Garmin 128 GPS

DavidBolger

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 Oct 2002
Messages
161
Location
Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, Ireland
www.ladyrowena.net
Hi All,

I have a Garmin GPS 128 which seems to have given up the ghost. When I turn it on (and I left it on all night) it cannot find any satalites. I have tried to reinitialise from the set-up menu but it still cannot find any satalites. I have looked at the connections to the outdoor aeriel but can't see anything obvious. I did get some intermitinant readings from it a couple of months ago but now nothing. Any help greatly appreciated.

regards

David
 
It could be the antenna..?

I had the same problem when I first got my 128 with my boat a few years ago.. I suggest you try and borrow a known working antenna to confirm this before splashing out on a new one as they are not that cheap... I'd lend you mine but you're a few too many miles away!!.. good luck.. Iain
 
Does the actual "ACQUIRING EPE" page come up when you start the unit? Do you get any data warnings because of bad sat/coverage? If neither of these pages come up, there's a good chance the unit is kaput! The Garmin 128 was my first fixed GPS. I bought the unit s/hand from a mate. Worked fine for about a year and then I experienced symptoms exactly like yours. Economics forced my hand in the end, because for the amount it would have cost to repair I added a few quid and bought a new one. Another 128. It seems wrong (I hate just discarding things) but when sophisticated technology goes wrong, if the price is right....I'd change it. It did turn out to be the unit/head by the way, because I plugged the new one into the old antenna and Voilà!
 
Same problem with a Garmin 128 here.
It comes up with the satelite page but doesn't register any satelites - some foreign language - can't remember exactly what.

The boat has been out of the water for the last couple of years and the antenna was loose (guard rails it had been attached to were taken off) - so I was assuming it was that - but as you say relatively expensive to replace £40.

Anyone tried this from eBay - BNC GPS antenna for Garmin 120,128,125 Sounder receiver - worth a try for £6 delivered ??

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BNC-GPS-anten...trkparms=65:12|66:2|39:1|72:1683|293:1|294:50
 
Had the same problem, bought a cheap BNC connected aerial off e-bay and it still didn't work so it's obviously the head that's gone. (The cheap aerial worked on an old handheld). There is a diagnostic mode that you can get to by holding down two buttons while you turn it on (found it by trial and error) but can't remember which ones. It didn't show any errors. Which was helpful!
 
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