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| Possibly stupid garmin question, but is there a way to help it find a satellite faster? (Read 325 times) |
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posted: 8/27/2008 at 9:44 PM |
| Or am I just too impatient? |
upcoming race:
Long Branch Half Marathon (May 2009) |
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| view log Frustrating Project |
posted: 8/27/2008 at 9:53 PM |
| Quote from Jill_B on 8/27/2008 at 9:44 PM: Or am I just too impatient?
Only suggestion is to not be moving / walking around while it looks.
If you have a windowsill with a southern line of set, you can set it there and let it lock in before you go out. Our set it down outside and let it lock in while you put on your shoes or something. |
20th Century: 800m: 2:04 |1600m: 4:37 |3200m: 10:06 |5k: 16:23 |10k: 35:38 |15k: 54:20
25k: 1:35:59
21st Century: 5k: 19:42 |10k: 43:00
"Do not allow children to mix drinks. It is unseemly, and they use too much vermouth."
Steve Allen |
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| view log Jazz, happy dog |
posted: 8/27/2008 at 11:25 PM |
Just have the most sky you can, IOW move out into the open.
There's another thing that applies to handheld units and possibly to the Forerunners. The GPS remembers its location so when you turn it on it searches for satellites that it knows should be overhead, based on its last location. However, if you have moved very far since last time you used the GPS (this happens to me often because I travel a lot), it will take longer to locate satellites since they are not the ones that the GPS is expecting to be overhead.
The manual for my Forerunner doesn't say that it works this way, but it's possible. It seems to me like the watch takes longer to acquire satellites when I've traveled, but maybe I'm just imagining it. |
| Just 'cause you can, doesn't mean you should
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posted: 8/28/2008 at 12:40 AM |
I think ^ is right. If I run with my forerunner at home and the next day run at my school a few miles away, the positioning takes longer.
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| view log Funky Monkey |
posted: 8/28/2008 at 12:53 AM |
And this:
DO NOT have it on your body when you are finding satellites.
I do not know why this happens, but when it is on your wrist or in your hand, it takes a while. If it is on the ground or on your car's dash, it gets signal very fast. |
| It's all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack. |
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posted: 8/28/2008 at 1:05 AM |
What I do is to set the Forerunner on a window sill while I sit down to put on my shoes (winter), or on the hood of my car while I sit on the porch putting on my shoes (summer) --- like Trent said, they like to be held still.
Also, keep in mind that as the specific satellites in the GPS constellation change (they are routinely changing), the GPS cache gets invalid and it will sometimes take a longer time to re-learn the satellites availaible in the current constellation. |
| formerly known as GravelRd, but I've changed to an earnest, running milk bottle. That little guy looks like he's truckin. |
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| view log Sunrise |
posted: 8/28/2008 at 3:04 AM |
Jill -- thank you so much for asking this question! I don't think it's stupid at all, and these are some great tips shared by the other posters, so many thanks for those!
New plan: put Garmin on south-facing porch rail. Put on shoes. Then Garmin. I will especially thank you all at 5:30 am in December. |
Bridge to Bridge 12k, 10/5; US Half Marathon, 11/2; Run Wild 10k, 11/30; Hark the Herald Angels Run 12k (trail), 12/13
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dpar view log |
posted: 8/28/2008 at 11:36 AM |
| Quote from AnneCA on 8/28/2008 at 3:04 AM: Jill -- thank you so much for asking this question! I don't think it's stupid at all, and these are some great tips shared by the other posters, so many thanks for those!
New plan: put Garmin on south-facing porch rail. Put on shoes. Then Garmin. I will especially thank you all at 5:30 am in December.
Don't forget when you are travelling to a race to acquire a signal as soon as you get there. Nothing is more annoying than standing with 20 other people all trying to acquire a signal 14 seconds before the start of the race. |
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| view log Running public maps |
posted: 8/28/2008 at 12:36 PM
modified: 8/28/2008 at 12:37 PM |
Why would you need to point the GPS to the South? I was under the impression that the satellites are in all directions so that they can triangulate the signals. 
I've noticed that on the 405 you can cancel the searching for satellites by hitting the bezel. I've only done it by accident and usually from home so it doesn't seem to have affected the accuracy. It might be more important if I were to be in a different location like the others mentioned. Otherwise I usually just sit in my recliner between two windows (North and East facing) and get my signals before heading out the door. |
Ross
2008 Goals
• Escape from O'Hare terminal G 11:45 5/3/08
• Run for 5 min - 15 min - 30 min
• 5k 10k - 4m/HM
• Weight < 200 |
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| view log Village Idiot |
posted: 8/28/2008 at 12:54 PM |
| Quote from Trent on 8/28/2008 at 12:53 AM: And this:
DO NOT have it on your body when you are finding satellites.
I do not know why this happens, but when it is on your wrist or in your hand, it takes a while. If it is on the ground or on your car's dash, it gets signal very fast.
I had noticed that as well--it is a freakish thing. |
Chris
5K PR: 29:58 (6/6/2008); HM PR: 2:09:24 (9/21/08)
2009 Goals
Run 1500 miles
Run a Marathon in May and MCM in October
PR at all distances |
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| view log Potato Grower |
posted: 8/28/2008 at 1:04 PM |
| Quote from jEfFgObLuE on 8/27/2008 at 9:53 PM: Only suggestion is to not be moving / walking around while it looks.
Quote from Trent on 8/28/2008 at 12:53 AM:DO NOT have it on your body when you are finding satellites.
What they said. If you keep it still it acquires satellites faster. I too take it outside and wait to put it on until it finds the satellites.
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| The glass is half full. |
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| view log Official Club Member |
posted: 8/28/2008 at 3:39 PM
modified: 8/28/2008 at 3:41 PM |
| Quote from Trent on 8/28/2008 at 12:53 AM: And this:
DO NOT have it on your body when you are finding satellites.
I do not know why this happens, but when it is on your wrist or in your hand, it takes a while. If it is on the ground or on your car's dash, it gets signal very fast.
It has to do with how the GPS finds the optimum satellites for positional readings. Once it has three or four, the rest lock in pretty quickly and maintain their lock, or "hand off" to better ones, as you run. However, the first few are the most critical for the initial signal lock. If you have it on your hand, you are probaly moving your hand, and / or your body. You end up momentarily blocking or partially obstructing the signal from one or maybe two satellites, which then makes the GPS take longer to lock in - especially if you keep doing it. It's sort of like you're playing satellite peek-a-boo (picture the GPS saying "there's a good one / nope, it's gone / oooh, there it is again / nope, lost it" over and over). When you place it on a non-moving surface, it locks in much quicker (no peek-a-boo).
Moving your hand around also causes another problem (although to a lesser extent) - it changes the distance the GPS progam uses for triangulation, so it may take longer to pick the best GPS for signal lock.
Keep in mind that this applies only for the initial signal lock - once it has more than 4, momentary obstruction of one signal is no big deal.
MTA: spelling |
Michael
Revised 2008 Goals: 180#s | 1000K | 100 pushups challenge
Upcoming Races: | Manchester Thanksgiving Day Race | Newport RI 10K
2009 Goals: 160# | NJ Marathon | New Haven Labor Day 20K | NYC Marathon
"The race goes not always to the swift, but to those that keep running." * ~ Unknown |
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posted: 8/28/2008 at 8:49 PM |
| like the others, I turn it on outside and leave it while Im getting ready. |
| Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?
Peter Maher
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posted: 8/28/2008 at 9:28 PM |
Am I the only one who doesn't lose a signal indoors and just leaves it on when its sitting in its dock?
It always has a signal. |
E-mail: JakeKnight2002@aol.com
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| view log Frustrating Project |
posted: 8/28/2008 at 10:03 PM
modified: 8/28/2008 at 10:04 PM |
Quote from cameraready on 8/28/2008 at 12:36 PM:Why would you need to point the GPS to the South? I was under the impression that the satellites are in all directions so that they can triangulate the signals.
I beleive that most of the GPS satellite network is in equatorial orbit (i.e. over the equator). So in the northern hemisphere, you need to point south to "see" them. This is also the reason why dishes for satellite TV are mounted on the south side of houses in the northern hemisphere. |
20th Century: 800m: 2:04 |1600m: 4:37 |3200m: 10:06 |5k: 16:23 |10k: 35:38 |15k: 54:20
25k: 1:35:59
21st Century: 5k: 19:42 |10k: 43:00
"Do not allow children to mix drinks. It is unseemly, and they use too much vermouth."
Steve Allen |
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