GARMIN 660

[trousersnake01]

Guys,  anyone use a Garmin 660?  I seem to have a problem with locking on to satellites after its booted up,  I can travel an hour and it still hasn't locked on or sometimes it does it straight away. Even switching off and on doesn't help.

[Winston Smith]

When did you last update it with Basecamp/MyGarmin.

It may take a few hours to update the latest firmware, especially if you missed a few.

Try that and then if you still have issues contact Garmin direct.  They are excellent with customer backup

[Lonewolf]

I also have a 660 and something you could consider is a reboot or reset to see if that sorts out the glitch. I can't quite remember how you do a reboot, I seem to remember you have to turn the device on while applying pressure to the bottom left or right side of the screen, best thing to do is have a look on You Tube for Zumo 660 reset that's usually a good starting point.

[Zebedee]

Me too have one no issues today :)


Sent from my iPhone by mini Elves.

Zeb

[flatfour]

I use a BMW Navigator 1V (Garmin 660 under the BMW badge) and so far, after some three years of use, have found it to be excellent, although I have not updated maps since purchase. (I do have the lifetime update subscription, however other users that I know have experienced problems after trying to update maps).

Mine seems to lock on to satellites after around 1-2 minutes, far quicker than the unit in my car!

[viper]

I use the 660 and its very fast at getting a fix, my sat nav in the car just will not fix if im moving , I have to be stationary , have you tried this ?

[Stephen.Stallebrass]

Mine packed up in Normandy this week as well. To do a master reset (you will lose all data so back it up first if you want to keep things like faves, tracks and routes). Press and hold down the bottom right hand corner when you switch it on and voila...

See, I do sometime RTFM!!! 

Ensure your software is up to date, it shouldn't take long. Probably none of this is going to work, but good luck. If it doesn't Garmin do something called RMA exchange. For £116 thy'll replace it with A fully refurbished one and transfer any lifetime map updates to your new device. This is exactly what I had to do today.

[trousersnake01]

I did a hard reset, and then updated software again and it locked on straight away. Thanks guys. It will be the test when I ride with it again next to my camera. I'm worried the power cord my influence it. If it does, I can probably get some shielding to slip over the wire, although the garmin has power so could just be a machine fault. Still wish I had got the TomTom.

[trousersnake01]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151836619258078&set=p.10151836619258078&type=1&theater

[nightrider]

I have a garmin that I got for the car about 4 years ago ,I use that on the bike ,I never did the first free update that they give you ,even tho it said it had to be done in the first month or so I went on to the garmin site last week and it let me load up the latest maps , so well pleased , as it would have cost £75  to update it ,

[trousersnake01]

Been doing a bit of research about my problem of it locking on or losing its lock with satellites. Anyway, on the 660 its a common problem that Garmin know about, also on the model before and after. Apparently a weakness in the aerial which is at the top left of the device. People good enough have been installing a thicker wire for an aerial which requires some delicate soldering. Garmin are offering a fix for $110, when moaned at they halve this.

Others for an easy fix have gone for an external antenna, this is the route I'm going for, its a small box fitted where you want which will be on the side flat bit of the faring where the mong before me drilled a hole to fit his heated grip control which I filled with a rubber grommet.
Apparently it then gives an end stop signal 10 out 12 satellites.   Just annoying that they know about this and not offered anything.
So something to keep an eye out for.     
It comes with 10 feet of cable which I will shorten and add a plug so I can leave the MCX connector on the GPS so I don't weaken it keep taking it off. I knew I should have bought TomTom. Its got to be ready for Spain in two weeks.

[viper]

Been doing a bit of research about my problem of it locking on or losing its lock with satellites. Anyway, on the 660 its a common problem that Garmin know about, also on the model before and after. Apparently a weakness in the aerial which is at the top left of the device. People good enough have been installing a thicker wire for an aerial which requires some delicate soldering. Garmin are offering a fix for $110, when moaned at they halve this.

Others for an easy fix have gone for an external antenna, this is the route I'm going for, its a small box fitted where you want which will be on the side flat bit of the faring where the mong before me drilled a hole to fit his heated grip control which I filled with a rubber grommet.
Apparently it then gives an end stop signal 10 out 12 satellites.   Just annoying that they know about this and not offered anything.
So something to keep an eye out for.     
It comes with 10 feet of cable which I will shorten and add a plug so I can leave the MCX connector on the GPS so I don't weaken it keep taking it off. I knew I should have bought TomTom. Its got to be ready for Spain in two weeks.

My 660 and others I know locks onto the satelliities almost immediately, I would not accept the fact that you are going to have to use an external ariel for the rest of its life, id consider it faulty and force garminb to replace. If mine works properly then so should yours, its not like its got to go through a car windscreen!

[JohnnyTh]

Mine works perfectly to. Exept for one time i lost signal for 30 min. But that was on the Polish/Russian border. Maybe they did somthing clever in that area.

[dokterdave]

Be aware the phone chargers that plug into a cigarette lighter socket can interfere with the gps receiver.

[Andy]

An external aerial isn't required when walking etc. they are needed when there is no direct view of the sky e.g. inside a boat or plane. Just check that you have green bars on signal gauge.

http://ttselectrical.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3442/~/troubleshooting-gps-and-location-problems-with-the-garmin-satnav-devices

Incidentally I've got one of these charging leads in car for free UK traffic info

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p4069.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1.A0.H0&_nkw=GARMIN+GTM+21&_sacat=0&_from=R40