Satellites have disappeared by JohnDotCom

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JohnDotCom
Went out in my car today first time properly since October last year, (not me driving)
in that time it seems to have developed a intermittent fault.

The Sat Nav is loosing the satellites normally shown in top right hand corner of screen, they do sometimes reappear and then go again, now I know that I repair these units, but strange thing is it still knows exactly where you are and gives the speed camera warnings etc even though not receiving Satellite information.

I expect it to be the Aerial on the roof, has any one changed one of these and is it a big/complicated Job?
Any alternative ideas?
I have swapped, this evening, over the MK4 Sat Nav unit but same fault.
John

"My lovely car now sold onto a very happy new owner.
I still love this marque and I will still be around, preferred selling to breaking, as a great runner and performer"

Posted 01 Mar 2011, 19:26 #1 

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Mick
(Site Admin)
Surely if it knows where you are then it can only be the little lighty things that shows the sats' is faulty and not anything external like ariel as the unit is still receiving and using GPS. Bear in mind I know nothing.

Posted 01 Mar 2011, 19:36 #2 

User avatar
kandyman
I had trouble with my Tom Tom in the van today for some reason it took a age to pick up any satellites, i had to do a reset twice until it picked anything up.

If its still the same tomorrow John try doing a full battery off reset :whump:
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Posted 01 Mar 2011, 20:09 #3 

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JohnDotCom
Will try a battery reset tomorrow, still started on first turn of key even if a bit er........smokey.
John

"My lovely car now sold onto a very happy new owner.
I still love this marque and I will still be around, preferred selling to breaking, as a great runner and performer"

Posted 01 Mar 2011, 22:38 #4 

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Duncan
Antenna on the roof is an easy change. Single connector, and then a big nut and it lifts out.
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Posted 02 Mar 2011, 08:02 #5 

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JohnDotCom
Thanks Duncan.
John

"My lovely car now sold onto a very happy new owner.
I still love this marque and I will still be around, preferred selling to breaking, as a great runner and performer"

Posted 02 Mar 2011, 08:37 #6 


Andrew
Weather is a bit iffy at the moment, mine always suffers from lost sats at this time of the year.
Have a problem with condensation in the sma plug in the mk4 too, pull out ,blow clean, bit of silicone grease spray, job done, always happens now and about November.

Further thought, have you done a diagnostic check(the old set menu milarky) to see what status the sat nav is in, whether it has found any sats or just not enough.

Posted 03 Mar 2011, 13:13 #7 

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Duncan
Actually, that reminds me.

If the car hasn't been out for a bit, it will take longer to pick up satellites, as it will effectively have to do a cold start of the GPS.
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Posted 03 Mar 2011, 19:23 #8 

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JohnDotCom
Thanks for the advice from everyone, never thought of it just standing it would need to rethink so to speak.
Also did a battery reset, will go for a short spin tomorrow to check.
Didn't really fancy moving the roof lining. :panic:
John

"My lovely car now sold onto a very happy new owner.
I still love this marque and I will still be around, preferred selling to breaking, as a great runner and performer"

Posted 03 Mar 2011, 19:26 #9 


PaulT
Plus there has been some fierce activity by the sun that can have an effect
Paul

That apart Mrs Lincoln, did you enjoy the play

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Posted 06 Mar 2011, 20:12 #10 


Grossebaby
As above they have been warning of communication problems and sat nav issues due to Sun activity for a short while now.

Posted 07 Mar 2011, 18:16 #11 


PaulT
Was listening to the Today programme on Radio 4 as I drove in to work and they were talking about the dependence on GPS. They did an experiment and turned it off for shipping and this also knocked out the radar as it takes its timing from GPS.

Would seem that a large number of systems are dependent upon GPS so if it goes BIG problems.

Paul
Paul

That apart Mrs Lincoln, did you enjoy the play

Image

Posted 08 Mar 2011, 07:31 #12 


Kearton
JohnDotCom wrote:Went out in my car today first time properly since October last year, (not me driving)
in that time it seems to have developed a intermittent fault.

The Sat Nav is loosing the satellites normally shown in top right hand corner of screen, they do sometimes reappear and then go again, now I know that I repair these units, but strange thing is it still knows exactly where you are and gives the speed camera warnings etc even though not receiving Satellite information.
- Snip -

Hi John,
did you managed to fix this?
One reason why the system knew where you were is that it takes speed, distance & direction info. from the car and uses that to calculate where you are based on the last known position when the satellite signal is lost. This is so it will still work in poor reception areas and long tunnels etc.. A notable advantage over after-market systems.

Regards,
Kearton

Posted 05 Aug 2011, 23:57 #13 

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JohnDotCom
All sorted now thanks, the shark fin roof aerial was faulty and replaced. Water damage looking at it but bone dry in roof lining.
John

"My lovely car now sold onto a very happy new owner.
I still love this marque and I will still be around, preferred selling to breaking, as a great runner and performer"

Posted 06 Aug 2011, 00:13 #14 

User avatar
TyphoonTT
Hi chaps.

I'm a bit confused, ( nothing new there I know :lol: ).

Sat on my driveway in Bicester, my Sat Nav says I'm just outside Aylesbury. Needed to use it this morning to find an address in Thame, but when I got to Thame, it had me located in Brackey area, and not on a road?

Any one suggest what I've broken this time, and how to fix it please. :em:

Posted 20 Aug 2011, 12:59 #15 

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Mick
(Site Admin)
I can only recommend the ultimate sat nav substitute. Works every time, faultlessly. :D :D

Screen Shot 2011-08-20 at 13.59.16.jpg

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Posted 20 Aug 2011, 13:07 #16 

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TyphoonTT
I know. :gmc:

Should have organised where I was going first. :whump:

Posted 20 Aug 2011, 13:10 #17 

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Mick
(Site Admin)
I'm sure you'll get a sensible answer to your question soon. :)

Posted 20 Aug 2011, 13:15 #18 


Mad-Monkey
Check the Antenna connections Ben. When I had my ZT and installed it, I was about 20miles out. Turned out to be a dodgey connection and poor antenna location. Seeing as you can't move the antenna, double check the connections haven't got corroded or dislodged etc... :)

Posted 20 Aug 2011, 13:24 #19 

User avatar
TyphoonTT
Monk wrote:Check the Antenna connections Ben. When I had my ZT and installed it, I was about 20miles out. Turned out to be a dodgey connection and poor antenna location. Seeing as you can't move the antenna, double check the connections haven't got corroded or dislodged etc... :)



Cheers David. Will have a look at that . Ta! ;)

Posted 21 Aug 2011, 12:24 #20 


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