ICN520 PROBLEMS

[QUARKS7]

Hi Folks,

After much deliberation I've just purchased an icn520 from www.thenavigationcompany.com . It's my first GPS so I'm no expert but is it usual for these units to take upto 10mins to get their act together and start directing you?

Mine can and often does take that long to find a sat then when it does it'll loose it 6 or more times in quick sucsession before setteling down. It also tells be I have 200 feet or more to go before a turn then 20 feet later it'll say turn now (IMHO That's Bloody dangerous!!)

I spoke to Navman yesterday and the very helpfull young lady went through various checks inc getting me to reset the GPS. I asked how many sats should show green on the GPS status menu in normal operation and she said at least 5. Well mines lucky if it get 5 ever not normaly! She also went through the "Have you got a heated windscreen etc" conversation. So I explained that no I haven't and the problems I'm experiencing happens when stood in the back garden with a clear view of the sky.

So my question to you guys is "Is my unit duff or are all icn520's like that?" ....... Kind regards Jez

[mikealder]

It is not the heated screens that cause the problems (they do attenuate the signal a little bit) it is the screens that contain Athermic glass, this reflective coating rejects heat and also the GPS signals, what type of car are you using the device in?
Also do you wait for the unit to aquire a satelite signal before driving off? - if not the unit will struggle to work out where it is. Wait before driving off, this should only take a few mins at the most if the unit is used on a daily basis - Mike

[QUARKS7]

Hi Mike,

The unit it primarily used in a 2003 Mazda 323. No idea if they have a reflective windscreen. Yes I do tend to drive off before it's found a sat because if I were to wait for it I'd be sitting there twiddeling my thumbs for what seems like ages. I'll look into getting an external antenna (any idea what to buy and where from?) I thought that a £170 sat nav that claimed to work straight from the box would do just that without having to buy a seperate antenna though ....... Many thanks Jez

[mikealder]

See how long the unit takes to obtain a sat fix when not in the vehicle, if this is faster then you might want to consider the external aerial, Driving around without a lock will only compound the problem adding time to the fix, the unit needs to know where it is before it will start to work, a constantly changing location/ direction does not help, not too sure about the cars screen though, anyone else got better knowldge of this car? - Mike

[QUARKS7]

This looks ok apart from the fact that it says it needs to be stuck to the outside of the cars roof and also I don't fancy another 3 metres of cable trialing around my car! Is this the only type and do they realy need to be outside the vehicle?....... Regards Jez

Ebay item number 260000419366

[mikealder]

You don't need to put it on the roof (although this is the best location), the problematic windscreens have a "clear" spot normally behind the rear view mirror. So the three mtrs of cable can be used to route the cable around the edge of the windscreen with the external aerial stuck to the back of the rear view mirror. - Mike

[DRP]

Hi
My personal transport is Vectra estate.
My works van is a Ford Connect with heated front screen.
The rules.
Do not pull off without sat fix.
Do not turn off GPS at one location and then turn it on in another location or drive off, without sat fix.
I have done everything that you have commented on, and the above. I stick to these rules and have no problems. If you flaunt the above, expect many a trip with no help from your GPS.
If I do the above I get no problems in either vehicle. I clock up about a combined 1500 miles a week. Without this unit I could not get around to do my job.
It’s only an electronic device with limitations, and not the “Bees Knees”, use it to its limits and you will have miles of trouble free routing.
Regards
DRP
_________________
Sharing information is the key to a better understanding

Mio M400 WEU, N60I, T1, 2x B2, iCN 510 & lots more

[QUARKS7]

Cheers DRP,

I'll try doing what you say and see if that improves things mate. I've been tearing my hair out over the bloody thing and I haven't had it a week yet. I hope your suggestions work but I'd like to know why Navman don't mention any of that in the instructions? Or do they and I missed it? It all sounds simple and logical but maybe they should tell us in the manual ....... Regards Jez

[DRP]

Hi
I believe they do so. From memory I think that I read about, acquisition times “Hot & Cold” starts.
A Hot start as I understand it is where by the unit is turned off and then on in the same location using the on off button on the front. It seems as if it has retained its cash memory of where the satellites are.
A Cold start is where the unit has been switched off at the back or had a soft reset or after the battery has been recharged after it has run flat. In this case it has lost all of its cash memory and has to start from its boot sequence.
Regards
DRP
_________________
Sharing information is the key to a better understanding

Mio M400 WEU, N60I, T1, 2x B2, iCN 510 & lots more

[gabbygall]

For what its worth, I have a 520 with both the Navman software & Tomtom Navigator 5 installed. I think the `time to first fix` delay is an issue with the Navman software (one would think it should be a hardware issue), but with SmartST, I cannot get a fix for between 3 - 10 minutes if setting off before acquiring a fix, however with Tomtom, it can get a fix within 2 minutes (bear in mind this is the same unit) if moving, and around 15 seconds if stationary, SmartST take around 30 secs to 2 mins to get a fix from the same location. I have tested this numerous times and found the times to be consistant..

Once you have got a fix, does the unit work OK?

[QUARKS7]

Hi Gabbygal,

Friends of mine have various different satnav syatems and none of them take any where near as long as my 520. I'm very dissapointed in the unit and I'm thinking of going back to the company I purchased it from and asking for a swap for something more capeable.

As for your last question. The answers no I'm afraid it looses then instantly re finds sats at least 8 times in a 9 mile journey and as previously mentioned it'll tell me I have 200 feet to go before a turn then 20 feet later it'll say to turn. I haven't used it for a journey other than back and forth to work testing it out. So The dodgy warnings haven't been a problem cos I know where I'm going. However I can imagine it'd be about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike If I didn't know where I was going and was relying on it's directions "Which of course is why I purchased it!" 8O ....... Regards Jez

[gabbygall]

Hi Quark, yup, sadly sounds like a faulty hardware issue.. Once my Navman (when using the SmartST software) acquires a fix, its a pretty nice piece of kit.. I am a wedding photographer by trade, and travel all over the country to different venues, brides houses, churches etc and it hasnt let me down once, takes me straight to the door everytime. Likewise, there is nothing better than hitting the `home` button after 12 hours taking photos and letting it take the strain. Its a shame you have recieved a bit of a faulty one. But once it works, you'll love it.

[QUARKS7]

Hi Gabbygall,

How's things? and thanks for the advice.

I notice with interest that you have TOM TOM 5 loaded onto your Navman. I'm a bit of a technophobe but I bought a couple of DVD's from ebay the other day that have a street level mapping for europe and the states. I actualy purchased them for the speed camera sites but I've noticed they also include Tom Tom 5 and a facilitie to change the voice prompts to various celeb voices inc Ozzy Osbourne (Un bleeped ;0) that should be a giggle when I have my Nan in the car ;0)

You also mention that they are the same system or words to that effect. So please could you explain in words of no more than 2 sylables (if that's how you spell it) how that'll work on my Navman and if it'll effect the warrenty....... Thanks in adavance, Jez

[rockyboy]

can you tell me how to install tom tom software onto navman icn520

[mikealder]

Welcome to the forum, have a read of THIS as it explains how others have done this, there is also a link from the first page to additional information on GPSPassion's web site, that one contains loads of information but takes quite some reading - Mike

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