A few questions after a trip to Europe

[jeannot18]

Sorry if this has been asked before, i have done a few searches but could not find the wanted answers.
Firstly I have a Navigo SatNav running TT (PocketPC device, App version 7.910 (9185) - Map: Western Europe v8.15.2024).

Before our holiday I have downloaded the latest databases for the UK and Europe. Warning for speed cameras in the UK works ok. On the continent (France and Spain) I was not getting any warning at all. Did I mean to get another file downloaded?

Also the map in France and Spain were different from what I was driving (ie road on screen was straight but there was a roundabout), so i guess i am running an old map version, do I need to upgrade this?

I realise that this is a cheap SatNav, but it takes sometimes ages to pick satellites signal. Do a proper, let's say TomTom device, much faster to pick up the signals.

Another thing that happened twice now is: yesterday coming back from the Eurotunnel, and a few months back coming back from Gatwick. Both times on the M25, the SatNav lost completely the signal, the screen goes gray and keep telling me to take a shard turn (left or right) . Is the M25 the Bermuda Triangle for SatNav?

Sorry about the long post and many questions. In advance many thanks

JC

[bandk]

I would take europe maps with a pinch of salt. I use a TTXL and for the most part european maps are ok, but like several road I travel in Spain, they are not shown on the maps. The roads are newish, ie two of mine were bypasses installed in 2006 yet the maps have not been upgraded yet! The XL even directed us to take a wrong turn on the Paris periferique (not a road you want to make a mistake on) before taking us on a 3 mile detour to get us back on track.So I would suspect road changes are not a high priority when it comes to updating the maps in europe.

[jeannot18]

Thanks BandK, I was not too worry about that TBH, but just found it a bit strange. It seems that Spain is building a number of new roads between Zaragosa and Barcelona.

I have now found out also why I was not getting any warning for Speed cameras on the continent. My fault really for not reading the instructions properly.

JC :

[mpwilson99]

Im not familiar with the Navigo, but as a guess I would say the files you downloaded for Europe were not setup to have an audiable alert given on approach to a eurocam?

I dont know if the Navigon knows what side of the road your on, i would suggest it should do, or at least have a UK/Euro setting?

Re getting a Fix, on my phone using i get a fairly quick fix, at least i did when i come off the euroslug.

I would strongly advise anyone going on a long trip - especially a euro trip, to totally ensure your satnav is setup correctly, and the route chosen is checked to ensure its intergity.
Not sure of the Navithing features, but check to see if you can browse the route, and do some demos over sections where there are speed cameras.

With regards to updates in Spain, lets be fair, in the UK we have our share of roads missing, some since 1999 i know of, and routes included taking us across the Brighton Mainline which havent existed since the end of steam.
_________________
TomTom 700 GO user since Dec 2005.
TomTom PDA XDA user since Dec 2007.
TomTom HTC HD2 user since Jul 2012.

[Trevor1234]

HI jeannot18
I travel frequently to France (but not Spain) and have had no trouble with my Tomtom. It’s a model 720, gets a fix almost immediately and never looses the signal. I do not have the latest map but have had no trouble on my journeys in France. Indeed, I can honestly say that the device has never let me down even once.
_________________
Tomtom Go 720.
Navcore 9.510
Central and Western Europe v855.2884
GPS World Traffic cameras
Home 2.7
iPhone 3G

[jeannot18]

Thanks guys, Trevor, the loss of signal has happened only on the M25 (twice only), bit of a pain but not the end of the world as I know the road now. The strange thing is once the signal goes, no matter what i do it does not come back until I pass the Dartford crossing. Anywhere else I don't have this problem, just thought somebody had the same problem. I may, once my finance are a bit better, treat myself to a nicer unit.

JC

[Trevor1234]

Hi jeannot18
Keep saving the pounds, you wont regret it.
_________________
Tomtom Go 720.
Navcore 9.510
Central and Western Europe v855.2884
GPS World Traffic cameras
Home 2.7
iPhone 3G

[Seamaster]

You can only speak as you find — my Tomtom 740 has been an excellent companion in Europe. The mapping is accurate and the HD Traffic coverage has been a great bonus. And it gets a good satellite fix very quickly, even in cities.

[BigPerk]

Where were you when you lost the GPS on the M25 - not in the Dartford tunnel by any chance?
_________________
David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)

[matthewj]

One of the issues of turning up in a strange part of the world is that the satnav may have to work out where it is from first principles. This can take up to 10 minutes, and should be kept still while this is happening. Once it has the database downloaded from the satellites and knows where it is, it should work much more quickly. When I travel, I always make sure it gets a good lock for 10 mins or so where I am, and this will help it when it finds the sky is not the same as it was before. Regular use will solve this as it has the database of positions, and can get a lock much more quickly.

[jeannot18]

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