GPS on the Fritz

08/17/02

    The wind conditions have continued the same since yesterday, winds around 20 knots creeping up to 25+ sometimes.  The waves continue to be big and choppy, resulting in frequent pounding of the boat, accompanied by loud crashes occasionally.

    At the end of my watch this morning the GPS made a loud beep.  I went and looked at the display and there was a pop-up message that said “No Fix”.  We turned the unit off and back on, and it did not properly register the course or speed, indicating that there was still a problem.  We turned it off again for a few minutes, and when we turned it back on it was working again, but only for a minute or two, then went blank.  Eric brought his handheld backup unit, turned it on and propped it in the cockpit.  After several interminable minutes, the handheld finally located the satellites and gave a proper reading.  I fiddled with the main GPS for a while, unplugging and re-plugging the antenna, to no avail.  The only suggestion the manual could make was to check the ground connection on the antenna, a job which will need to wait for calmer weather, as the GPS antenna is mounted on top of the radar mast.