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Author Topic:   Garmin GPSmap 498 GPS Receiver Not Working

Anjin posted 03-24-2012 10:39 PM ET (US)
I have a Garmin GPSmap 498. It is only about 4 years old and has worked fine. But today, after not using it for a year (It has been in the house, not on the boat, all that time), it would not acquire satellites. It read depth, but it would not acquire satellites even after several attempts with plenty of time to acquire. Is this thing shot and ready for the garbage? Or is there some setting or something that can be done to get it to work?
Chuck Tribolet posted 03-25-2012 07:10 AM ET (US)
How long did you let it try to acquire? If a GPS is not used
for a long time, it may need as much as an hour to reacquire
the birds.
Chuck
jimh posted 03-25-2012 08:18 AM ET (US)
Make sure the GPS receiver has a clear view of the sky in all directions and there are no overhead obstructions. Check the settings of the GPS receiver to make sure its time and date are accurately preset. Some GPS receivers also have an input for the approximate location of the receiver. This will tend to speed up acquisition of satellite signals. Let the GPS receiver run for a few hours without moving it.
A GPS receiver needs an ephemeris--a table that predicts which satellites in the GPS will be in view--to help it receive signals from the satellites. When a GPS receiver has the wrong time, wrong date, and does not know its current general location, it can take a long time for the receiver to acquire signals from satellites.
Anjin posted 03-25-2012 11:05 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the replies. I found some material on the Garmin website directly on point. [The auto-locate procedure GARMIN suggested to restore GPS reception] worked! I sure am glad I don't have to buy a new GPS right now. Below is the explanation of how to perform the Auto-locate procedure which gets the unit to start acquiring satellites again.
There could be a few causes of the device not acquiring satellites. If the device has moved a large distance since the last time it has acquired satellites or has been turned off for longer than a few weeks or months, the device may not be able to acquire the satellites correctly.
The first troubleshooting step is to perform an AutoLocate procedure. This procedure will clear the device's memory of previous satellite information, and try to download new information.
Note: This will not clear any user data like waypoints, routes, and tracks.
To perform the AutoLocate procedure, please follow these steps:
1.Start with the device powered OFF
2.Press and hold the Page button and Power ON the device
3.Continue to hold both the Page and Power button until the I Agree button is highlighted in the lower right corner of the screen
4.Press the Enter button.

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Author	Topic: Garmin GPSmap 498 GPS Receiver Not Working
Anjin	posted 03-24-2012 10:39 PM ET (US) I have a Garmin GPSmap 498. It is only about 4 years old and has worked fine. But today, after not using it for a year (It has been in the house, not on the boat, all that time), it would not acquire satellites. It read depth, but it would not acquire satellites even after several attempts with plenty of time to acquire. Is this thing shot and ready for the garbage? Or is there some setting or something that can be done to get it to work?
Chuck Tribolet	posted 03-25-2012 07:10 AM ET (US) How long did you let it try to acquire? If a GPS is not used for a long time, it may need as much as an hour to reacquire the birds. Chuck
jimh	posted 03-25-2012 08:18 AM ET (US) Make sure the GPS receiver has a clear view of the sky in all directions and there are no overhead obstructions. Check the settings of the GPS receiver to make sure its time and date are accurately preset. Some GPS receivers also have an input for the approximate location of the receiver. This will tend to speed up acquisition of satellite signals. Let the GPS receiver run for a few hours without moving it. A GPS receiver needs an ephemeris--a table that predicts which satellites in the GPS will be in view--to help it receive signals from the satellites. When a GPS receiver has the wrong time, wrong date, and does not know its current general location, it can take a long time for the receiver to acquire signals from satellites.
Anjin	posted 03-25-2012 11:05 AM ET (US) Thanks for the replies. I found some material on the Garmin website directly on point. [The auto-locate procedure GARMIN suggested to restore GPS reception] worked! I sure am glad I don't have to buy a new GPS right now. Below is the explanation of how to perform the Auto-locate procedure which gets the unit to start acquiring satellites again. There could be a few causes of the device not acquiring satellites. If the device has moved a large distance since the last time it has acquired satellites or has been turned off for longer than a few weeks or months, the device may not be able to acquire the satellites correctly. The first troubleshooting step is to perform an AutoLocate procedure. This procedure will clear the device's memory of previous satellite information, and try to download new information. Note: This will not clear any user data like waypoints, routes, and tracks. To perform the AutoLocate procedure, please follow these steps: 1.Start with the device powered OFF 2.Press and hold the Page button and Power ON the device 3.Continue to hold both the Page and Power button until the I Agree button is highlighted in the lower right corner of the screen 4.Press the Enter button.