Earthmate not locking - Page 2

inniss777 · 07-22-2005, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Sorry, receivers do not penetrate anything. Only transmissions can penetrate things.

The receivers consist of the chipset. Some chipsets will penatrate the coated winshields that block uv rays and electro-magnetic signals.

Quote:

We'll look at indoor use on page 6, but let's start by looking at how the various chipsets behave when used in vehicles equipped with "coated windshields", which is the case for most cars with automatic A/C systems in Europe. These windshields are designed to reduce the heat inside a vehicle by blocking electro-magnetic signals (that includes GPS). For instance, Renault reckons that by using 15 to 20 layers of metal particles (silver and titanium) representing a total thickness of 50 microns, the temperature of the dashboard can be reduced by 20 degrees celsius with strong sun and as a result A/C power by 10%. While this certainly helps with power savings, it's a problem for GPS as the signals get completely blocked out and GPS use generally requires an external or re-radiating antenna (examples here). Let's see how the current generation of GPS receivers fares.

For more info on this click here.

Wiredwrx · 07-22-2005, 09:42 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by albysure

i have an earthmate with street atlas that came with it. i just tried it agagin and it wont get a fix or show up in device manager. i had a rand mcnally receiver that did work but that was serial and i wanted to go with the usb receiver. app was streets and trips and it work fine through the windshield. might have to go back. and...i put the earthmate receiver outside the car and waited for quite awhile and no go. when i plug it in i get a flashing red light for about 3 or 4 times and then it goes out.

The fact that the LED goes out might indicate that the receiver is not working.

to find out what the flashing, then dying LED means.

Michael

albysure · 07-23-2005, 09:15 AM

DUH!!!!!!!

since i've been a member here for almost 6 years now lets just ASSume i already tried the manual. and...the manual i have doesn't cover the receiver, only software

MoFo · 07-23-2005, 12:23 PM

Did you say your gps mouse plugged into a usb hub?

Wiredwrx · 07-23-2005, 12:50 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by inniss777

The receivers consist of the chipset. Some chipsets will penatrate the coated winshields that block uv rays and electro-magnetic signals.

For more info on this click here.

Chipsets, and receivers do not penetrate anything. Do your ears penetrate the wall with sound. No. Your ears are the receiver, and the sound are waves, just as GPS signals are waves, generated by the GPS sats, like the noise maker. Your choices are to make the sound stronger (ie. louder), which we can't do because we can't control the Sats, or make your ears more sensitive (good hearing), using a better receiver or chipset.

Your quote proves nothing about receiver penetrating anything.

This is a major distinction because people actually think that the GPS RECIEVER that people use send some sort of signal to the satelites. It does not. Receivers are passive, not active.

Michael

Wiredwrx · 07-23-2005, 12:57 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by albysure

i have an earthmate with street atlas that came with it. i just tried it agagin and it wont get a fix or show up in device manager. i had a rand mcnally receiver that did work but that was serial and i wanted to go with the usb receiver. app was streets and trips and it work fine through the windshield. might have to go back. and...i put the earthmate receiver outside the car and waited for quite awhile and no go. when i plug it in i get a flashing red light for about 3 or 4 times and then it goes out.

What model Earthmate do you have?

albysure · 07-23-2005, 06:17 PM

usb earthmate

albysure · 07-23-2005, 10:11 PM

and it is not on a hub thanks!

Wiredwrx · 07-23-2005, 11:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by albysure

and it is not on a hub thanks!

Did it ever work. What has changed. I am starting to think that the unit might be defective or broken. I think the LED should stay on, either flashing or steady. I don't think it should just run off. THat sounds like it is losing power and/or shutting off.

Michael

albysure · 07-24-2005, 12:27 AM

i bought it around december and just recently teird it out. i think at one point the light stayed on steady. i will try it again tomorrow. if not i guess ill go back to my old one-a rand mcnally streetfinder deluxe-which did work through the windshield

Pentode · 07-25-2005, 09:31 AM

I have a Evermore USB receiver which worked great with my Laptop. Since connecting it to my Car PC I have hade much poorer results. Initially it would pickup 1 maybe 2 satelites. I then reinforced the ground connection to my PC with a 10mm cable straight from the PSU cack to the car chassis. Now I get get a better result but still not good enough. I beleive there also may be an issue with PSU/ignition noise as the number of satelites seems to vary with engine speed! The receiver, being on the dash is close to the car electronics which may be causing some interference. The PC is mounted in the dash too. My next step will be to move the receiver to the back and also to scope the power rails (difficult while driving.!)

Another factor these summer days (in the UK) is trees. I've found that the foliage in the suburban streets can reduce the satelite count dramatically.

Paisan · 08-09-2005, 07:02 AM

Do you have a laptop or screen in your car. I have the earthmate and it appears that on my system it's being interfered by the touchscreen software for the Xenarc 7" screen. If I turn off the screen for 30 seconds bam it finds the signal, if not then it has varying degrees of getting and dropping the signal.

-mike

Wiredwrx · 08-09-2005, 12:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Paisan

Do you have a laptop or screen in your car. I have the earthmate and it appears that on my system it's being interfered by the touchscreen software for the Xenarc 7" screen. If I turn off the screen for 30 seconds bam it finds the signal, if not then it has varying degrees of getting and dropping the signal.

-mike

That would mean the screen is causing interference, not the Touchscreen software. The touchscreen software doesn't turn on and off with the screen. The software/driver remains "on" on your system, whether the screen is off or not.

THe intereference is from the screen itself. You might want to try changing the refresh rate. I have heard that changing the refresh rate has helped other people.

Michael