A Question for the Masses

[kaasirpent]

Do you have a GPS...thingy?

You know, one of those things that tells you to turn right in 500', and if you don't, says "Recalculating" in kind of an accusatory tone of voice? What? It sounds accusatory to me. Like it's upset with me. Mocking me. Telling me to kill, kill, Kill, KILL, KILL, KILL...I mean...ahem. Accusatory. Yes.

Here's my completely unscientific poll:

Does it seem to you that it has a harder time finding satellites on days when there is not a cloud in the sky than on days when it's gloomy and overcast?

It's probably just confirmation bias, but what the hey. Never hurts to supplement my own confirmation bias with that of other people.

Comments

[bramblekite.livejournal.com]

I don't have a GPS. But I'd guess "skip"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skip_(radio)

Edit: linky not working, add the last ). I don't know why it did that.

But I don't really know for sure.

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

I do not have one, so I cannot comment.

I can, however, mention that I keep reading articles about German drivers who go through fences and into fields because when their GPS says "Turn right", they do that immediately instead of waiting for the next right turn.

[kaasirpent]

Those wacky Germans and their willingness to take orders. :)

[dorsai.livejournal.com]

I haven't noticed any difficulty with finding satellites based on the weather...for what it's worth, I have a Garmin nuvi (no, I'm not looking up the HTML for a u-with-umlaut) 660. And yes, I find the tone somewhat accusatory as well, which is why I usually keep the thing on mute.

I do question the accuracy of the GPS in my BlackBerry, however; I had the disconcerting experience of being located in a particularly private location, only to learn that the BlackBerry thought I was doing my business out on the sidewalk...which is a good bit farther away than the supposed 3m accuracy of GPS.

[kaasirpent]

You mean ü? :)

I was impressed with the nüvi enough to want a GPS, but not enough to pay for a nüvi. So I got a Garmin C550, or something like that. It was $100 at CostCo, I think.

I use the Australian female voice, which is less accusatory, but has certain...problems with our wacky American street names. Such as the street I live on: Justin Dr.

She says, "Justin Doctor."

Or if I'm on "Riverside St. E" she says "Riverside Saint-east," but with "saint" as "s'nt."

Try putting it in Swedish, just for laughs.

I wish I knew how to hack mine.

[ddreslough.livejournal.com]

I don't want it to say "recalculating". I want it to say, "Well fine, know it all. Ignore me." :)

I have one. We have two, actually...a very old Garmin quest that couldn't find a satellite if Sputnik fell on its head, and a Nuvi that does okay. For us, trees and cloudy days interfere with the quest. And birds. And nitrogen in the atmosphere. But it's a little worse on wet days. Water must block signals for ol' Navvie there.

If Garmin ever has a party for their products, they should call it the Lost Satellite Reception. :) *ba dum dum CHING!*

I'm here all week. Be sure to try the veal... :)

Re: I wish I knew how to hack mine.

[kaasirpent]

I think that 'nitrogen' one is what may be affecting mine. :)

[friend-soscho.livejournal.com]

I just got one for Christmas, and I use it about 3 times a week when I take the girls for a drive to get out of the house. I'll pay attention more so I am better able to answer the question. I have only had two instances where it can't find a satellite. It does however say "recalculating" to me a LOT.

I have a Garmin Nuvi - don't know which number - but I really LOVE having it in the car.

[kaasirpent]

I love having mine, too, because I no longer care if I take a wrong turn or get hopelessly lost. Because I turn it on and press "home" and it takes me back there. :)

[friend-soscho.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I just drive with the girls, and look at the map as I continue on my merry way. If I need something to drink, I am able to find a drive thru.
When I am ready to come home, it takes me there too.

[dorsai.livejournal.com]

My three year-old loves the thing...about twice a week he tells me we need to get it out so we can find the way to his school. :)

[ian-smith.livejournal.com]

GPS signals are in the microwave frequency. Just like your microwave oven. And they are blocked by water. Just an inch of water is enough to pretty much block 100% of the GPS signal.

So let me think out loud. A cloudy day should make reception worse, because there is more water blocking the signal.

But! Clouds are just water vapor that has condensed and is now visible. What REALLY determines how much water is the humidity. A hot, humid day with no clouds can have more water stored in the air than a cold day where most of the water has fallen as rain and the rest is visible as clouds.

So... there is some reason to support a GPS working BETTER on a cloudy day than a sunny one.

But I think over all the fact that the satelites are in constant motion and day to day, or even hour to hour are all over the sky will effect the signals way more than water vapor.

On a day where a lot of satelites are high or visible along the road you get good reception. If they are all low, and arranged to be blocked by trees and buildings as you drive, you get bad reception.

So my final conclusion... cloudy or sunny is overwhelemed by other factors and doesn't affect diddly.

:-)

[scirocco.livejournal.com]

No.

[bigmeanie.livejournal.com]

Insightful!

[fauxklore]

The terrestrial weather shouldn't affect your GPS receiver. Terrain, however, does and there are space weather issues.