few questions from a newbie

[Markstanco]

Been lurking for a while, nice info here.

Few questions about the Ique....

I bought one almost 2 weeks ago (already have logged 2010 miles on it... excellent unit!) and have had a few problems.

1. It has locked up 4 times so far. I have all the updates (I also own a GPS V by Garmin so I am aware of updates) but I have to soft reset the unit sometimes. Why does this do that? I saw the thread about opening the antenna too fast, but that isnt a problem. Any tricks to minimizing this?

2. I see some of you have external antennas. Why is this? On my Garmin GPS V I have logged over 180,000 miles on it and never EVER had a reception problem, nor have I had a problem with this unit so far. I would guess WAAS and differientation might be a SLIGHTLY better, but I really dont see the plus side. A good example is this weekend I was travelling through an area with many mountains, and had no less than 4 signals always, usually 6-8. It tracked me just fine.

Please inform the ignorant! :p

[apersson850]

If you'd been ignorant, you wouldn't have asked, would you?

The antenna opening sequence is one thing.
Using the unit, with GPS on battery power together with Bright-IQ is another (if you do have Bright-IQ installed).
Frequent re-calculation of routes is a third problem, but nothing you encounter too often in normal use.

Otherwise, I don't know either. Do you see any correlation to doing something particular with the iQue, when it locks up? Occasionally, mine has locked up just by using it as a GPS in the car, but this has only happened twice or so.

The iQue has a patch antenna. The GPS V has a quad helix antenna. Helix antennas are usually superior as far as keeping a satellite lock under difficult condition goes. But they don't lend themselves into integration into a flat shape, like the antenna of the iQue.
So an amplified antenna (even though that will be a patch as well, which shows that the principle of such antennas isn't wrong), located on a car roof (good ground plane) will indeed make your iQue work better. Especially in dense forest or where there are narrow roads with tall buildings around.
Forest I have where I live, so I can confirm that. Buildings is something else.