GPS Fail

[QRFactual]

I currently have a GPS unit hooked up to my 996XT in my truck. I was receiving a signal one day, and the next nothing. I checked the power supply for the GPS, which was plugged in, and I even unplugged it and plugged it back in to see if that did anything, and it did nothing. Next I shut down the 996XT, to see if maybe that would recognize the GPS, to which it did not. I double checked my settings on the radio to make sure I didn't accidentally change something, and everything is normal. I've been using the same GPS for a couple years now...is there a shelf life to these units? Any ideas on how to remedy the problem, short of purchasing a new unit and seeing if that does the trick? Any ideas and feedback is welcome! Thanks.

 

[KC1UA]

Do you have another way to communicate with the GPS, such as PC based software that can interface with it? That would at least eliminate the serial connection as a problem.

 

[QRFactual]

Yea, I suppose I could try plugging it into my 996T and see if it is being recognized, I just have to tear my dash apart to do it. Was just curious to know if anyone else has experienced the same as I have.

 

[KC1UA]

Sounds like you're going to wind up doing that one way or another anyway to troubleshoot. FWIW I use Garmin GPS-18 PC models in both my truck and my wife's car, and I've had excellent luck with them. Small "hockey puck" design, mounted inside the vehicle at the center of the dash by the windshield in both cases. But my troubleshooting is easy as I don't have in-dash mounting in either vehicle.

I wonder if it's possible that the serial connection vibrated loose?

 

[Vern]

I also have two of the Garmin puck-style GPS receivers and they're great for the Uniden scanner. One of them (in my work vehicle) blew the 1A fuse that is inside of its cigarette lighter plug. I checked the car's cigarette lighter socket for voltage (which was fine) and it took me a while to remember that there is a fuse in the Garmin's plug.

Unscrew the knurled screw cap at tip of the plug and check on the fuse.
Good luck with it.
\/ern.

 

[MarkB513]

Bc996xt gps

Glad to see there's others using the GPS option. For a while it didn't seem like many at all, or at least they weren't posting any messages. I have the Garman puck style GPS as well and have noticed a few frustrating things and have been meaning to ask around about them. I will say it's very cool to be able to drive around without having to change systems manually, it almost makes me feel lazy now that I've broke the habit of reaching over to press the system quick keys while entering different locations!!

First off, I have my GPS powered 24/7 so when I turn the scanner on, I don't have to wait as long for the GPS to connect and the scanner to detect it. A little more background info... I have the 996XT connected to a mobile repeater type set-up where as I'm monitoring it from a portable away from my car, so when I activate the 996XT (from tones on the portable) it would be a pain to wait for the GPS to connect and I would be hearing all the other systems that were not in the area I was currently in. With that said, the main thing that's been an issue (and frustrates me the most) is when I have two systems (one conventional, and one trunked) with the same exact GPS coordinates, sometimes only one system will activate and rebooting the scanner is the only way to get the other one too, which corrects it right after immediately. I was thinking the GPS is possibly loosing the signal shortly after the first system is activated, but I never see the red LED on the GPS itself start to flash. It always remains solid. Anyone else experiencing this problem?
The second thing I find is even though I have the GPS constantly powered, every once in a while the 996XT absolutely will not see it unless I reboot the GPS unit. I'm not sure why this happens, but I've added a reset button to make the process easier then fussing with the wiring/fuse holder in the ceiling, etc.
One last minor thing... It sure would be nice if you could set system/group temporary lockouts ahead of time within programming software (assuming the scanner is generally programmed in the same GPS location) to avoid waiting for the scanner to temporarily lockout everything but the location you’re in!! It takes a while when you have multiple systems/groups programmed for GPS, but then again I probably update (reprogram) my scanner a little too often as well!!

 

[QRFactual]

Just an update...I pulled my dash apart and checked all the connections...everything was secure. I checked the fuse, and it was good too. I see Scanner Master is out of stock of the GPS receivers for now, so I'm gonna have to wait to order another one. I couldn't spend too much time outside, because it was about 15 degrees here in new england yesterday. I'm hoping to get to the botton of this!!!

 

[ksduster]

Did you by chance change your rear port baud speed?
i think its 59600 (or what ever the 5????) is for the gps connection if you have the Garmin puck style..

 

[QRFactual]

I read somewhere that the rear baud rate was supposed to be set at 4800bps for the Garmin GPS-18, so thats what its always been set to. Just to be sure though, I changed it around with no success.

 

[QRFactual]

UPDATE: I took out the Garmin GPSx18 hockey puck and replaced it with the SpectrumForce GPS from Scanner Master and the scanner is now recognizing a GPS signal. Looks like the Garmin went bad.