Intermittent Loss of GPS Signal

[Taiji]

Thanks to the information found on these forums, I have been able to get my 720 working -- somewhat. That is to say, when it is working, it works great; however I keep losing my GPS signal on the unit, and it takes docking it back to my PC with Home v2.1 to reacquire the signal.

I purchased this unit last week, specifically to use on my trip out to Utah. I had it working fine in my home location (Houston, TX). After arriving in Utah, and renting a car, I got six miles into my journey to Park City, and lost my GPS signal. I tried resetting the device multiple times, I stood out in 4 degree F weather for 15 minutes, I tried the GPSquickfix via BT phone-- all to no avail. It wasn't until I got back home and docked the unit with my PC, was I able to reacquire my signal.

I went to work today and had no problems using the 720. However, while at work, I took the unit downstairs through a stairwell -- and lost the GPS signal again. I let it search for an hour with no luck. I never reacquired the GPS signal till I brought it home (during lunch) and docked it with my PC.

Anyone have any ideas about what is happening? I am inclined to take this back to the store I purchased it from and exchange it for another model. I do have all the latest updates and I have the voice recognition working on 7.10 maps.

Thanks for your advice in advance.
-Dan

 

[canderson]

Thanks to the information found on these forums, I have been able to get my 720 working -- somewhat. That is to say, when it is working, it works great; however I keep losing my GPS signal on the unit, and it takes docking it back to my PC with Home v2.1 to reacquire the signal.
-Dan

Well, the reason you lost enough satellite reception to get a fix is pretty obvious in both cases. There are areas in Park City where you'd be shadowed from just about any satellite. Ditto wandering down stairwells in buildings with all of that metal. No surprise either way.

What makes no sense was the necessity for redocking or even why that would put you back to rights again.

Once you lost lock, once you got out "into the clear" again, the unit should have automatically reacquired satellite reception.

Just curious -- did you turn the unit off and on again in truly "clear space" to see if your 720 would behave normally again, or did you just leave it shut off until you got home?

In either case, did you fire up TomTom Home when you docked the unit, or did you just dock it?

 

[Taiji]

Well, the reason you lost enough satellite reception to get a fix is pretty obvious in both cases. There are areas in Park City where you'd be shadowed from just about any satellite. Ditto wandering down stairwells in buildings with all of that metal. No surprise either way.

What makes no sense was the necessity for redocking or even why that would put you back to rights again.

Once you lost lock, once you got out "into the clear" again, the unit should have automatically reacquired satellite reception.

Just curious -- did you turn the unit off and on again in truly "clear space" to see if your 720 would behave normally again, or did you just leave it shut off until you got home?

In either case, did you fire up TomTom Home when you docked the unit, or did you just dock it?

In both cases, I did turn off the unit and turn the unit back on while I was outside. However, in Utah last week, the skies were mostly cloudy with some snow falling most of the days. Today, I was back in Houston, under sunny clear skies and the 720 never reacquired the GPS signal.

I did fire up TT Home when I docked the unit -- especially to check for updates. This afternoon, it was working fine in the house (while docked and using TT Home) but when I left to go pickup my son from school, the 720 never acquired a GPS signal during the entire drive (about 20 minutes). I think I will exchange this particular 720 for another 720 and see if I still have the same problem.

A quick question -- will I be able to restore my backup from this 720 to a new 720?

Thanks again,
-Dan

 

[F22]

While you can probably restore or copy some files from the old backup to the new one, I understand that, at least, the map files are tied to a particular unit.

 

[canderson]

I think I will exchange this particular 720 for another 720 and see if I still have the same problem.

A quick question -- will I be able to restore my backup from this 720 to a new 720?

Thanks again,
-Dan

Sounds like the right approach. Strange how it won't reacquire once the signal is lost. I'd be looking for another unit.

YES, to the 2nd question (a great TT feature). Assuming your firmware and maps are alll up to date, be sure you've got it all backed up onto your PC, and reload the new one when you get it. Or you can selectively move your unique files (music, itineraries, etc.) onto the new one if you like.

 

[Taiji]

Just to close up this thread -- I did exchange the 720 for another 720. The new 720 seems to work as expected. I am having a little trouble restoring the new unit from the old backup. I have had to contact TT support to reset my TT Home account with the new device code.

Thanks for all the help,
-Dan