GPS Dongle errors

[Bud]

I am using S&T 2010 on an e-machine laptop and tracking with the GiSTEQ USB
GPS Receiver (Also known as Canmore GT-730F I think).
I have it plugged directly into the Laptop and use inside my motor home
sitting on the Dog House between Driver and Passenger.
I am not using an extension cable. The GPS will pick up Satellites quickly
and USUALLY track fine - - - -BUT - - - - once in a while, without warning
the little arrow will take off cross country not following the roar even
closely. Then just as quickly,it will move back to the road.
The only thing I can think of is that it is losing a Satellite lock for the
short time it goes off track and then regains it. The indicated speed is also
affected as is the compass heading.
Has anyone else experienced this and if so did you find a solution???
I am think of buying a 6 foot extension cable to move the Dongle away from
the laptop and closer to the windshield for a closer view of the sky.
The Mo Ho has a fiberglass shell by the way!!!

[Mike Painter]

The cable is the cheapest way to go. and if it works you are home free.
If not, it could be the GPS unit, the software, interference from
electronics under the hood, or your refusals to fed the brownies milk and
cookies. Just becasue you are on vacation does not mean that they are.

Post by Bud
I am using S&T 2010 on an e-machine laptop and tracking with the
GiSTEQ USB GPS Receiver (Also known as Canmore GT-730F I think).
I have it plugged directly into the Laptop and use inside my motor
home sitting on the Dog House between Driver and Passenger.
I am not using an extension cable. The GPS will pick up Satellites
quickly and USUALLY track fine - - - -BUT - - - - once in a while,
without warning the little arrow will take off cross country not
following the roar even closely. Then just as quickly,it will move
back to the road.
The only thing I can think of is that it is losing a Satellite lock
for the short time it goes off track and then regains it. The
indicated speed is also affected as is the compass heading.
Has anyone else experienced this and if so did you find a solution???
I am think of buying a 6 foot extension cable to move the Dongle away
from the laptop and closer to the windshield for a closer view of the
sky.
The Mo Ho has a fiberglass shell by the way!!!

[Dee Earley]

Post by Bud
I am using S&T 2010 on an e-machine laptop and tracking with the GiSTEQ USB
GPS Receiver (Also known as Canmore GT-730F I think).
I have it plugged directly into the Laptop and use inside my motor home
sitting on the Dog House between Driver and Passenger.
I am not using an extension cable. The GPS will pick up Satellites quickly
and USUALLY track fine - - - -BUT - - - - once in a while, without warning
the little arrow will take off cross country not following the roar even
closely. Then just as quickly,it will move back to the road.
The only thing I can think of is that it is losing a Satellite lock for the
short time it goes off track and then regains it. The indicated speed is also
affected as is the compass heading.
Has anyone else experienced this and if so did you find a solution???
I am think of buying a 6 foot extension cable to move the Dongle away from
the laptop and closer to the windshield for a closer view of the sky.
The Mo Ho has a fiberglass shell by the way!!!

Further to Mike's answer, you could also just be in an area with rubbish
reception...

[Bud]

Post by Bud
I am using S&T 2010 on an e-machine laptop and tracking with the GiSTEQ USB
GPS Receiver (Also known as Canmore GT-730F I think).
I have it plugged directly into the Laptop and use inside my motor home
sitting on the Dog House between Driver and Passenger.
I am not using an extension cable. The GPS will pick up Satellites quickly
and USUALLY track fine - - - -BUT - - - - once in a while, without warning
the little arrow will take off cross country not following the roar even
closely. Then just as quickly,it will move back to the road.
The only thing I can think of is that it is losing a Satellite lock for the
short time it goes off track and then regains it. The indicated speed is also
affected as is the compass heading.
Has anyone else experienced this and if so did you find a solution???
I am think of buying a 6 foot extension cable to move the Dongle away from
the laptop and closer to the windshield for a closer view of the sky.
The Mo Ho has a fiberglass shell by the way!!!

This a up date to the above - - - -
I just made a trip from central Florida to Toronto Canada and back and the
GPS worked part of the time!
I used it with both the short extension provided with the Dongle and with a
6 foot extension.
The unit preformed well on the trip north although it would occasionally go
nuts and track all over the place and the speed would vary from 0 to 100 and
then it would pop back and work normally.
While driving around Toronto the Dongle became intermittent and would lose
lock completely. Sometimes it would come back and sometimes it would be
almost a day before it would start working.
On the way home I believe I have located the problem, at least with this
particular dongle. I noticed that when the unit quit working it was HOT to
the touch. After it cooled down it would start working again , then it would
become erratic and then it would drop out. I would unplug it, cool it down
and then it would start working again.
I believe that for some reason, the 6 foot cable caused the unit to heat up
faster than the short cable.
For whatever reason, this unit , in my opinion is unreliable. It would fail
at the worst of time when it was relay needed.
I am in the market for a reliable and accurate GPS dongle that will work
with S&T.
Any recommendations would be appreciated...