My TT didn't work in cloudy weather

[DrivingBlind]

We were on the road in a unfamiliar place. It was dark and raining. I turned on the TT to find our location and get us to where we wanted to go.

The device displayed a message saying it can't locate a satellite signal in when the sky is overcast. (not the exact message, but essentially what it said)

Has this ever happened to you? When you need the device the most it can't be used? I have TT One 130. Is this a known issue?

GPS's are military technology. I can't believe that battleships loose their GPS signal just because it's raining and cloudy...

 

[dhn]

Well, my satellite receiver for the TV loses its signal now and then when it's raining so, yes, I can imagine it happening.

 

[46jimbo]

This has never happened to me. Was it an especially dark and intense storm?

 

[DrivingBlind]

This has never happened to me. Was it an especially dark and intense storm?

It was a light rain.

Also, we were driving through a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA, so other than clouds, I doubt anything could have been interfering with the signal.

 

[JimT]

It was a light rain.

Also, we were driving through a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA, so other than clouds, I doubt anything could have been interfering with the signal.

Heavy tree growth can cause problems!!!

 

[DrivingBlind]

Heavy tree growth can cause problems!!!

Not too many trees in that area..

However, we were at the bottom of a hill. The roads in that neighborhood were like riding on a rollercoaster (similar to San Francisco)

 

[Skramblr]

GPS units can receive thru clouds just fine. But if the satellites are in poor locations that day and you are driving around (especially making turns) - it can be difficult for a GPS to get a fix on your location. There are tons of other factors that impact reception as well (like hills, tall buildings, tree cover, turning on the GPS hundreds of miles from your last location, etc).

If you have trouble getting reception, the best thing to do is find an area with a clear view of the sky, turn off the GPS, take the GPS out of your car so it has an unobstructed view, turn it on, and let it get a fix while you are stationary.

 

[sageuvagony]

We were on the road in a unfamiliar place. It was dark and raining. I turned on the TT to find our location and get us to where we wanted to go.

The device displayed a message saying it can't locate a satellite signal in when the sky is overcast. (not the exact message, but essentially what it said)

Has this ever happened to you? When you need the device the most it can't be used? I have TT One 130. Is this a known issue?

GPS's are military technology. I can't believe that battleships loose their GPS signal just because it's raining and cloudy...

I don't think the clouds caused you not to get a signal. You were either unlucky or didn't give it enough time to pick up a signal. I have acquired a signal even after a push button reset in POURING conditions here in FL. It very well could be buildings or area that caused you not to acquire a signal, but I can agree that rain won't cause this to happen.

Also, for dhn, a satellite tv signal is much more complex than a simple gps signal so I could understand there being trouble getting reception during rain.

 

[Smokiewolf]

We were on the road in a unfamiliar place. It was dark and raining. I turned on the TT to find our location and get us to where we wanted to go.

The device displayed a message saying it can't locate a satellite signal in when the sky is overcast. (not the exact message, but essentially what it said)

Has this ever happened to you? When you need the device the most it can't be used? I have TT One 130. Is this a known issue?

GPS's are military technology. I can't believe that battleships loose their GPS signal just because it's raining and cloudy...

You also have to remember that the civilian version is not quite the same as the military version...I'm sure that theirs is farrrrrr superior, and they probably have wayyyyyy more satellites available only to them.

 

[verdejt]

Funny it happened to me yesterday. I love in central florida, I was traveling from Davenport on I4 to Route 429 out to Apopka and no signal. I then started traveling around to Winter Garden and still no signal. I then traveled to Orlando and was on the 408 getting off on East Colonial and I started getting signal. It was cloudy and very overcast. The total time frame without signal was about 4 hours or so. I had just downloaded the latest GPS fix and thought this might be the culprit. Not really sure. I tried taking the GPS out of the car and letting it get a fix but no luck.

 

[gerryc]

I noticed my tomtom 930 switches to EPT [enhanced positioning technology] when it loses satelite signal such as when in a building parkade. I think Ive seen it do the same outside. But very rarely.