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-- Magellan - easy steps to a 3D Fix (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=12236)

If you are still struggling to get a fix with your Magellan, try this...

1 - Make sure that your using the updated software that Magellan has released. It's available at http://www.magellangps.com/visordownload/

THE FOLLOWING STEPS SHOULD BE DONE OUTSIDE, AWAY FROM TALL BUILDINGS, HILLS, ETC. In the car is OK, but not in the garage. Drive to a mall parking lot or some other wide-landscape location. My unit really works well outside, but I cannot get a fix in my house.

2 - Insert the Magellan GPS. After inserting the unit, you should immediately exit the onboard program (called GPS Comp) that automatically launches by tapping on your application icon in the graffiti area.

3 - Start the NAV Comp program (NOT MapCompanion) that you installed on the Visor.
a - If the screen shows a world map and asks you to "Tap your current location," you should proceed with step #4 below.
b - If the screen does not show the world map, click at the top-left to open the menus and select <Options> - <Initialize>

4 - The first screen asks you to select your current location on a world map. Do so. Click "OK."

5 - The next screen asks you to select your current location on a USA map. Do so. Click "OK."

6 - The next screen SHOULD be the "Position" screen, as indicated in the upper-right corner. If not, use the drop-down menu at the upper-right to select "position."

7 - Make note of the latitude and longitude. Write them down.

8 - Now, exit the NAV Comp program, and start the Map Companion application.

9 - You want to be in the GPS Mode, as indicated at the upper left.
a - If you in the "directory" mode, tap at the top to get to menus, and select <Mode>-<GPS>.
b - If you are looking at a map, you'll need to tap on the menu icon in the graffiti area to get to the menu, and then select <Mode>-<GPS>.

10 - Once you're in the GPS area, be sure that you are looking at the "initialization" screen as indicated by the drop-down menu at the upper-right. If not, you should go ahead and tap on the drop-down and go to the "initialization" screen.

11 - Click on "Stop" at the bottom of the screen to prevent your GPS from trying to get a fix without the necessary starting info.

11 - Enter the latitude and longitude numbers that you wrote down earlier into the latitude and longitude fields on this screen.

12 - Next, use the drop-down menu to enter your GMT offset.
a - USA Eastern Time Zone would be -5 (minus 5)
b - USA Pacific Time Zone would be -8 (minus 8), etc.

13 - If you're in the car, put the Visor up on the dashboard near the windshield. I have found that this makes a big difference in getting the initial fix. Once you've got a 3D fix, you can move the unit down to the seat and it should hold the fix just fine.

14 - Tap on "Start" at the bottom of the screen. You should start to see messages streaming at the bottom.

15 - Once the messages start streaming, tap on the drop-down at the upper-right and select "Satellites."

16 - From this "Satellites" screen you can watch the progress as your GPS works to get a fix. It should definitely take less than 5 minutes if you follow the above steps.

The software always "remembers" the last position before you turned off the unit. I've found that once it knows where I am (or reasonably close), I get a fix in about 15 seconds!

Once you get the hang of this, and assuming that your position is reasonably close to where you were when you last used the unit, your process will be much simplified...
1 - Insert the GPS.
2 - Exit the onboard GPS Comp program, and start the Map Companion application.
3 - Navigate to the GPS Initialization screen.
4 - Verify that the latitude/longitude/GMT info looks accurate.
5 - Put the unit up near the windshield and tap on "START."

If you have changed locations by more than a few hundred miles, you'll need to re-enter updated Lat/Long/GMT info, or start from step number 2 above.

Hope this is helpful to some who are struggling.

accurate description, which is why I returned mine

This kind of spitching apps and entering info repeatedly is exactly what I went through in order to get a fix. That is why I returned mine to comp USA. The product may have improved with the software fix, it was released after I returned mine, but after a week of wasting time with the module I was fed up and got my money back. Also, Magellan never answered any email I sent them and still never has.

Re:Magellan - easy steps to a 3D Fix

John, Thanks for taking the time to type up and share your instructions. I bought a Magellan a few days ago and followed your instructions. When I opened up my Magellan I had a 3d fix inside my house right out of the box. I think step number one is the key, I installed the updated software on my Prism before I even plugged in the Magellan for the first time.