GTM-10 and GTM-11 TMC Receivers

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

I've recently purchased the GTM-11 TMC receiver to enhance my Streetpilot 2720. After being initially very impressed I'm now starting to get very frustrated. My Streetpilot now crashes and reboots very frequently (every couple of minutes) and the GTM-11 looses the FM signal more than it receives it, yet I'm using the long wire antenna and in a good signal area so my guess is that it's all firmware related.

Has anyone else been using one of these units, and what is your experience?

Finally I'm sure I managed to find out which radio frequency it had tuned to, but I can't find it again. Can anyone tell me how to do it?

Cheers

Steve

adamf · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 2:38 am Post subject:

thaught you needed the 10 for the uk... i wanted one myself but lets see
ask garmin tell them they can have it back......

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

Both units are available for the UK market (although I couldn't get a GTM-10 anywhere). The difference is just how they connect to an antenna.

Mine certainly has the UK RAC Live subscription included.

I logged an email support request yesterday so I'll wait for the Garmin response.

So far the unit seems to work better if it's been left on for a length of time before I start my journey. But whilst this seemed to maintain more (but still nowhere near constant) reception, I still suffered from crashes on my journey to work today (although not quite as many).

All in all, so far not so good.

Steve

swing · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:10 pm Post subject:

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

Hi Swing

Yes I am thinking of trying a splitter on my car ariel, but it is slightly complicated by the type of connectors Garmin us on the GTM range - ideally I'd like to get hold of the ISO connector kit they sell as an accessory for the GTM 10 in the US.

As for the firmware, I'm already using the 4.54 beta with GTM version 2.50 but this is still poor. I'm hoping for improvements when the released version hits the streets, but so far I've had no reply from Garmin.

I would willingly help them test and diagnose the software as currently it is very unstable.

On a positive note, the quality of the data received seems very high.

barryp · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:12 am Post subject:

I got to use my GTM11 and 2720 properly for the first time at the weekend (been using it in the house to watch for traffic).

Drove from Hampshire to Kent, didn't get any lock ups/reboots but the FM signal did disappear an awful lot. I was using the whip antenna not the wire.

When in coverage it worked a treat, although no traffic on my route I could see lots elsewhere (it was 7.30 am on a Sunday morning!).

I am using V4.50 software. Need to give it more tries to see if it's worth the money.

Barry

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

I've been trying mine quite a lot now and can now make the following observations:

FM Signal drops
FM Signal drops are very frequent and can go from max signal to no signal in a couple of seconds. I get the feeling that it is not retuning to the best transmitter properly as I move between areas but if I could find where I saw the frequency it was tuned to again it would help work out what is going on.

I am looking at getting a Frakra to ISO antenna coverter to try to hook up to my car ariel system, however I can only find them in the US. My gut feeling is that the antenna is not the issue, but instead the cause is the way the firmware is working.

System Crashes
The system crashes have reduced in frequency, but I think they are due to one of two areas of the code that have crashed my unit in the past (before the GTM 11).

I think there may be a bug in where the unit can crash with a list displayed (such as find nearest petrol station) whilst driving and the shuffling of items in the list as you drive kills the unit. I think the same happens as I have the list of traffic incidents displayed whilst driving.

I also believe there may be a bug in continuous autorouting which has crashed my unit in the past and does so now occaisionally when the traffic situation is changing.

Finally the crashes have been less frequent, but I have now started to switch on the unit 5 or 10 minutes before setting off if possible to download the latest traffic information - I think having the full traffic situation available before starting to route have eased my problems.

I'm crossing my fingers that the next firmware update will be along fairly soon and will start to address some of the teething problems.

I do have to say though that the RAC-Live data seems very accurate.

swing · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:04 pm Post subject:

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

FM Drop-outs
We I took the plunge based on what swing had said.

I ordered the Navigon 'Y' splitter (this one supports the phantom 12v feed from my head unit to my antenna) and this gave me a phono type antenna connection to use. I managed to find a FAKRA to DIN (motorola) kit on eBay which was sold to use a FM modulator with BMW 5 series. I then made my own DIN to Phono lead from parts bought at Maplin.

The net result so far is a much more stable FM signal which is maintained for much more of the time. I've only used on on a short journey but initially it seems much better and I think it will mask the main problem.

I still believe that there is a firmware issue as I was getting a full signal meter at times and no signal others at the same point on my usual journey to work. I think it has a search and re-tune issue.

I'll post more info once I've had more time to try it out on a longer journey.

Crashes
I regressed to the pre-beta 4.50 version of firmware which still uses 2.50 on the GTM. So far no crashes, but Monday morning should be the telling time when there are loads of traffic incidents. I wonder if this is the different firmware or just the fact that all settings go back to factory default when regressing and therefore some corruption was deleted?

I'll post more info once I've had more time to try it out on a longer journey.

swing · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:08 pm Post subject:

Nice to hear you are moving forwards, if only via a convulted route! If I do end up with a Garmin solution (still weighing up my options as to what to get next) I think I'll aim for the GTM10.

Presumably if you now find the non-beta firmware more stable, it might be worth taking the beta version again and performing a full reset - certainly one of the other Streetpilot beta firmwares caused problems unless you performed a reset after installing it.

I'd love to see a picture of the Traffic Map on a Monday morning around the Hertfordshire area (although I think you've just lost that option as you've gone back to the 4.50 firmware).

Out of interest, how easy do you find the unit to use - do you use the screen or the remote - can everything be done by the remote - is it even worth having a remote?

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

You are right - the traffic map has gone at the moment. I'm going to give it a week now to confirm the stability and then upgrade again.

I find the unit easy to use and generally just use the touch screen and side buttons as my unit is within easy reach mounted on the dash. The remote is also very good and if I was using it screen mounted I'd always use the remote.

steviec909 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 7

Hi,

I also have the 2720 with GTM-11 and have found the same problems, as far as the crashing goes, when I spoke to garmin they think it is to do with the 'text to speech' the new version 5 seems to have done the trick for me.

The GTM-11 I find great when it works but that it not often. I live in St. Albans and can travel a fair few miles before it gets a signal then disapears with only a few results... (not much good really)... When it stays in (normally sitting at traffic lights edging the car untill it picks up) the info is great... I am using the wire at the mo wrapped around the windscreen. When I connected it to the car antenna it was better but when the radio was turned on it seemed to pull the signal away from the GTM-11.... Is there a way round this ? Some little gissmo ?

swing · Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 2:11 pm Post subject:

steviec909 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 7

It is a Saab 93,

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

I bought on of these adaptor kits and a 'Y' splitter for my car antenna so both the GTM-11 and car radio get a feed from the main antenna.

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