Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Click the "Create Account" button now to join.
Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Important User smokefree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    @ home
    Age
    44
    Posts
    966
    Rep Power
    731

    Default nüvi 660 can not find satellites with built-in antenna

    As per topic title, I have a nüvi 660 which can not find any satellites with the built-in antenna (yes, it is flipped open!). I have tried various tricks from the book: reloaded FW, cleared "User Data", formatted the drive and loaded fresh software, left the unit searching for satellites outdoors overnight, all without success. See screenshot below:

    zuJW5Y8

    Googling this issue, it appears I am by far not alone with this problem. It almost seems like a model related issue. I found the following tricks which I carried out in sequence, also without success:

    Procedure 1:
    Try to turn the NUVI off and then ON again. Flip the antenna and see if it acquires satellites after a couple of minutes.

    Procedure 2:
    If 1 didn't work then try a soft reset. Press the reset button at the back of the NUVI (behind the satellite antena) and see if it acquires satellites after 2 minutes

    Procedure 3:
    If 2 didn't work, then try another reset. This time:
    a- Turn off the NUVI
    b- Keep the Power Button pressed for about 2-3 minutes. You will see a message indicating Pre-Boot. Keep the button pressed until you see the word LOADER. Release the power button and let it load the software again. After the software is loaded check to see if it acquires satellites after 2 minutes.

    Procedure 4:
    If 3 didn't work, then try a hard reset. This time:
    a- Turn off the NUVI
    b- With one hand keep pressing the lower right hand side of the screen. With the other hand press the power button.
    c- When the NUVI screen turns on, release the power button, but keep holding the lower right hand side of the screen.
    d- A screen will come up indicating if it should erase all user data. Click YES
    e- It will take you to the screens to select the language and time zone. Choose accordingly.
    f- After the software is reloaded check and see if it acquires satellites.

    Procedure 5:
    If procedure 4 doesn't work, try to load the updated software. To do this follow this link:
    Code:
    Please Login or Register to see the links
    a- Try loading the webupdater first. You need to connect your NUVI to your computer to load the new software. The most recent firmware software as of 11/1/06 is v2.4.
    b- After you update the firmware, it will give you the option to check for other updates. Choose that option. You want to get the Firmware update for the Bluetooth as well as for the GPS Receiver Software.
    c- After the software is loaded turn the NUVI off and then on again and check if the satellite is acquired after 2 minutes.

    I still had problems after procedure 5. I was able to load the Bluetooth update, but couldn't load the GPS receiver software because apparently my file was corrupted. One way to check if your GPS Receiver file has failed is by going to your NUVI and check the Toolbox, then system, then "about". Look at the GPS SW Version. Mine said 0.00 and it should have been 2.8. In order to fix this I decided to do this:

    Procedure 6:

    a- I went back to the link listed above and downloaded the unit software manually

    # Unit Software

    * Nuvi 660 Ver. 2.40 as of Oct 10, 2006 Download

    b- This manual update comes in a Zip file. I tried unzipping the file directly into the NUVI but it would give me the same message indicating that the file was corrupt. I then unzipped the file into a different drive in my computer.

    c- The files will unzip in a Garmin Folder. You will see the following BIN files:
    006B047800
    006B048201

    In the RemoteSW file you will see the GCD file 006B055301.

    d- I deleted the previously mentioned files in the NUVI and replaced them with the new files. I made sure the BIN files were in the Garmin Folder in the NUVI and the GCD file in the RemoteSW folder in the NUVI.

    e- After the files were replaced I re-started my computer and hard resetted the NUVI. I noticed that now a message indicating that it was loading GPS Software actually was able to complete 100% (previously it would stop at 0% and then try to load maps).

    f- I ran the webupdater again. You have an option to re-install the firmware software as well as the options. I did both and this time didn't have any problem with corrupt files.

    I turned on the antenna and after a few minutes I GOT ACCESS TO THE SATELLITE!!! The bluetooth functions are also working well.
    All this did not help. However, when I connect an external antenna (I used a simple 2 foot metal wire for this purpose, inserted into the middle contact of the receptacle), the nüvi 660 does find satellites. See screenshot below:

    2tQYaGJ
    (coordinates erased for privacy purposes)

    So apparently the reception is fine. It is just that the unit does not use the built-in antenna but wants to use the external one (which is not connected). Any suggestions how to fix this?

  2.    Advertissements


  3. #2
    Garmin/GPS Systems GMod.

    Neil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Oz.
    Posts
    5,000
    Rep Power
    1441

    Default

    Undo and reset the connections, and if necessary fully replace the flat ribbon cable from the board to the flip-up antenna. Worked for me with a 6x0 which couldn't find sats after all the usual 'mirrors and cigar-smoke tricks'. Thanks again to Loly for the tip.
    'Thanking Posts' are banned. To thank someone, and/or to see hidden links and content, use the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] button below left of the helpful post then refresh your browser [F5 key]. 'Thanking Posts' are banned.
    Please don't spam. Posts serving no purpose other than to thank or to ask about hidden links are trashed or deleted, it's GPSPower's policy. Please don't spam.
    [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] should make their first post as a new Intro Thread in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

  4. #3
    Important User smokefree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    @ home
    Age
    44
    Posts
    966
    Rep Power
    731

    Default

    @Neil: as you were replying to my help request, I have opened up the nüvi 660, detached the antenna ribbon cable, cleaned contacts and reassembled everything. Still no luck with the built-in antenna. An external wire works fine.
    I do have a fully working nüvi 350 with (what appears to be) an identical antenna. I will try swapping antenna's and see what happens. To be continued.

  5. #4
    Important User

    catymag's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    light side
    Posts
    15,508
    Rep Power
    5042

    Default

    Take a look to this thread too:
    This is a known bug in the 6xx series Nuvi. The problem is the unit automatically sense when an external antenna is connected and internally switches from the internal antenna to the external antenna jack. For some reason, some units had a problem with this and would incorrectly detect an external antenna and switch off the internal antenna.
    Spoiler: source links
    reason:
    Code:
    Please Login or Register to see the links
    Fix:
    Code:
    Please Login or Register to see the links
    l9ebnsm
    You have to navigate to get to the good.

    Galaxy S5 Kitkat 4.4.2 / Nuvi1200->1250 / Nuvi3790T->34xx / Nuvi 2200 / Nuvi 66 / Oregon 600

  6. #5
    Important User smokefree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    @ home
    Age
    44
    Posts
    966
    Rep Power
    731

    Default

    Swapped antennas between nüvi 660 and nüvi 350. I can now confirm the problem is caused by the antenna which was originally fitted on the nüvi 660. I will brush up my command of Polish and see if this will work:

    Spoiler: link
    Code:
    Please Login or Register to see the links


    Looks like all that is needed is to solder a 1k resistor at the right spot. Several posters in the thread Caty linked to confirm it works.

  7. #6
    Important User smokefree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    @ home
    Age
    44
    Posts
    966
    Rep Power
    731

    Default

    I got the antenna (now on the nüvi 350) working, but not as it was intended. Reason: there's no way I could possibly solder a 1k resistor on the PCB. The connections on that spot are way too tiny (read: my mini soldering gear is still too big). I therefore went for the alternative repair, and that is to connect the center pin of the external antenna receptacle to the center pin of the internal antenna contact on the PCB, using a thin wire. Still not much room to work, but manageable. Result shown below:

    0T5sNIM


 

 

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •