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I would just like to weigh in as one of the UNHAPPY HandyGPS owners (although not for long as I plan on returning the unit).

What I believe we have here is two different groups (and I plan on starting a thread to explore this), one who have HandyGPS units that work fine, at least as expected if not as good as other handheld GPS units, and another group who has units that work, but not very well at all. In reference to a previous post:

quote:

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On average, I can get "fix" from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. You also don't have to stand still to get a satellite fix.

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Hi Ryan:

quote:

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Originally posted by rdanell
This is not the case for me (and I believe others). I have had to wait 10-15 minutes in a totally open area (and other cases that were more like 1 minute - in the same EXACT area), and I have had instances where I never got a fix while moving. I was even told by Nexian customer service that you HAVE to be still to get a steady fix BEFORE moving.

I do believe you (Mike and Steve) that your units work well, but some don't (and it is not a YMMV issue either) and Nexian does not seem ready to admit that there is some "random" problem with production that produces some very operational and some very not operational units. I am - Ryan


[Edited by rdanell on 08-22-2000 at 10:44 AM]

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__________________
Mike Vidal
Ice Owner
Corvette Enthusiast
Racecar Spelled backwards is Racecar!

Mike,
I do appreciate your concern and desire to help, but unless you are a Nexian engineer, I don't think you can do much.

I have contacted Nexian. I spoke with them twice, once at length. After describing my problems they simply told me that it was all expected from the HandyGPS and that it just depended on where I was, etc.. All in all not that much help.

I plan on making good use of the 30 day money back guarantee.

- Ryan

Rdarnell.... Where are you?

Ryan...
I'm just curious where in the US you live. I wonder if other GPS users (Handy or otherwise) have satellite acquisition problems there.

__________________
--Steven Lacher

Steven,
I guess this new board does not display our locations any longer. I am in Chapel Hill, NC.
Anyone else out there close by with a GPS?

- Ryan

Re: Rdarnell.... Where are you?

Steve:

quote:

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Originally posted by lacherclp
Ryan...
I'm just curious where in the US you live. I wonder if other GPS users (Handy or otherwise) have satellite acquisition problems there.

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__________________
Mike Vidal
Ice Owner
Corvette Enthusiast
Racecar Spelled backwards is Racecar!

your location on earth should not be a factor in satellite acquisition and tracking. the gps satellites are in an orbital plan which allows a minimum of 5 satellites to be in view at any point on earth. gps units only need 4 satellites to make an accurate reading.

the usual culprits in measurement inaccuracies are direct line of sight blockage (buildings, hills, mountains, etc.), bad weather (the signal speed changes as it travels through the atmosphere), and multipath errors (signals bouncing off buildings, etc.).

so to answer your question about location, in general, it doesn't matter where you are. like some of you, my handygps unit is defective and i returned it for an exchange. i haven't received the new one yet; i still need to talk with nexian about that.