Yet another garmin grump

[pixy0stix]

I went outside and started it. I did my warm up. I then ran approx a half mile before it finally picked up the satellites. Is this normal? Or is it because this was the first time I went outside with it?

[jordylee]

Which garmin are you using? My 110 would always do that whenever I run in the city. Tall buildings are NOT its friend.

[runaways]

I always wait to start til it locks on. Sometimes it takes a little while. I find that it's quicker if I set it down somewhere, and in particular on top of my car. There's also a way (on mine at least, the 305, and I assume on the others) to reset it and then you are supposed to leave it outside for like 20 minutes and let it find all the satellites. I do that periodically too.

[G22]

What one do you have? I've got the 110, and it usually picks up the satellite pretty quick. I do remember it taking a bit longer the first time though. It could be because it was the first time you used it outside. But I'm still new to using my watch.

[pixy0stix]

I have the 210.

[archaeominx]

This happens with my 110 a lot, even in wide open areas. I spend 20 minutes wandering around in the middle of the street trying to get the damn thing to pick up satellites, got fed up and went back into the house to grab my phone and use Runkeeper. What does the damn thing do? Pick up satellites when I was standing right between two buildings that were only 10 feet from each other. The hell? So yeah, have the same problem!

[Raggedeannie]

My 220 did this this week, and it made me wonder if it has something to do with the new firmware I installed last week.  Not that the firmware made it buggy, but that it sort of reset the internal memory and it need to start over finding the satellites by my place.  Doesn't make it less frustrating

[taratru]

My 110 was doing this one day and I threw it in a tantrum and now it doesn't pick up anything and I'm using my clunky old 305, which finds them in like ten seconds.

Don't recommend the tantrum solution.

[Wines Not Whines]

Mine picks up satellites much faster if I leave it outside on a flat surface while it's searching: my car, a park bench, etc. If I put it on my wrist and keep moving around, it takes forever. If it's being especially slow, I turn it off and then back on.

[pixy0stix]

I'll try the car solution next time, although the tantrum solution was mighty tempting today.

[jordylee]

When my 110 did this, I threw a tantrum and bought a 220. I haven't done the firmware update, but it picks up a satellite in like 3 seconds. It is amazing. It doesn't give a crap about skyscrapers.

It was an expensive tantrum, but I am happy with the solution

[mrshandy]

I usually just turn it on and leave it outside on my porch while I'm putting on my shoes. Works great! That way I don't have to stand outside in the cold waiting for it to locate satellites.

[texassmith]

Feb 14, 2014 7:14:31 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

I usually just turn it on and leave it outside on my porch while I'm putting on my shoes. Works great! That way I don't have to stand outside in the cold waiting for it to locate satellites.

I do this too.

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[patches31709]

Feb 13, 2014 22:14:33 GMT -5 Wines Not Whines said:

Mine picks up satellites much faster if I leave it outside on a flat surface while it's searching: my car, a park bench, etc. If I put it on my wrist and keep moving around, it takes forever. If it's being especially slow, I turn it off and then back on.

This. Sometimes I can even turn it on inside and it will work. I have the 305 so I'm not sure if they all do this, but I find sometimes if it is taking a while, if the Locating Satellites bar is almost full, I can hit enter and sometimes it will have time for my pace, which means it did find satellites, it was just a little slow in bringing up that screen.

Other times, I give up. I swear, if it is freezing out, it takes forever!

[secretlyevil]

the locating salletite issue seems to vary day to day. I have found that if it is taking a longer time, if I start over it will find them faster. That's not a full-proof solution. I really think it depends on location, cloud coverage, etc.

[Deleted]

I've had the 305 and 910 and both take a while to pick up satellites. I usually turn my watch on and set it outside (or by a window) while i finish getting ready.

[ebeth]

I think it prob took a little longer because it was the first time. But my 305 will randomly take forever to find satellites every once in awhile. I have taken to putting it in a windowsill while I get dressed and grabbing it right before I go out.

[breezy8407]

I have an old timey 205 and it takes a long time to find satellites. I usually set it on a window sill and turn it on before I get my shoes on and get geared up like others mentioned.

Yesterday, I ran over lunch and have to stand outside the building and wait for it to load. It was freeeeezing out, so I was cursing the satellites.

[keweenawlove]

Mine always takes long when it's in a new location. Although some days even if I'm starting from the same place, it's finicky and takes a few minutes to find the satellites. I normally turn mine on and put it next to the door when I'm getting ready and putting my shoes on so it's ready to go when I am.

[water*drop]

I had this problem a lot with my 305. I ended up always putting it in a window or on the porch while I got ready. For races I always turned it on a long time before the race just to make sure it would find the satellites before I actually started.

[lb2006]

Feb 14, 2014 7:14:31 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

I usually just turn it on and leave it outside on my porch while I'm putting on my shoes. Works great! That way I don't have to stand outside in the cold waiting for it to locate satellites.

I do this as well.  It's ready to go once I have my shoes on.

[foundmylazybum]

I have the 405 (am I the only one lol?) And mine does this sometimes too.

[InBetweenDays]

Feb 14, 2014 10:52:23 GMT -5 lb2006 said:

Feb 14, 2014 7:14:31 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

I usually just turn it on and leave it outside on my porch while I'm putting on my shoes. Works great! That way I don't have to stand outside in the cold waiting for it to locate satellites.

I do this as well.  It's ready to go once I have my shoes on.

I do this too. I also set is so the sensor area has a clear path to the south because someone told me that is the direction of the most satelittes. Not sure if it's true or not but does seem to help.

[Mushe]

I turn it on and then stretch, and it finds the satellites in 20 seconds or so, when I'm ready to go. A few times, I've had to start running for a race before it's found satellites, and it takes forever to find when you're moving.

[enfuego23]

Feb 14, 2014 7:14:31 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

I usually just turn it on and leave it outside on my porch while I'm putting on my shoes. Works great! That way I don't have to stand outside in the cold waiting for it to locate satellites.

This. I always set mine outside to locate the satellites. 

[libbygrl109]

Feb 14, 2014 12:41:10 GMT -5 Mushe said:

I turn it on and then stretch, and it finds the satellites in 20 seconds or so, when I'm ready to go. A few times, I've had to start running for a race before it's found satellites, and it takes forever to find when you're moving.

I do this with my 110. Usually by the time I'm warmed up, it's ready to go.