Is my GO 700 dying?

DennisN · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:23 pm Post subject: Is my GO 700 dying?

Is my GO 700 giving up the ghost?
This morning I did my regular trip Bristol to Birmingham. Just before (400yds?) I reached Bournville at 10:25am, I came unhooked from the satellites. It stayed off until I'd done my delivery and turned for home, but I had to park up for a few moments for it to recover.
However, signals were poor. When I looked at GPS Status screen, it showed 11 satellites, but mostly only with 3 or four alive. As I progressed, it fluctuated from none to 9, but mostly 4 or 5. This was on M5 motorway, clear road, no intervening buildings or nearby hills (not even gurt big lorries!), clear blue sky, bright sunshine. I have an external aerial on top of my roof. As I neared Bristol, I caught a serious traffic jam and ended up on the roundabout under the bridge of M5 Junction 17, with the signal blocked by the bridge. When I eventually pulled clear of that, it took quarter of an hour (whilst moving) to get some sort of signal back, but it was very poor and dropped off again within no time at all. All the way back, it is my impression I was getting a worse signal than I usually do on this trip, which I do same time every Saturday and Sunday morning. Since I got an external aerial many months ago, I have never had any real bother with signals which couldn't be put down to tunnels or high buldings.
I can think of three possibilities. First the GO700 is dying. Second, the satellite signals were affected by weather or magic rays. Third, somebody is messing with the satellites. I fear there is only number one.
Anybody got any ideas? I don't think TomTom can identify my grumbling about their late maps well enough to be able to reach out and be cruel to me!!
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

sgould · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320

Could it be the external aerial that's the problem? When it's connected the internal aerial of the GO is disabled.

Try it in one place and try with and without the external aerial.
_________________
TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps

DennisN · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 6:44 pm Post subject:

Thank you for reply.
It would have had to happen in the middle of a journey. Trying the internal aerial is a bit of a game, remember - different mount means swapping them around (I'm one of those fools who leaves the mount on the windscreen, scared that too much on/off will jigger it).
I'll see how I get on tomorrow, just hoping today was a bad day for satellites. I know the route, so it's no danger of getting lost. If that's no good, I'll give the internal aerial a go on Monday. It'll be a shame if it's the aerial, I got much improved signals with it. 'Course, not so much of a shame as if the GO is popping its clogs!
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

sgould · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320

I was thinking along the lines of just checking the basic satellite reception while you are sitting in the car at home. The 700 does not need to be in the mount to work.

So try it in the mount using the external aerial and watch the signal strength. Then just unclip it and sit it on the dashboard and give it a minute or two to settle on the satellites using the internal aerial. See if it's better or worse.
_________________
TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps

DennisN · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:44 pm Post subject:

Why, oh why was I so far behind you in the brains queue? Or was it that when I was born (war baby) I hadn't got my ration card with me?

On the mount, I gave up waiting after over 5 minutes for it to acquire a signal. It's normally quite quick.

Off the mount it took very little time from splash screen to good signal.

So I put it back on the mount without switching off. The signal weakened and fluctuated at best 4 satellites.

Switched off, dismounted. Switched on again unmounted and it acquired signal almost instantly and within seconds increased from 5 to 7 satellites and steady.

So, thank you beyond all price. Now I only wish I still had the receipt for the aerial. But thank heavens for this site and the good people who use it.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

sgould · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320

There have been aerials for the 700 in Currys/Comet/PC World recently for under a tenner. I bought one for £9.95.

They may still have some left!!

...I missed being a war baby by a month!! Smile

_________________
TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps

sgould · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320

Hey!! they are only a fiver now!!

Actually £4.97 incl VAT at PC World. Part No: 570545 Collect from store only.
_________________
TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps

DennisN · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:33 pm Post subject:

sgould · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320

PC World Store Locator:

http://www.dixons-group-plc.co.uk/StoreLocator/globalmap.asp?chain=P
_________________
TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps

DennisN · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 9:54 pm Post subject:

I've already been busy. Something like 15 stores "roughly" between Bristol and Birmingham have no stock. Google finds them elsewhere for £45.82!!!

GRR! I may have to swallow my pride and get my daughter to do her e-bay thing. How awful!
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

Andy_P · Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:02 am Post subject:

There MIGHT be another explanation (but you won't want to hear it...)

There IS a known (but possibly rare) fault on the Go itself where just connecting the unit to the ordinary windscreen mount (ie NOT the external aerial base) causes reception levels to drop significantly.
This happened to my Go300, and required a service exchange from TomTom.

I don't know if this can happen with the external aerial base, though. Hope this isn't your problem...

DennisN · Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:40 am Post subject:

davideo0 · Lifetime Member Joined: Oct 17, 2005 Posts: 20

It's perhaps too late now - but there are plenty on Ebay under £15 as 'Buy Nows' or less if you're prepared to bid and wait.

DennisN · Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 3:03 pm Post subject:

Yes, there were 26 entries last night and I got my daughter who has an e-bay account to contact a guy with a second hand one in Hereford for me to pick up this morning for a tenner en route back from Birmingham. He turned me down. It's still on at £4.99 with only 4 hours to go, so serve him right if it doesn't get better. I hate e-bay anyway, but I may have to go that route.

Andy, the bad scene didn't come up - on the mount without aerial it worked beautifully and had 10 satellites when I left M42. I tried again with aerial and it lost signal.

Thanks to everybody again for your help.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

SteadyGeoff · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 20, 2006 Posts: 4

I got a NEW one off E-bay for £12.98 + Postage.

I bought it on Friday Morning, it was sent off Friday evening and arrived at my front door Saturday morning. It now works a treat on my GO700.

So give E-bay a GO......... Laughing

sorry for the GO statement, couldn't help it.

Hope you find one.

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