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Sat Map Active 10 .Time to aquire a sattelite fix.
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Physicist
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Joined: Nov 08, 2007
Posts: 57
Location: Cambridge

PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you watch fly on the wall documentaries about British troops on training exercises they can invariably be seen with Garmin civilian hand-held receivers (often the eTrex). This has been confirmed in an article printed in Despatches (the journal of The Imperial War Museum) where the points were made that although the military sets offered higher accuracy the troops found them difficult to use in the field and the accuracy of civilian sets was adequate for most purposes. It also mentioned that the robust build of the Garmin 12 (and I suspect its rather curious battery case) were in part due to the requirement of the forces.

When I spoke to Richard at Satmap some time ago he - not surprisingly - said they hoped for the A10's adoption by the forces. Knowing something of the robust requirements of the military (in other areas of electronics) I would be surprised if the A10 were to be adopted in its present state.

For the record I am now on my third A10 and yet to achieve a reliable performance that I am used to with my Garmins and Magellans.
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robs1972
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Physicist wrote:

For the record I am now on my third A10 and yet to achieve a reliable performance that I am used to with my Garmins and Magellans.


Do you keep changing yours just because you are used to the Garmin and want to find one as good or because you are having other problems?
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Physicist
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Location: Cambridge

PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The first one I bought took about 20 minutes to get a fix which didn't overly worry me. However the cover came off when a friend accidently dropped it on a stone floor and the lcd panel cracked. Satmap - bless them - let me have a new set for the cost of replacing the panel (£20). However this new set never seemed to lock on at all. I returned it to them and Richard tried to get a lock but failed too (it only picked up a single satellite which probably wasn't there at all as it was always shown at the 12 oc position). Set number 3 arrived and it turned out to have much the same acquisition time as set 1. I have decided to live with this to see if matters improve with future hardware and software updates. But I always take my Garmin which despite the inferior mapping just is much more dependable, has a great battery life and a screen that is clearly visible without backlighting. In clear open countryside I revert to the A10 where the pleasure of seeing real OS maps wins me over ....till it loses lock again. It really is a curate's egg!
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py6km
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Joined: Jan 01, 2008
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just took delivery of my Active 10, and am pleased to say that it got a fix within a couple of minutes of being switched on for the first time. It definitely looks like one of those devices where you have to play around with it to figure out how to use it (mainly becuase the 'instructions' are not particularly thorough looking), but so far so good.

Will now have to take the batteries out (as it says in the leaflet that came with it), and make sure that I leave at least an hour to get a fix after I moved to the area that I want to use it in (so it can update the almanac data).

Very Happy
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mikealder
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It will only take a few minutes to get a lock once powered up, leaving it for an hour is not required although I guess this comment was intended as a joke? Have a play with the unit and become familiure with the menu and navigating around the various options, take it out on some local walks before using it in anger though so you know how to drive it - Mike
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py6km
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mikealder wrote:
It will only take a few minutes to get a lock once powered up, leaving it for an hour is not required although I guess this comment was intended as a joke?


Some people have commented that their unit has taken upwards of 30-40mins to get a fix, especially after they've moved to a different part of the UK (in fact, even the leaflet in the box said that it can take up to an hour initially).
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mikealder
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know what some people have said, and what the leaflet says - take the device outside and switch it on, even time the duration it requires to obtain a position fix, I typically find a couple of minutes is sufficiant with my device - any longer and I have a look at the GPS Status page if its showing no activity remove a battery for a few seconds before switching it on again - Mike
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py6km
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mikealder wrote:
I know what some people have said, and what the leaflet says - take the device outside and switch it on, even time the duration it requires to obtain a position fix, I typically find a couple of minutes is sufficiant with my device - any longer and I have a look at the GPS Status page if its showing no activity remove a battery for a few seconds before switching it on again - Mike


It's difficult to assess the tone of text, but you seem a little defensive on this issue? I had no reason not to believe the reports from others, and the anecdotal evidence suggested that some units could suffer from problems getting a fix. My reason for posting was therefore to show that not all units are affected (if there is indeed an issue), and that I was pleasantly surprised.
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Brian
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
.. Some people have commented that their unit has taken upwards of 30-40mins to get a fix




.. kind of reminds me of my Garmin GPS-38 Laughing
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py6km
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laughing

Well, my lilmited experience so far (in my little back garden) is that it is quick to get a fix, no problems there, but not too special at keeping it.

If I move a small amount, or orient the device differently, the fix drops. Sometimes it re-aquires in seconds, other times I have to move a bit.

I'm hopeful that this is becuase I'm in my garden with the house on one side, a brick garage on the other and other houses all around, and that those things are blocking the signal from certain directions (as I'm pretty close to them and so there is not always a line of sight directly up).

The acid test will be this weekend in the Lake District. Any problems, and it'll be striaght back !
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mitch67
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got to say my A10 has been very good so far (all over northern UK) but then I really am coming from a GPS 38 so perhaps i shouldnt comment. Aquires lock in the time it takes me to boot up and get ready.
On the subject of the GPS 38 it is because of that unit that I'm able to type this, it just about saved my life and that of my climbing partner in a whiteout in Scotland last winter. Yes it was that dramatic. Laughing
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Yasack
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a thought to everyone on this subject. I have found that I have trouble aquiring at lock if I use rechargeable batteries. (I have been using VAPEX 2700mAh), but if I use the ENERGIZER LITHIUM as supplied when I purchased the unit I get a lock in the specified time.

Has anyone else noticed this? I was wondering if it had anything to do with the power supplied from rechargeable batteries?

Regards,


Richard
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mitch67
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Location: Fleetwood, Lancs

PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just popped outside to try mine incase I was dreaming the lock time up.
Last used in Great Landale about 2 weeks ago and now in back garden in Fleetwood Lancashire so Im about 60km away as the crow flies.
Time to lock 1min 5 secs from pressing the power button, using disposable cells.
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Yasack
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Just popped outside to try mine incase I was dreaming the lock time up.
Last used in Great Landale about 2 weeks ago and now in back garden in Fleetwood Lancashire so Im about 60km away as the crow flies.
Time to lock 1min 5 secs from pressing the power button, using disposable cells.


Interesting, what about if you use rechargeable cells, or do you not have any?

Regards,


Richard
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bryanwal
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Joined: Oct 15, 2007
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yasack wrote:
Just a thought to everyone on this subject. I have found that I have trouble aquiring at lock if I use rechargeable batteries. (I have been using VAPEX 2700mAh), but if I use the ENERGIZER LITHIUM as supplied when I purchased the unit I get a lock in the specified time.

Has anyone else noticed this? I was wondering if it had anything to do with the power supplied from rechargeable batteries?

Regards,


Richard
i use nothing but vapatex 2700mah batteries and have no problems with satelite lock
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