Garmin GPS128 needs reinitialising every time

[Nick]

Our Garmin GPS128 will no longer start up and automatically acquire a position . . . it sits there for a certain amount of time then comes up with a menu:

a) Insert country

b) autolocate

c) continue acquiring position

If I select b) it fairly rapidly reinitialises itself and shows the correct position. Thois only happens at start-up.

Is the set on the way out, does it need a new internal batter (and if so where do I get one) or is there some more arcane explanation?

[Telo]

Nick

There's an internal lithium battery.

EDIT: Perhaps that's on the way out. Alternatively, you may have set the GPS to the UK (which might puzzle it) rather than "Autolocate".

Manual at http://www.garmin.com/manuals/82_OwnersManual.pdf

[Nick]

Thanks Donald,

Have perused the manual but there is no useful reference to this or instructions on how to change . . .

As this is our primary navigation instrument and I have still not quite mastered the sextant I need to fix this before we leave the Canaries. Have e-mailed Garmin, will see if I get a response. I think normally I have to post the unit to them and they change the battery, but this is not really an option. May just buy another unit off Ebay.

[ash]

Hi Nick

There was a similar letter in one of the yot mags this month.

The Lithium battery is recharged from the sets replacable batteries - but - not from the ships 12v supply.

The answer seems to be to install a good set of batteries, and leave the set switched on for 24hrs to recharge the Lithium.

Ash

I've just done further research - and - I'm talking rubbish. The unit in the mag was a 48 which is a handheld whilst your 128 is fixed and doesn't appear to have batteries.

I've read the replies in that other forum. Do you have the software to copy all your waypoints onto your PC ? I fear that you may lose them if/when you change the Lithium battery. I would concur with the suggestion that you keep it powered up for a considerable time to try to recharge the Lithium though I suspect that you have probably had it powered up a lot in the past few months.

Ash

[Nick]

The thing is, Ash, we had it switched off all Winter and it worked first time . . .

Anyway, we are going to leave it switched on for now and see how it goes. Have just bid for another one on Ebay.

[ash]

Been searching for a thread which I vaguely remembered. I'm not convinced that it's relevant.
Thread

Ash

[ash]

Hi Nick

Further thoughts on your GPS.

I assume that you are running an external antenna, mounted on the pushpit, or similar.

Is there a possibility that the connections have been damaged, or are wet from your hairy weather.

Have a look at the satellite page when you first switch on and note which satellites it is looking for. Once it has locked on, check the satellite page again to see it has found the same satellites.

If it is looking for the correct satellites then it isn't lost, and the fault is likely to be the antenna than the Lithium battery.

How good is the satellite signal once it fires up.

My handheld gives the same page as you describe if it can't see the sky when switched on.

Ash

[Nick]

. . . if it is the aerial then how come it can autolocate a position once it has given up on 'Acquiring EPE'

It does not show the same satellites on the start up screen as on the autolocate screen . . . so I still believe it is losing the info when switched off.

Garmin themselves in the person of a Mr. Andy Phillips have been less than helpful, being unable to suggest anything other than sending the unit back to them even though I have repeatedly pointed out that this isn't an option. I think in the long term - or even the short term - the answer is to get another set. Trouble is it is an obsolete model - will probably have to replace it with a 152. Doubt if I can get one here - maybe when we get to the Caribbean. In the meantime we will hope it doesn't go completely t... up and mamke sure there is always a set of batterieds for the Etrex. God help us if we have to fall back on the Emergency Sextant Handbook . . .

[Aja]

Will check tonight when I get home. It has an internal aeriel though.

Donald

[ash]

It does not show the same satellites on the start up screen as on the autolocate screen . . . so I still believe it is losing the info when switched off.

It certainly does sound as though it is lost.

I assume that Steve Birch didn't have any luck in getting a Lithium battery to send out to you.

I assume that you are running your electronic charting on the laptop - could you not buy an USB GPS Receiver and USB extension cable as a back up to the 128.

For Example

Ash