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GJF Frequent Visitor
Joined: Feb 08, 2007 Posts: 894
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry if it offended, I'm also from an "immigrant" I was trying to add a sense of humour! _________________ TomTom Go 60
Garmin Nüvi 660, Firmware v4.90
Drive-Smart GPS with Loader v1.4.16
HTC Advantage X7500 MS 6.1 Tchart Speed Sentry
Satmap Active 10, Software v1.16
Fuzion 32 HUD Bluetooth GPS receiver |
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mikealder Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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northender wrote: | He's threatened to drive up to Winter Hill (nearest transmitter to Preston/Blackpool users) & see whether he can get a traffic signal. | It wasn't a threat more of a promise to see if this thing could be made to work, some interesting results when I actually tried this earlier today:
Winter Hill is/ was (and the was bit will be explained if you read on) the local transmitter for RDS-TMC, with 5KW of power on 105,4 (channel 179) it covered most of Lancashire, I got to within 0,5 miles of the tower with nothing being received - the signal strength was over 60 in places when I stopped to check it - but no Traffic information.
Descending down the Bolton side of the hill the unit sprang in to life receiving a steady stream (265+ messages in 15 minutes) but this was from the Sunley Building Transmitter in Manchester, the actual signal strength while receiving was never higher than 35, driving back towards Preston/ Blackpool the signal strength of this transmitter decayed until reception ceased.
From the above I now know my RDS-TMC is working (when in range of an active transmitter, one can only conclude that Winter Hill is either no longer transmitting RDS-TMC, or is undergoing maintenance (not a good prospect for the North West until this is resolved) - Mike |
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northender Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 21, 2006 Posts: 38 Location: Preston
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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mikealder wrote: | From the above I now know my RDS-TMC is working (when in range of an active transmitter, one can only conclude that Winter Hill is either no longer transmitting RDS-TMC, or is undergoing maintenance (not a good prospect for the North West until this is resolved) - Mike |
So who do we complain to?
I've had a search on the web & can't come up with any info regards Trafficmaster transmitter locations, maintenance or responsibility.
The TrafficMaster site
http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/page.cfm?key=RDS_TMC
quotes an e-mail address for info, so I'll try this as a starter.
Do you mind if I point to your post Mike? _________________ Nuvi 310 v3.90
+ GTM12 v4.40 (now with traffic data from Winter Hill transmitter!!) |
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paul9018 Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 23
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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well since updating from V3.90 to v4. I have had non stop traffic, travlling all around the kent, sussex area. well happy now. will be going upto leicester in a couple of weeks plus will be travel all around the southern area. |
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swing Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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I've spoken with both Garmin and Trafficmaster on the question of publishing information on outages on the TMC network, and neither are interested in their customers enough to do anything.
Trafficmaster may well know this information, and may even share it with Garmin... _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums. |
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satnavman Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jan 09, 2006 Posts: 38 Location: Norfolk, UK
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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Finally It Works! Well all throughout East Anglia at least........... Pages upon Pages of Traffic....
With regards to Swings previous post,
Garmin kept promising to sort this mess out with the V4.00 TMC Upgrade and they did eventually!
But now maybe some customers are going to have to go through it all again with the transmitter outage situation........ God I hope Not!
For those of us with free lifetime subscription to TMC or for even those who pay for other services, We still bought the Garmin TMC Product that included that service, and the product should do the job it was designed for.
If Garmin or Trafficmaster do not care enough about their customers (And that is what we are) to share the information about the tranmitter status I think we should all put a request in writing for this information to Garmin and ask them to explain why the transmitter status information is such a National Secret.
After all if I get no signal on my mobile phone in a location where I normally would then I can phone my "Network Service Provider" from a landline telephone and they will check if they have a transmitter problem for me.
And wether they like it or not in this situationthat is exactly what Garmin/Trafficmaster are A "Network Service Provider" so they should provide or explain why they are not providing! |
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northender Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 21, 2006 Posts: 38 Location: Preston
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I've written off to Trafficmaster asking for this information.
Let's see what comes back before making any judgement, but I must admit that previous posts don't give me any cause for optimism so far. _________________ Nuvi 310 v3.90
+ GTM12 v4.40 (now with traffic data from Winter Hill transmitter!!) |
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satnavman Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jan 09, 2006 Posts: 38 Location: Norfolk, UK
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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I have just now written to Garmin and emailed them telling them I have sent the request in writing and also asking them to confirm reciept of the communication.
Will report back!
Hopefully Soon.
However knowing how this topic is going then it would not surprise me in the least if they ask some of us to move to get better reception!
Joke!
Or is it! |
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HeliMan Occasional Visitor
Joined: Oct 16, 2006 Posts: 4
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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The lack of TMC RDS information form Winter Hill is interesting. On the day of the high winds a month or so back was when my traffic information stopped, I used to be able to receive traffic with no problem in the house in Southport Lancs. On v3.7. It was that night I updated to v3.9 and the misery started.
Did the transmitter aerial suffer damage in the winds or was it coincidentally switched off that day? It may explain why on v4.0 there is still no TMC information to the West of Winter Hill??? |
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marksnsparks Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 53 Location: Lancaster
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with Mike alder. I've travelled from Manchester to Liverpool then on to Stoke this morning. No blue diamond or traffic messages at all. I went slightly further down the motorway to Stafford, blue triangle appears and loads of traffic messages. Back to Stoke - nothing. Back to Liverpool - nothing. Back to Lancaster - nothing.
At least we now know it's not the GTM software. Wonder how we can gang up on trafficmaster to get the transmitter sorted?? Anyone any suggestions? _________________ _________________
Garmin Nuvi 310 - Version 4.70 Firmware.
V9 Maps
Audio version 2.30
GTM12 - Version 4.80 Firmware
GPS v3.00
bluetooth software version 3.10 |
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mwfox Regular Visitor
Joined: Jun 18, 2006 Posts: 149 Location: Buckingham. UK
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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Is it the transmitter though - could be the relevant radio station that is not broadcasting the TMC signals? Do they even know its not working? |
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northender Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 21, 2006 Posts: 38 Location: Preston
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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Write to Tim Owen of Trafficmaster, address is on this page like I've done:-
http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/page.cfm?key=RDS_TMC
He may not know the answers, but we've got to start somewhere.
If not, I'm sure he knows a man who can... _________________ Nuvi 310 v3.90
+ GTM12 v4.40 (now with traffic data from Winter Hill transmitter!!) |
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marksnsparks Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 53 Location: Lancaster
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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I sent Mr Owen an email last night. If he's kind enough to respond I'll let you all know what he says. _________________ _________________
Garmin Nuvi 310 - Version 4.70 Firmware.
V9 Maps
Audio version 2.30
GTM12 - Version 4.80 Firmware
GPS v3.00
bluetooth software version 3.10 |
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BAVC10 Lifetime Member
Joined: Dec 20, 2005 Posts: 754
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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I have found Version 4 to be fairly robust - received 13 pages of Traffic info whilst on the M23 - showed reports over 250 miles away!
The only "slight" niggle would be that on the 3.80 version, the blue diamond would display after 2 or 3 minutes whereas on version 4, it now seems to search for 10 - 15 minutes before kicking into life. |
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GJF Frequent Visitor
Joined: Feb 08, 2007 Posts: 894
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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My "Blue Diamond" comes on almost immediately, you might find that although the aerial is obviously working, another position might help. The actual position does make a big difference. _________________ TomTom Go 60
Garmin Nüvi 660, Firmware v4.90
Drive-Smart GPS with Loader v1.4.16
HTC Advantage X7500 MS 6.1 Tchart Speed Sentry
Satmap Active 10, Software v1.16
Fuzion 32 HUD Bluetooth GPS receiver |
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