Lowrence elite 5 gps issue.

[airlock]

Hello again,

I've had my Lawrence elite 5 hrs for just shy of a year now and i've noticed a mildly annoying intermittent issue is becoming a near crippling problem. The gps is having a really hard time locating position, it will take a long time to find the position and then drop in and out for a good half hour all while accompanied by an ear splitting beep.
i've just updated my avionics card and given the windscreen a good clean as well as checking all the connection, all seems fine. I know its a cheaper unit and not the best components are being used here but i'm hoping this might turn out to be software/user error rather then a hardware issue where i have to strip the whole unit off and bugger about with return policies and all that jazz.

Anyone had similar issues and found a remedy?

[scottar]

Main thing is to set the wheels in motion prior to your warranty being up if you want anything in the way of support from Navico. Are you running any other electronics in the vicinity of the unit. First thing is to download your user info onto a separate SD card - don't use your chart card, and then try a system reset as per your instruction manual. You can also check on the lowrance website and see if there are any software updates for your unit and try those.

[tunaticer]

My Elite 5 DSI is now about 4 yrs old, it is definitely slower to get a position lock.....on average about 2.5 minutes......used to be about 25-30 seconds when new.
Makes me think the software is the issue by progressively getting slower.

[Yobbo70]

Delete your tracks it helped mine with drop outs and freezing up

[tunaticer]

I don't record tracks.

[shappy]

i have a elite 5 hdi and when i first fitted it, it was mounted on top of the side pocket which was tucked under the wide top deck of my tinny. it was slow and at time s dropped out, but not quite enough that i thought it had a fault. i later mounted it off the side of the top deck so i could rotate it and view from the front cast deck a lot easier, since doing this the thing grabs a signal within moments and never dropped out again. i think the internal antenna struggles with a bit of obstruction over top, might be a similar issue? could even try an external antenna if the unit has that option?

cheers, shappy

[ranmar850]

I had an issue with an Elite 7, turned out it was the UHF radio. Turn the radio on, signal dropped out. Moved the radio as far away as possible, marginally better, but still unworkeable. Try turning everything else off that you normally run, i've heard of things as simple as a cigarette lighter USB charger blocking things. The internal aerials don't help.