RunningAHEAD - Topic: Garmin 305 and Lost Signal

Mendeldave

ultramarathon/triathlete

posted: 8/4/2008 at 2:04 PM

Anyone ever have the problem of losing their signal mid run? Is there a way to get it to immediatly start looking for the signal again without stopping? I was at 9.78 miles yesterday, plodding along, clear sky, infrequent tree cover, and lost the signal. I ran another 3 miles before it picked it up again. Then my pace on the watch was WAY off. This happened to me before and Garmin said I should delete some of the runs stored on it, as it might be full and then it loses signal easier. I need to do this, but I wanted to see if anyone else has had this problem and if there is a way to force it to search for the signal immediatly, as I was not under any trees or near any buildings. Thoughts?

HTFU? Why not!

USATF Coach

Empire Tri Club Coach
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milktruck

an amazing likeness

posted: 8/4/2008 at 4:57 PM
modified: 8/4/2008 at 6:09 PM

That's never a problem I've experience with a Forerunner. My experience is that once they get a good lock, they do a good job in all sorts of situations, including heavy tree cover, and do a good job re-acquiring signal when I've walked into the house or something like that for more than a short while. Were I in your shoes, I would delete all but the last month's data (this is something I do the first of each month), and I'd use the Garmin WebUpdater to make sure I had the most recent GPS firmware.

_{Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.}

Twocat

posted: 8/4/2008 at 5:25 PM

I have had this happen on a reasonably frequent basis. Thick cloud cover can even trigger it. It is incredibly annoying. Worse yet, it is easy to miss hearing the beep and seeing the lost signal warning for several miles. As far as I know the best you can do is hit the mode button. That brings up the searching for satellites screen. You then have to stand still while it tries to regain a signal. Be prepared to be stuck wherever you are for something more than a few seconds. If there is a way to get it to search and lock while you are on the run I do not know what it is.

Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.

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Teresadfp

One day at a time

posted: 8/4/2008 at 5:28 PM

It's happened to me only one time in 7 months. I couldn't get the signal back, whatever I tried.

JakeKnight

posted: 8/4/2008 at 6:38 PM

Never happened to me once. And I routinely run in pretty thick trees. Never even a blip. In fact, I've never lost the signal indoors, with one exception: stepping into an elevator nixes it. Either you happen to live somewhere with crappy satellite coverage - or your unit ain't working right. Or mine is magical.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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Mendeldave

ultramarathon/triathlete

posted: 8/5/2008 at 9:48 AM

Quote from JakeKnight on 8/4/2008 at 6:38 PM:

Never happened to me once. And I routinely run in pretty thick trees. Never even a blip. In fact, I've never lost the signal indoors, with one exception: stepping into an elevator nixes it. Either you happen to live somewhere with crappy satellite coverage - or your unit ain't working right. Or mine is magical.

I live in NYC, and run in parks without much tree cover, so I'd suspect satelite coverage is not the problem and, at least according to my fiance, I'm workin' it right Wink

I think your garmin is magical. Especially if it works indoors. I just uploaded everything to my computer using the gamin training center, which people don't seem to like, but as I've used it twice since July 06, I don't have enough experience with it yet to have an informed opinion. Also, I just deleted everything except this month. I realized I had runs spanning back to the Knickerbocker last November. Maybe that was part of the problem.

HTFU? Why not!

USATF Coach

Empire Tri Club Coach
Gatorade Endurance Team

milktruck

an amazing likeness

posted: 8/5/2008 at 1:20 PM
modified: 8/5/2008 at 1:24 PM

Quote from Teresadfp on 8/4/2008 at 5:28 PM:

It's happened to me only one time in 7 months. I couldn't get the signal back, whatever I tried.

I'm really, really surprised to hear that you'd loose signal in our area once the unit gets the satellites at startup. I say that because based on your other posts here on RA, I think we live about 3 miles from each other and I have a feeling Teresa that you and I run in the same general areas. Smile

_{Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.}

milktruck

an amazing likeness

posted: 8/5/2008 at 1:23 PM

Quote from Mendeldave on 8/5/2008 at 9:48 AM:

I live in NYC, and run in parks without much tree cover, so I'd suspect satelite coverage is not the problem and, at least according to my fiance, I'm workin' it right

KosherD -- what type of accuracy does the Forerunner show you when you get signal ? That's a good way to judge the quality of your signal where you run -- you should see accuracy numbers that are 15 - 20 feet when you have 5 satellites locked.

_{Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.}

NateFromRI

posted: 8/6/2008 at 9:33 AM

Mine takes a long time to get a signal initially, under any conditions. Once it has it though, I don't know that I've ever lost it. My runs often run down roads with a good amount of tree cover and under some overpasses. Have you ever updated the software on it? You can download an updater from the Garmin website.

-------------------------------------
5K - 18:25 - 3/19/11
10K - 39:38 - 12/13/09
1/2 - 1:29:38 - 5/30/10
Full - 3:45:40 - 5/27/07

JakeKnight

posted: 8/6/2008 at 9:57 AM

Quote from Mendeldave on 8/5/2008 at 9:48 AM:

I think your garmin is magical. Especially if it works indoors.

It really may be. I just turned it on and put on my desk beside me, and 20 seconds later its got satellite. It works just fine indoors. And I guarantee it won't lose signal until I turn it off, as long as I stay out of elevators and bank vaults. Hell, I drove in a car with it accidentally on from Toledo to Nashville and never lost the signal. I wonder if the difference is in the satellites or in the units? Are different regions better, or are different batches not made as well or something? I've been looking at a 405. This makes me hesitate. I don't want to lose the mojo.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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Ennay

A Saucy Wench

posted: 8/6/2008 at 11:03 AM

I've lost mine in heavy cover, but almost always it reacquires within a few seconds of clearing the trees.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

jEfFgObLuE

I've got a fever...

posted: 8/6/2008 at 11:47 AM

Quote from Ennay on 8/6/2008 at 11:03 AM:

I've lost mine in heavy cover, but almost always it reacquires within a few seconds of clearing the trees.

*cough* 301 *cough*

On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

Garmin 305 and Lost Signal (Read 832 times)