GPS oddity

Feb 04, 2024 Last reply: 2 years ago 59 Replies
T

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


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J

Aliens.

It's *always* aliens.

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C

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.

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T

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

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C

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.

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J

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

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S

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

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R

MUCH more likely to just be a dying satnav

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C

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

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M

Did they then try and sell you the Brooklyn Bridge?

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C

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.

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S

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

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I

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.

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R

Rebar under the ground doesnt affect the TV signal.

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R

Doesnt mean he got it right.

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S

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.

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