Garmin 178C GPS can no longer acquire satellites

[RobertSchuldenfrei]

I have a Garmin 178C GPS that is partly broken.  It can no longer acquire satellites.  Many of the functions still work.  The display lights, the menus work, and the depth sounder still work.  It started out that it would fail to find the satellites every now and then.  Then it became more frequent and now it does not find them at all.  I opened up the case hoping it was a corroded antenna wire, but sadly the insides are in pristine condition.  There are people on EBay who want to sell the PC board as their display has died.  I would like to have someone with real marine electronics experience do this repair if it can be done.  Any ideas?

[Stu Jackson]

Bob, first thing that comes to mind is:  was there a software update you might need, or do you think it is hardware related?  Don't know if that unit had updates on the Garmin website.  Good luck.

[RobertSchuldenfrei]

Bob, first thing that comes to mind is:  was there a software update you might need, or do you think it is hardware related?  Don't know if that unit had updates on the Garmin website.  Good luck.

Hi Stu,

Because of the way it has been in a "death spiral," I think it is hardware.  I have tried a general system reboot.  I was really thinking it was antenna corrosion as all the other features are working just fine.  However, that does not seem to be the case.  It could be software, but that involves a chip transplant I think as there is no way to attach this model to a PC and then the Internet.  I have calls in to folks down here who know marine electronics. 

I hate to buy a new unit because the new ones use a different cable and maybe even a new transducer.  As you well know, it is always something with a boat...  Sigh.  Anyway, the depth sounder function is working and I have a second Hawkeye sounder.  Additionally, I have a handheld GPS and good old nautical charts on paper.

Cheers,

Bob

[Roland Gendreau]

Is the unit in the Simulator mode?  In that mode, it does not track satellites. the manual shows how to put it in and out of simulator mode.

[Roland Gendreau]

There are also these tips on the Garmin site :

Question:  Why am I not able to acquire satellites with my GPSMAP 172/178 device?

Answer: 
There could be a few causes of the device not acquiring satellites. If the device has moved a large distance since the last time it has acquired satellites or has been turned off for longer than a few weeks or months, the device may not be able to acquire the satellites correctly.

The first troubleshooting step is to perform an AutoLocate procedure. This procedure will clear the device's memory of previous satellite information, and try to download new information.

Note: This will not clear any user data like waypoints, routes, and tracks.

To perform the AutoLocate procedure, please follow these steps:

Start with the device powered OFF
Press and hold the Page button and Power ON the device
Continue to hold both the Page and Power button until the I Agree button is highlighted in the lower right corner of the screen
Press the Enter button
The device should now switch to the GPS satellite screen. Leave the device in clear view of the sky for at least 10-20 minutes to acquire satellites. If the device acquires the satellites before 20 minutes, the device can be used or powered off.

If the AutoLocate procedure does not correct the issue, the next step is to update the internal operating software of the device to the latest version. Please refer to the FAQ titled "How do I update the internal operating software of my GPSMAP 172(c)/178(c)?" for more information.

Referenced Links:

https://buy.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.htm?caseId={545e5510-edeb-11df-ea12-000000000000}

[hump180]

We had same problem with our 545. Call garmin...you most likely need the software updated. They will instruct you on the process. Hopefully your model can be updated. We had a card in ours.

[Jack Hutteball]

I had a similar problem on my Garmin.  Called them and for $50 they sent me a card with updated software that plugged into the card slot for the map cards.  Updated and worked perfectly.  Garmin returned the $50 to my credit card after they received the card back.
Jack