GPS Antenna Issue

[lakeside]

Was boating out of resurrection bay this week... in some pretty thick fog/cloud cover. Twice lost GPS satellite reception completely and it stayed lost most of one night. I have the Garmin GPS 19 X HVS NMEA 2000 antenna... mounted high outside, never had a problem with it before but will admit this was the thickest fog/cloud cover I have been out in.

My chart plotters were both detecting the NMEA 2000 connection to the antenna. I disconnected it and reconnected it a few times and it appropriately displayed on and off on the chartplotters. But I was getting zero satellite reception.

Is this something you guys see routinely in weather or do I need to replace the thing for sure?

Ordered a spare just in case. This one is only one year old. I figure its not a bad thing to have a spare of. Interesting my iPad / iPhone had no problem with GPS reception during the same period as best as I could tell.

Thanks.

PS - Went to a Garmin store in Anchorage today to ask for some guidance. I might have learned more about marine GPS in a knitting circle.

[FL2AK-Old Town]

I love how dependable those things are. I can't imagine why anyone would own a compass or a paper map.

Anyway. How is it working now? It IS pretty rare for a GPS receiver to completely lose everything, even under clouds, rain, trees, etc. (I've seen tree cover mess with hand helds to the point of a very degraded accuracy, but I've never seen one go down completely. My experience with GPS is mostly aviation, and, for the most part, poor signal quality, poor accuracy, etc, is almost always tied to an antenna. If you've already ordered one, and it wasn't that pricey, I would swap it for the peace of mind.

[T.R. Bauer]

I go out of lot and have never lost it. I even get it in my garage under cover just fine. I would say it is your antenna. Or maybe the cable going from the unit to it.

[lakeside]

Thanks I will replace as sons as the new one arrives and take the old one back for warranty replacement given that its only one year old.

Appreciate the replies.

[MacGyver]

I've had several problems with GPS loosing lock when it was raining and heavy cloud cover there for I think your problem was cause by the fog/cloud. That said, In case it is a bad antenna I suggest you replace the antenna and coax just to be safe.

[Old John]

[QUOTE=lakeside;

PS - Went to a Garmin store in Anchorage today to ask for some guidance. I might have learned more about marine GPS in a knitting circle.[/QUOTE]

Had the same experience. Ended up returning the replacement antenna they ordered for me, went to Garmin website, did my own research and ordered the correct marine antenna replacement online. My problem was the cable from the antenna to the receiver was shot.

[SkinnyRaven]

I love how dependable those things are. I can't imagine why anyone would own a compass or a paper map.

Anyway. How is it working now? It IS pretty rare for a GPS receiver to completely lose everything, even under clouds, rain, trees, etc. (I've seen tree cover mess with hand helds to the point of a very degraded accuracy, but I've never seen one go down completely. My experience with GPS is mostly aviation, and, for the most part, poor signal quality, poor accuracy, etc, is almost always tied to an antenna. If you've already ordered one, and it wasn't that pricey, I would swap it for the peace of mind.

You might check and see if there are any software updates available as well.

[lakeside]

Great replies. I did check for software/firmware updates, nothing since 2012. Should have the replacement in a week, plan to spend some time running the new cable and placing the new unit. Then will send existing unit back. Not happy if it lost all connection to the satellites in cloud/fog... seems like that's when you really need it to me.

[FL2AK-Old Town]

Not happy if it lost all connection to the satellites in cloud/fog... seems like that's when you really need it to me.

Yuppp. That's why there is still a remnant of folks (I am one of them) who are so down on GPS technology-or at least the idea of making it your sole navigation source. I sometimes wonder if we weren't better off back in the dark days of LORAN.