
508
My GPS unit is not working- it constantly is acquiring the satellites but never finds them. It is a 6 year old unit. Do I need to update the software on it, or do I need to replace/move the antenna? Thanks.
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,357
Re: GPS Unit constantly "Acquiring Satelites"

My GPS unit is not working- it constantly is acquiring the satellites but never finds them. It is a 6 year old unit. Do I need to update the software on it, or do I need to replace/move the antenna? Thanks.

Ayuh,.... Are ya gonna tell Us just what Gps unit ya got,..??
 

massimofinance

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 30, 2004
Messages
508
Re: GPS Unit constantly "Acquiring Satelites"

I knew you would ask that (lol). I will check this weekend
 

Splat

Lieutenant
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Jul 20, 2008
Messages
1,366
Re: GPS Unit constantly "Acquiring Satelites"

Have you moved a large distance from last time it has acquired satellites? It may simply need more time to acquire the tables and such from the satellites.

Go into your menu and see if you have a option to input your current location, or start from new location.
 

joelybob

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 30, 2012
Messages
224
Re: GPS Unit constantly "Acquiring Satelites"

Also if you have not used it in a long time it also takes a while to lock on to satellites.
 

jhebert

Ensign
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Messages
903
Re: GPS Unit constantly "Acquiring Satelites"

The time for a GPS receiver to acquire a position fix varies. Modern GPS receivers often have their own energy storage device, a large capacitor, which retains information about the satellite constellation and the position of the receiver. If a GPS receiver does not have a sense of its approximate location, the current time, and the orbital position of the satellites, the time to initial position fix can be much longer. However, no modern receiver should take more than five minutes to acquire a position fix.

If your GPS receiver is not able to acquire a position fix after five minutes, the problem is not related to missing ephemeris data or being unaware of its present coarse position. There is more likely a malfunction in the GPS receiver or some interference in your location. To rule out interference, try another GPS receiver in that location.
 
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