R3: Routing with the GPS off

[DeWat]

Hello all,

Again, is it me, or is this happening to everyone else. After reading the find near route (http://www.pdastreet.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=36632) thread, I decided to play with this feature. So, while sitting in my office with the GPS off, I decided to plot a route home. Well instead of the "normal" route calculation symbol that appears at the bottom center of the screen (satellite status portion), I got the searching for satellites symbol. Now I know in R2, I could create as many routes as I wanted with the GPS off. Now, it seems that I can no longer do this. It has been about 10 minutes since I told the Q to take me home, but based on what I call the satellite status section, it's still looking for satellites. The antenna is in, there is no external antenna attached, and the map page correctly shows "GPS is Off".

DeWat

[Curious Cat]

Originally posted by DeWat
Hello all,

Again, is it me, or is this happening to everyone else. After reading the find near route (http://www.pdastreet.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=36632) thread, I decided to play with this feature. So, while sitting in my office with the GPS off, I decided to plot a route home. Well instead of the "normal" route calculation symbol that appears at the bottom center of the screen (satellite status portion), I got the searching for satellites symbol. Now I know in R2, I could create as many routes as I wanted with the GPS off. Now, it seems that I can no longer do this. It has been about 10 minutes since I told the Q to take me home, but based on what I call the satellite status section, it's still looking for satellites. The antenna is in, there is no external antenna attached, and the map page correctly shows "GPS is Off".




DeWat

Sounds like the bug some were describing having with Release 3. I belive a soft reset fixed it for most and this behavior eventually went away, again for most.


See This Thread (http://www.pdastreet.com/forums//showthread.php?threadid=36311)

[VideoImpression]

You first have to confirm (with R3) that on the map page of the GPS you can see the accuracy circle and confirm that the GPS knows where you are. You probably are staring at the triangle with the question mark flashing, and your iQue 3600 cannot route you if it does not know where it is starting from!

See this thread: http://www.pdastreet.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36311

[rjack22]

This happened to me *once* after upgrading to R3. I took it outside and let it fully aquire the satelites. This has NOT reoccured since. And I have tried and tried to make it happen again.

Most of us who saw this phenominum have seen it go away by itself for whatever that is worth.

[DeWat]

Thanks Rich... this has gotten real crazy. I had turned the unit off, and turned it back on to play a couple of games of solitaire. After reading your message and reference thread, I checked, and guess what... the accuracy circle was there. Now that's interesting because I did have the triangle/? prior to cutting it off. Naturally, the GPS off routing is working now. I have no idea what happened between turning the Q on, playing a couple games of solitaire, then turning it off; BUT, when I turned it back one to try your experiment, it was working.
:eek: :eek: :eek: STRANGE:eek: :eek: :eek:

DeWat

[DeWat]

Now I'm beginning to wonder if there's any rhyme or reason to this. After confirming everything had went back to normal, and trying a couple of routes, I turned the unit off. I just turned it back on to find the triangle/? again. I've turned the unit off and on several times today, but the GPS has been off since I got to work this morning. The retention of the last location/fix is a hit or miss each time I turn the unit on. Oh well....

DeWat

[VideoImpression]

Agreed, DeWat! Those of us trying to see if there is an orderly chain of events surrounding this phenomenon are coming up empty-handed! I WILL say, though, if my iQue is turned on with the Q Button, the accuracy Circle and associated data at the top of the screen appear within a second or two, so my unit IS recognizing where it was the last time I shut the GPS section of this device OFF! It just doesn't seem to remember this info if I turn on my iQue with any other hard button...unless I have been turning it on and off to check this out, in which case it may or may not remember its position, e.g. our hit or miss scenario!!

[ArtT]

I had a similar situation today with the unit trying to acquire the satellite while the GPS was off and I was trying to simulate a stored route.

I tapped the animated sat graphic ( Bottom of screen centre ) the GPS screen came up, and the unit then went into simulate.

[JGB]

Originally posted by VideoImpression
Agreed, DeWat! Those of us trying to see if there is an orderly chain of events surrounding this phenomenon are coming up empty-handed! I WILL say, though, if my iQue is turned on with the Q Button, the accuracy Circle and associated data at the top of the screen appear within a second or two, so my unit IS recognizing where it was the last time I shut the GPS section of this device OFF! It just doesn't seem to remember this info if I turn on my iQue with any other hard button...unless I have been turning it on and off to check this out, in which case it may or may not remember its position, e.g. our hit or miss scenario!!


A residual effect of the IQue's selective location memory is with the new QueSun&Moon app. If the IQue is not remembering its location when running the app and selecting 'Current Location' you do not get any data, i.e. sunrise, sunset, etc. and no sun or moon symbols. You can select Use Map or Use Find to pick a waypoint or location and data comes back. But, reselecting Current Location and you are back to no data again. Changing location and bringing the in sunrise/sunset data has no affect on the map page losing the flashing '?' triangle.

Since this is a new app with R3 has anyone tried deleting this app and noticing any effect on remembering location???

"Hey, Mikey, you try it......."

JB

[apersson850]

You can't delete built-in applications.

[jajohnson]

I have found that when I experience the flashing question mark and it lasts more than 2-3 seconds, I can get it to go away by simply turning the Ique off and on while on the map screen. The screen will appear, flash twice, and the question mark is gone.

[rjack22]

It happened once again today. The iQue was trying to aquire satelites with the GPS closed. Here is the setup.

I noticed earlier this morning that when I tapped on the Sun & Moon function that there was no data displayed. That was looking under current location. When I selected to use the map for the location it had the data. Okay, so that tells me that my iQue did not know where it was, it lost it's position fix. (There is another thread on this)

This afternoon I decided to simulate a route. This is where it tried to aquire the satelites. The "paddles" just kept flapping instead of the routing picture I usually get. I believe now that this phenomenon is a direct result of my trying to simulate a route without a location fix first. Now that I am thinking about it, this would have been the same senerio the other time it occured. In that case and today I went outside and allowed the iQue to aquire the location again. Then the problem was fixed.

So the real issue is...why did my iQue lose it's last position in the first place? The black arrow is sitting right on top of my house, yet the iQue when routing tried to aquire satelites first WITH THE GPS ANTENNA CLOSED. It didn't know where it was.

This I believe is the BUG in R3, remembering it's last position. Those of you using the GPS function regularily probably would not see this. But I can go days without using the GPS. In fact, I believe I last used it on Thursday and this is Monday.

Can anyone else verify this?

[doodah]

Most everyone who's experienced this problem has reported that it eventually goes away with usage. I don't believe it's losing it's position; the triangle demonstrates that. It looks to me like it doesn't fully initialize when you turn it on.

[rjack22]

Yep, I think I am on to something. I was just able to recreate it (the aquiring satelites with the GPS closed).

Remember, just a little while ago I went outside and let it aquire satelites. Brought it inside and put it in the cradle to charge (it was only a little down, not even halfway). Things were normal.

Thought I would try it again. This time I tapped on the Sun & Moon to see if it recognized my location. The data for current locations was missing once again (even though a bit ago it was fine). So I went ahead and put in a route. Walla! There it was trying to aquire satelites with the GPS closed. So I performed a soft reset. Checked the Sun & Moon again. Now I had data. I simulated a route again. It behaved normally. Next I put it back in the cradle for finish charging. Right now (while still in the cradle) I once again checked the Sun & Moon program and the data is gone AGAIN. I have done nothing expect put it back in the cradle to charge. No hotsync.

Somehow my iQue is losing its last location, even though the arrow shows on the map.

Those of you who have also experienced this problem please check and see if you have lost your position by looking at the Sun & Moon program.

I am going to check and see if this is triggered by putting it in the cradle. I am going to leave it out of the cradle and see what happens (or at least until my battery gets low.)

[apersson850]

Weird.
No matter how much I insert into or remove from the cradle, do this problem occur.
It must be something you have, which I don't have, in your iQue, or otherwise the system firmware ought to do the same thing to both of us.
I am at N56º E13º. Is there any correlation between hemisphere or so, which could explain why this doesn't happen to everyone?

I do have that procedure, which lasts for a few seconds, when the map flashes on the screen, the question mark comes and goes etc. when turning on, but it always comes to its senses.

Weird.

[rjack22]

Okay, being in the cradle has nothing to do with it. I have left it laying on my desk and looked at the Sun & Moon program a few minutes after I brought it inside and there was no data displayed for my current position, even though the map shows me at my house! It seems to lose its location in just a few minutes.

Now (about a hour later) I checked again and the data is back. Turned it off. Typed on this message a bit more and turned it back on again, at first there was not data and then as I watched the data popped back in.

What is going on here?

[apersson850]

Did you notice any trails from Gremlins, on the desk where you had your iQue lying?

If I turn my iQue on and open QueGPS, then I see the circle with satellite nubmers, sun and moon. Above, I see the position data, in the chosen format.
If I then turn it off, and in a few seconds turn it on again, I see this:

Sun and moon goes away.
Sat numbers change color.
Position data disappears.
Sun and moon comes back.
Position data comes back.

Does your unit turn on in some other way?

[rjack22]

Okay, I did what you said. I turned on the iQue and tapped on GPS. I get the screen that you are describing, but without any data displayed. Just dotted lines where the data should be.

I also checked the sun and moon program and there is no data there either.

My iQue has lost its memory of it's last known location.

That is what I have been saying. It doesn't always retain it. Today it hasn't retained it at all.

And if I go to the map screen the arrow showing my last known location (my home) has a flashing question mark.

[doodah]

rjack22 - It is a known problem. I had it, and if you read the thread you were sent to, several others had it. We don't know what caused it and we don't know why it went away, but it did. Use your iQue for a couple more days, and you will probably not see it happen again.

[rjack22]

doodah,

Thanks, but I was one of those people. It *had* occured for me once and then as you said, corrected itself. But now a week later its back and it doesn't want to go away so easily this time. It has happened repeatedly today. Not all the time, but often enough to be really annoying.

I hate to say this, but yours may come back on you again too. I hope not.

I think I will run this by Garmin and see what they have to say about it. Hopefully they also read these boards.

I have noticed one more thing tonight. Sometimes when the question mark is flashing in the triangle (can't find its location) the screen will suddenly "refresh" itself and when it comes back on there is no more question mark. It has "found itself"!

[VideoImpression]

Up until last weekend my iQue3600 worked just like rjack22's, but now operates just as Anders' does. My belief is since that I have been using it on and off during the week, yet more extensively last weekend, perhaps my unit NOW has enough info downloaded that it can retain its last position when turned off. This is the only thing that I can figure out, as there seems to be similar patterns among all of our units, just in different stages. I encourage everyone to use your GPS function as much as possible and to keep checking this sequence to see if you will get to the point where Anders and I am at (at least for now--who knows, maybe our units will start to lose it again. Better the units than us, though (LOL!)!!

[rjack22]

Okay. I am letting my iQue sit out in the car this afternoon with the GPS on and I am going to let it acquire the satellites for at least a hour and a half. We will see if that "fixes" anything.

Stay tuned.

[jajohnson]

My Ique ran for 2 hours straight the other day but still has sporadic cases where the ? appears AND STAYS on the map screen (up to several minutes wait to see if it goes away) but goes away within 2-3 seconds when power the Ique off and on while on the map screen. I have communicated with Garmin but they are unable to duplicate. Unfortunately I have been unable to come up with a repeatable sequence of events.

IMHO the primary difference when the ? appears and stays is that I change from another application to map. In all cases the screen does not flash twice when map starts like it does when I power it off and on.

[VideoImpression]

Working like Robin's again!!! I just turned on my iQue 3600 with the Datebook hard button, then pressed the Que Hard button and the question marked just flashed and flashed!! Turned off the iQue and turned it back on again (using the ON/OFF button both times), and voila--instant accuracy circle and NO FLASHING QUESTION MARK!! I am tired of beating myself in the head with this one--definitely repeatable, but not always with the same sequences!! OY!! I think that if enough of us experience this anomaly and report it, harmless as it may be and easily resolved with a couple of button pushes, MAYBE Garmin MIGHT be able to repeat it and better look into it! Robin, I really do no not think now that at this point ANY length of time ON or OFF will make a diddle squat difference!! I do not know what is causiing this, but it IS an annoying Pain in the Derriere!!

[rjack22]

Yes, its a pain. Today mine is behaving itself once again.

I would go back to R2, but I really like some of the new features in R3, especially the alarm clock for travel.

I did notice today, using the Glisson antenna that it took an unusually long time to acquire satellites. Hmmmm. That was before I let it sit for over an hour with the GPS on. We'll see if it is any faster now.

[CaptMike]

I get the same thing.....searching for sats, instead of routing with GPS OFF.

I called Garmin and "David" suggested opening the antenna then closing it again. Sure enough it then begins to calculate a route.

I asked him if he has had other complaints on this issue and he said hold on while he checked with a sup. Then he advise that they had not heard of this problem before. He suggested it might be my antenna. He suggested an RMA. When I informed him that these problems were after the R3 update, he advised again that this was the first they heard about it.....unuasual

[apersson850]

I know Garmin's programmers are trying to do this on my old unit, which went to R&D instead of Tech Support, when the antenna failed.
But I don't know if they could duplicate the problem with that one either.
They got my old SanDisk card as well, to try to sort out why they don't work well with the iQue.
Of course, it does work well now, when they have it. Sigh...

[rjack22]

They know. That is why I RMA'ed my first unit at the beginning of March. And if they read this forum at all it was widely reported after the release of R3.

I too have found out that when it does this, simply opening and closing the antenna "cures" it.

[SlugBug]

Here are my observations about the flashing ? when Q loses its current position

I tried all the use cases mentioned here to see if i could get to reproduce it, nah, no luck.

It never happened on my Q since i bought it... till last week.

Last week, i had my GPS on and was driving through an underground parking lot to get out. After a while, a dialog popped up asking me if i was indoors. I selected no, continued driving and got out of the parking lot, and then Q acquired sats and everything was ok.

Now, that was the first time i ever got that 'Are You Indoors' message on this Q (This is my 4th Q), and after that, the ? keeps flashing, my Q loses the current position and i get the acquring satellites message when routing with GPS turned off.

Also, when GPS is turned ON and in the 2D GPS mode, if i try routing to an address, it goes back to the acquiring satellites mode, but the GPS page shows 4 birds with a 2D fix. This happens till Q slips into a 3D fix and the route is plotted.

When my Q loses the current position and the ? keeps flashing continuously, i flip up the antenna, and close it back after a second or two. This helps me get back the current position. After this, all apps like sun & moon, Hunt and Fish behave. I do the same thing when im routing with GPS off and i get the acquiring sates message. This works for me...

Anyone seconds my observation?

[kenspice]

I cannot, under any circumstances, and I tried all ways indicated in this thread, duplicate the problem. Evidentaly mine works ok, so I watched to see how it acts. I turned it off and on. The triangle appears with a question mark. In about one second the question mark goes away and the circle appears. I have an old 9026. Could it be associated with the model? Just guessing...

[SlugBug]

Till last week, i was exactly in your situation. After 2 seconds, the flashing ? always went away and i got the GPS circle no matter what/when i tried. Never even once lost the coordinates

Now, Q sometimes forgets the current position and sometimes remembers it. Whenever it forgets, and the ? keeps flashing, i flip open my antenna and close it back after a second, and then the last known position is displayed and everything is fine.

The only thing i can relate to this stuff happening is to the Are You Indoors message i got, not sure if it was due to that, but all these short term memory problems started after that.

I know lots of you have this flashing ? problem. Did you try opening the antenna and closing it after a second or two? Did it get your coordinates back?