Montana 650 - Loss Satellite Reception

[gtj]

Hi There,

I recently purchased the City Navigator and loaded it into my Montana 650 for use on my motorcycle.
The problem I am encountering is that I commonly get the "Lost Satellite Reception" message from the unit. There is a wide open view of the sky. The error seems to mainly occur after making a turn and accelerating whereby the pointer heads off at an angle kind of bisected by the road turned onto and the original direction, then the error message shows up. It takes a km or two before re-establishing the satellites and showing proper progression on the unit. I have never encountered this problem before while using the unit for hiking, kayaking or on my ATV, although these uses would be at lower speeds.

Anyone else experience a similar fault?
Any suggestions?

Thanking You In Avance,
Glenn

[bighopper]

I'm guessing here, but it sounds like you might have a loose receiver in the unit. I seem to remember someone earlier have this issue & repair it, but I think they were maybe in a remote location.

I'd call Garmin Support in Canada 1-866-429-9296 it's usually fast connecting & log your problem.

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by gtj

Hi There,

I recently purchased the City Navigator and loaded it into my Montana 650 for use on my motorcycle.
The problem I am encountering is that I commonly get the "Lost Satellite Reception" message from the unit. There is a wide open view of the sky. The error seems to mainly occur after making a turn and accelerating whereby the pointer heads off at an angle kind of bisected by the road turned onto and the original direction, then the error message shows up. It takes a km or two before re-establishing the satellites and showing proper progression on the unit. I have never encountered this problem before while using the unit for hiking, kayaking or on my ATV, although these uses would be at lower speeds.

Anyone else experience a similar fault?
Any suggestions?

Thanking You In Avance,
Glenn

I've never had that kind of problem but my wife's 650 lost its antenna connection internally once, and we needed to send it in under warranty for replacement. The antenna problem we had was not intermittent. It was no longer receiving a signal unless we connected an external antenna.

Is your Montana getting interference from other electronics on your bike, or do you have multiple maps enabled, causing a slowdown?

[Albie]

Originally Posted by Emmbeedee

Is your Montana getting interference from other electronics on your bike, or do you have multiple maps enabled, causing a slowdown?

If you use a XM radio or radar detector, these devices can sometimes cause interference if they are next to the GPS.

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by Albie

If you use a XM radio or radar detector, these devices can sometimes cause interference if they are next to the GPS.

Wouldn't be a radar detector, that's for sure. Ontario has strict laws against their use.

[OceanMtnSea]

Originally Posted by gtj

Hi There,

I recently purchased the City Navigator and loaded it into my Montana 650 for use on my motorcycle.
The problem I am encountering is that I commonly get the "Lost Satellite Reception" message from the unit. There is a wide open view of the sky. The error seems to mainly occur after making a turn and accelerating whereby the pointer heads off at an angle kind of bisected by the road turned onto and the original direction, then the error message shows up. It takes a km or two before re-establishing the satellites and showing proper progression on the unit. I have never encountered this problem before while using the unit for hiking, kayaking or on my ATV, although these uses would be at lower speeds.

Anyone else experience a similar fault?
Any suggestions?

Thanking You In Avance,
Glenn

Check this post........it might help: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=798472

[gtj]

Originally Posted by Emmbeedee

I've never had that kind of problem but my wife's 650 lost its antenna connection internally once, and we needed to send it in under warranty for replacement. The antenna problem we had was not intermittent. It was no longer receiving a signal unless we connected an external antenna.

Is your Montana getting interference from other electronics on your bike, or do you have multiple maps enabled, causing a slowdown?

Mine is just intermittent as described.
Only have the City Navigator enabled when used on the motorcycle.
?

[gtj]

Originally Posted by Albie

If you use a XM radio or radar detector, these devices can sometimes cause interference if they are next to the GPS.

No XM radio.
No radar detector. OPP (Ontario Police) take them and ticket you for having those.
I do have a Scala Rider with Bluetooth connection to my cell phone. Could this be causing any interference?

[gtj]

Originally Posted by OceanMtnSea

Check this post........it might help: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=798472

Thanks for this link. Very well done "hardening" description!
I will keep this in mind.

FWIW - BTW I get out to SK occassionally, as my daughter lives there. Close to Edam.

[9Dave]

Originally Posted by gtj

The problem I am encountering is that I commonly get the "Lost Satellite Reception" message from the unit. There is a wide open view of the sky.

Where on the bike do you have the gps mounted?

[gtj]

Originally Posted by 9Dave

Where on the bike do you have the gps mounted?

AMPS rugged mount on the handlebar center between riser clamps

[9Dave]

Originally Posted by gtj

AMPS rugged mount on the handlebar center between riser clamps

Then you should be getting decent signal most all of the time.

I'd suggest calling Garmin for a tech consult and likely a warranty claim. Without any obstructions, you shouldn't be losing signal like that.

[gtj]

Just an update.
I did contact Garmin with regards to this issue, but they didn't have any suggestions. Just said if it continues to happen, that I may have to send the unit in to be looked at.
As mentioned previously, I do have a Scala intercomm system. Yesterday while riding, I encountered the frequent loss of satellite reception messages and odd tracking lines on the GPS (Montana 650t) over a 2 hour stent, as described earlier.
I turned the Scala Rider off while riding and behold, perfect tracking and no loss of of reception with the GPS performing beautifully for 1-1/2 hours. It seems the ScalaRider is in some way causing the interference problem.
I do have the Scala Rider "bluetoothed" to my Samsung Android phone.
I may try to remove the BT connection and test it again to see if the BT is causing the problem by itself. I am not optimistic with this, though as other Garmin products run BT successfully.
Any one else running a Scala Rider G9 with a Montana 6XX successfully?

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by gtj

Just an update.
I did contact Garmin with regards to this issue, but they didn't have any suggestions. Just said if it continues to happen, that I may have to send the unit in to be looked at.
As mentioned previously, I do have a Scala intercomm system. Yesterday while riding, I encountered the frequent loss of satellite reception messages and odd tracking lines on the GPS (Montana 650t) over a 2 hour stent, as described earlier.
I turned the Scala Rider off while riding and behold, perfect tracking and no loss of of reception with the GPS performing beautifully for 1-1/2 hours. It seems the ScalaRider is in some way causing the interference problem.
I do have the Scala Rider "bluetoothed" to my Samsung Android phone.
I may try to remove the BT connection and test it again to see if the BT is causing the problem by itself. I am not optimistic with this, though as other Garmin products run BT successfully.
Any one else running a Scala Rider G9 with a Montana 6XX successfully?

My wife and I use our Scala G4 intercoms with no problem at all on the Montanas.

[gtj]

Originally Posted by gtj

Just an update.
I did contact Garmin with regards to this issue, but they didn't have any suggestions. Just said if it continues to happen, that I may have to send the unit in to be looked at.
As mentioned previously, I do have a Scala intercomm system. Yesterday while riding, I encountered the frequent loss of satellite reception messages and odd tracking lines on the GPS (Montana 650t) over a 2 hour stent, as described earlier.
I turned the Scala Rider off while riding and behold, perfect tracking and no loss of of reception with the GPS performing beautifully for 1-1/2 hours. It seems the ScalaRider is in some way causing the interference problem.
I do have the Scala Rider "bluetoothed" to my Samsung Android phone.
I may try to remove the BT connection and test it again to see if the BT is causing the problem by itself. I am not optimistic with this, though as other Garmin products run BT successfully.
Any one else running a Scala Rider G9 with a Montana 6XX successfully?

Update:

I did a 2 hour ride and experimented with the Scala Rider G9 turned off and the Montana functioned perfectly. As soon as I turned the Scala Rider on, the Montana GPS acted up with poor tracking, incorrect navigation and Loss of satellite reception. I also gave a go at (i) having the Bluetooth function on my phone turned off and (ii) the phone itself turned off with the Scala Rider left on in the previous two scenarios, but the GPS still acted up in these circumstances.

Unfortunately, I have to assume the Scala Rider G9 and Montana 650t are incompatible in my setup?