2610 Question.

[Stevieboy]

Just wondered if anyone could shed some light on a problem I had with my 2610 while on holiday in France. I have only just got the unit so I am still learning, but in the car it got me to my airport hotel no problem. We landed at Grenoble and picked up our hire car, a Vauxhall Zafira, plugged in the sat nav and off we went. It picked up the satellites no problem at the airport, but after about 20 minutes it lost them and was next to useless for the rest of the 100 mile journey. It would just not pick up. It would pick them up for a couple of minutes then lose them for the next 20. The return journey from Meribel to Grenoble was exactly the same. The Zafira has a decent sized windscreen, as I believe it needs to be unobstructed from above, and it lost contact well before we reached the mountains. Back home in Blighty, picked up straight away in my Focus and never missed a beat all the way home. To tell you the truth, I was a bit gutted with it's performance over there. Could it be down to the hilly and then mountainous terrain in that region of France?
Thanks
Steve

 

[Haytch]

Windscreen?

possibly an athermic heat-reflecting windscreen in the car... ??? had similar problem in my old Laguna.
Still there are worse places to get lost !!
H

 

[Stevieboy]

Never heard of one of those, but these new motors have all the bells and whistles. May take my old Focus over next year!
Steve

 

[blues n twos]

Might be worth getting an external antena that you can stick outside.

I sometimes use my 2610 in my Modeo and its fine. For the cost of an antena you will at least know that it will work ok

Jon

 

[Taff]

It would pick them up for a couple of minutes then lose them for the next 20.

Just a thought, but is it possible it was picking up an intermittant signal through the sunroof?

 

[Stevieboy]

No sunroof on the Zafira. I have just done a google on athermic windscreens and GPSW list the Zafira as having one. Looks like that was probably the problem. They have a list of cars that have had these fitted at some time during their production.
Cheers
Steve

 

[terayon]

Having a zafira myself I can tell you that only the top of the range ones or if specified have athermic windows. Basically they reflect certain light wave lengths. It causes one hel of a problem for GPS.
I had to get a external aerial.

 

[longdog]

Get a remote aerial from http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250081516540&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RSCC_Pr4_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT&refitem=250074573714&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=StoreCatToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget
I got one for my Picasso and it work a treat. (It also improves the reception on my bike too)

Sorry about the long link, I can't post a singlr word link anymore

 

[Stevieboy]

Thanks for that Longdog. I'll get one ordered.
Steve