GPS oddity

[The Natural Philosopher]

I had to drive about 40 miles to a friends house today so I fired up the satnav - not because I didn't know the way, but to get earnings about traffic and speed camera,

It took about 5 miles to 'acquire' the GPS which was very slow, and it stopped working about 7 miles from the destination, and on the way back didn't reacquire the satellites till I was past the point it had packed in before. It also started to get very erratic as I neared my destination, with displayed road speed randomly fluctuating ±5mph. Then it packed up altogether...

Anyone had any similar experiences?

Is there something up with

[Jethro_uk]

Aliens.

It's *always* aliens.

[Colin Bignell]

It sounds like too few satellite captures.

Perhaps the Americans have repositioned some of their satellites to give better cover over the Middle East/Red Sea and Ukraine, leaving fewer for us to pick up here.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I thought they were in pretty much fixed orbits and actually did give global coverage. It might be interference of course

[Colin Bignell]

I was told, many years ago, that the orbits can be changed, albeit slowly, to put more satellites over a given area, increasing the accuracy in that area.

Always possible.

[Jeff Gaines]

Yes, Porton Down. GPS loses signal on way in and re-acquires on the way out.

[Sam Plusnet]

Brexit reference?

[Steve]

It's a Marxist plot. Did it keep telling you to turn left?

[Rod Speed]

MUCH more likely to just be a dying satnav

[charles]

I found this with tv reception 30 years ago. I put it down to a lot of concrete just below the soil.

[Rod Speed]

Concrete can't do that.

[mm0fmf]

Eejit.

[mm0fmf]

Did they then try and sell you the Brooklyn Bridge?

[Colin Bignell]

I was doing user trials of a prototype GPS for Garmin in my aircraft and had no reason to doubt the information I was given by the engineer who fitted it.

[Spike]

If you drive past the Kremlin, GPS will tell you you’re at Vnukovo airport, about 25 miles to the SW.

[Jeff Gaines]

It's the rebar in it.

[invalid unparseable]

That's a very silly thought. Each satellite carries a fixed amount of propellant to fine-adjust its altitude and heading periodically. It will not have enough propellant to fly to a new orbit and then return to the old orbit. A satellite will eventually crash back to earth when it runs out of propellant to periodically correct its altitude and heading.

[Rod Speed]

Rebar under the ground doesnt affect the TV signal.

[Rod Speed]

Doesnt mean he got it right.

[SteveW]

With mine, aquiring the satellites takes up to 30 seconds if I don't move off immediately, but a number of minutes if I don't wait for it to aquire.

I've only lost lock a couple of times and each time mine reaquired within seconds.

I don't rely on the road speed indication - I've had satnav, google maps and the car showing three different speed limits at the same time!

Is it a built-in satnav, stand-alone or on yoiur phone? If stand-alone or phone, some car windscreens reduce or even block the GPS signal and need an external aerial connected or an external and internal aerial to pass the signal inside.