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I am up in Maine and have problems even on the clearest of days. Today I lost reception 20 times or more. These things are supposed to work in canyons...yet I cannot seem to hold a satellite in an open field. Suggestions? 
Is anyone having GPS reception probs with Edge 205?
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Try setting the GPS outside (like on a table), power it up and let it stand for about 30 minutes. This will let it acquire and "lock in" on the satellites. I've had similar issues with my Foretrex 201, and setting it out seems to have cleared that up. I know the Foretrex is still fairly vulnerable to signal loss in heavy tree cover.indyfab25 said:I am up in Maine and have problems even on the clearest of days. Today I lost reception 20 times or more. These things are supposed to work in canyons...yet I cannot seem to hold a satellite in an open field. Suggestions?
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Sounds weird to me.
Don't know the 205, but isn't there any self test or diagnostics you can run on that thing.
Otherwise I'd contact Garmin with the question. Or just go check with other 205 users in the forums (Groundspeak or better Motionbased forum)
Don't know the 205, but isn't there any self test or diagnostics you can run on that thing.
Otherwise I'd contact Garmin with the question. Or just go check with other 205 users in the forums (Groundspeak or better Motionbased forum)
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Hmm...it was just updated. I have thought about letting it "lock" on to satellites before using. I haven't done it yet as I usually jump on the bike and go! I use it nearly every day from the same location so I don't think that is a problem. Actually, now that I think about it, it started to act weird after I got back from a ride about 150 miles from where I am. Perhaps this is the problem. At any rate, I will try both suggestions and go from there. Thank you for the imput and I will keep you posted.
The elevation total readings have never been on. The elevation goes up and down, up and down, etc throughout the ride. Any word on that?
The elevation total readings have never been on. The elevation goes up and down, up and down, etc throughout the ride. Any word on that?
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An update. Like anyone would do to something that isn't working, I flicked the unit a couple of times while on the bike when it was not picking up a signal. I noticed that the GPS reception would spike and go back down to nearly nothing. Well, I was sitting outside yesterday seeing if it would lock on to satellites and see if I could get good reception. The bars were always next to nothing. The most I would get is 1/4 of full reception on any satellite. Well, I picked the unit up and pinched it right above the word Garmin and reception spiked. I squeezed a little harder and heard the faintest click one could ever hear. Reception for six satellites went through the roof and has been great since. Something wasn't in place in the unit until I squeezed the snot out of it. Works great now. If anything, I have a year to see if it dies. I honestly couldn't believe how well it was working. Accuracy was NEVER better than 60ft. Now it is 15. Finally!!
Some rides:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/network/digest/view.mb?digestUsername=stekilburn
Some rides:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/network/digest/view.mb?digestUsername=stekilburn
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Glad to hear everything worked out. Did you ever drop it or crashed with your bike?
BTW seems like your elevation changes are a little off. Have you tried using the MB Gravity option? It smoothes the profile significantly and elevation changes make much more sense. In your last ride 4700ft seem a little too much.
I love th MB web site, it's just great. :thumbsup:
BTW seems like your elevation changes are a little off. Have you tried using the MB Gravity option? It smoothes the profile significantly and elevation changes make much more sense. In your last ride 4700ft seem a little too much.
I love th MB web site, it's just great. :thumbsup:
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Yes, I have crashed. No I have not dropped it. The crashes did not touch it either as there is not a single scratch on the unit. Unless the jarring effected the antenna, I cannot see what the deal is(was). The elevation has been WAY off on the unit. 4700 feet was more like 1000. The 67 miler I did in the hills registered 11,000 ft. Did I mention I am riding in the tour next year? Yeah right. Barometric measurement on my AXN 300 measured 3600. That unit is very accurate. I will try out the gravity option. I think I am going to pick up a 305 anyway for the barometric measurements for altitude.
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Update....if anyone cares. I sent the unit back to Garmin last week. I got sick of squeezing the thing every 10 minutes to get reception...lol. Since the edges have not been out a year, they took it back with no problems. I expect it to come back in working condition. I wonder why it takes 7-10 days to "test" the item. That is quite awhile.
I sent the unit back to Garmin last week. I got sick of squeezing the thing every 10 minutes to get reception...lol. Since the edges have not been out a year, they took it back with no problems. I expect it to come back in working condition. I wonder why it takes 7-10 days to "test" the item. That is quite awhile.GPS vs. Barometric.
7 mile Trail Run:
Polar - 850 to 875 feet gained.
Garmin - 1200 -1250 feet gained.
8 mile workout hike up a mountain that has 4000 ft gain in 2 miles (great workout!)
Polar - 3910 - 4050 feet gained in the last 15 times I've done it.
Garmin - 5000 feet gained on maiden outing.
Way too much of a difference for my likings. I am up here in the PNW and is heavily wooded. Generally, at this time, I still trust barometric guages over GPS for altitude tracking.
Cheers,
Mike
I agree with the poor performance for capturing altitude. I am am to repeatably get greater altitude gains then what is physically possible when comparing this 205 to my Polar 720i (barometric).indyfab25 said:
7 mile Trail Run:
Polar - 850 to 875 feet gained.
Garmin - 1200 -1250 feet gained.
8 mile workout hike up a mountain that has 4000 ft gain in 2 miles (great workout!)
Polar - 3910 - 4050 feet gained in the last 15 times I've done it.
Garmin - 5000 feet gained on maiden outing.
Way too much of a difference for my likings. I am up here in the PNW and is heavily wooded. Generally, at this time, I still trust barometric guages over GPS for altitude tracking.
Cheers,
Mike
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I do alot riding by myself, and i really think it would be nice to have GPS unit on me at times just to know where the heck i am when i try out some new trails. It seems like the Garmin 305 is the best "bike GPS" what do you guys think? I know that some have had problems, but are their any other options? thanks! :thumbsup:
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the 305 is rad!!!!! it gets fantastic reception even in canyons and tree cover. where i do most of my rides. much better then last years forerunner, which was almost worthless on my trails. the elevation profiles are fun the show your buddies when you are trying to describe a ride. you can port your ride to goggle earth, which my girlfriend likes.jut8 said:
and I've found it very helpful because it logs heart rate, and helped get me answers for rides that I've felt bad on. who would have thought that if I hold a ~170+ bpm for a 41 min hill climb that i would start to bonk...
the software will need to improve. and I'm sure it will.
I totally geek on my edge 305. and I've never had a GPS before. one big huge issue is that it won't give you long/lat numbers when you are on the trail. not an issue for the intended use but very irritating if you are lost and you got your map and you GPS and you cant figure out where you are. so its better at telling you where you've been. and you can save courses. which you can use to navigate.
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