Why Your Gps Unit Is Slow

GPS has really revolutionized the way we get around and get lost, which is to say most of us don't really get lost anymore. As with all gadgets, GPS units have a few downsides. One that is often raised by owners, particularly new owners is the systems can be slow to boot up on occasion.

GPS, of course, stands for global positioning system. Everyone knows this, but few seem to give any serious thought to what it means. The name signifies that the system works by orienting the unit you have to at least three other markers and often far more. These markers are satellites. By triangulating using signals from them, time the signals took to reach the unit and a host of other information you really don't want to know, the software in your unit can pinpoint your location on the globe.

The reason why most GPS units are slow should be fairly obvious given the above summary of the system. They are slow because they are having issues linking up with the satellites. This is particularly true with a new unit. A new unit is booting up from scratch and has to parse through the full software set up and seek out all the various satellite signals it might be expected to find per the data loaded into its database by the company that made it. You usually do not have to do anything but be patient. It can take five minutes for the unit to start functioning. This is normal. Do not take it back to the store and claim it is broken! This is also normal if you do not use the system for a long time and then fire it up.

Ah, but what if you use the unit all the time and it is still slow. It could be malfunctioning, but the bigger issue is probably that it is having problems picking up the satellite signals. The signals are not that strong to begin with, so any interference can cause problems. Try moving the unit out into the open and see how it reacts. If it starts working, it means there is something in the location you had it in [car, office] that interfered with the signal. If taking it out into the open doesn't work, you might check online to see if a software update has occurred that you missed out on. If not, you have a GPS unit that needs professional help.

By: Mark Warner

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Mark P. Warner is with WhatIsTheBestGPSSystem.com - where you can find an answer to the question of what is the best GPS system?