GPS loss on all devices?

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

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Yesterday I flew an airplane.
For nearly an hour, my iPad and Garmin were both unable to find me.

Garman had a message stating "GPS signal lost" and a "?" in the middle of the screen.
Foreflight was just showing the map. No plane, no blue dot BUT stratus was reporting multiple towers and signal strength was good (although that's probably irrelevant).

Curious as to why both would have been unable to detect GPS at the same time. I am guessing something external as they use separate antennas. Given there are generally 4+ satellites at any given time, I would think the GPS signal would be pretty solid.

Not a big deal except flying in circles for an hour until the signal came back but was curious if someone knows why this might happen. I feel like this has happened once before.
 
I'm no expert but maybe the flux capacitor had a reverse inflow of proportional anti-spacial feedback??? Just replying for a friend.
 
It was the elf getting you back


Trying to lock on to the satellites while moving seems to sometimes be more of an issue - did they work at first and then lose it? Or did they not work from the get-go?
 
Was there a GPS Jamming NOTAM for the area?
 
There was aNOTAM for ny area extending quite a distance about gps interference
 
What that is is a warning shot across the bow of all the sky mariners who believe that GPS is the end-all/be-all of navigation. This is a point I have made since the beginning of Loran. Put all your eggs on one basket and the yolk is on you.
I still carry an old and outdated set of charts. The VOR receiver is working and calibrated. And episodically I fly a VOR track out and back, including time to station by tracking across two radials, ending with a VOR-A approach, all on my own.
(I don't bother ATC with such antiquated requests for fear of some young controller getting vapor lock of the prefrontal lobes over the idea that I do NOT need him or his radar to get from point a to point b - the horror, the horror)

And the GPS jamming would be the military yanking your chain - or some drug runner's. Perhaps a solar flare. Or Iranian jihadis on the ground testing their new GPS jammer. Maybe even an FTL ship with poorly adjusted dampers that dropped out of hypercruise to get a nav fix and then going FTL again.
 
@SixPapaCharlie .... where were you when this has happened???

We have been experiencing some dropouts near the GREGS intersection in both of our club aircraft.
 
Bryan - that was a solar event the caused your GPS loss. I was briefed on it, but I wasn’t flying that day so I didn’t pay it too much attention.

Also, I since have stumbled across your YouTube channel, and I’ve become quite the fan. Nice work.
 
Maybe try putting the antenna in a place with an unobstructed view of the sky? Are the drivers up to date? Is the unit turned on? Did the device get wet? Is the unit receiving power? Have you completed the firmware update? Has your credit card number changed? Anyone of these issues may cause a Phantom NOTAM.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
I hope I didn't imply that I don't know how to navigate without it.
AggieMike88 said:
@SixPapaCharlie .... where were you when this has happened???

We have been experiencing some dropouts near the GREGS intersection in both of our club aircraft.
Click to expand...

Departing 52F almost to Oklahoma.
Unfortunately I was supposed to be going to San Antonio but what are you going to do when the GPS goes out?
 
kep5niner said:
Bryan - that was a solar event the caused your GPS loss. I was briefed on it, but I wasn’t flying that day so I didn’t pay it too much attention.

Also, I since have stumbled across your YouTube channel, and I’ve become quite the fan. Nice work.
Click to expand...

Thank you.

And thank you.
 
Having paper charts is only as good as your ability to interpret them. I try to match up waypoints with the sectional on the iPad even when I'm using the GPS features so I can maintain familiarity with the routes in the event of the loss of efficiency in routing that having a GPS adds to our flying.
 
Them there electronical toys won't work with a bullet through it... Well, as a civilian now, I can't use that one any more...
I just ordered paper charts from Sporty's and paid the necessary ransom. They continue working without a recharge or after being dropped...
(Yes, I do have a tablet with all the goodies on it)
 
Your Garmin and IPAD are jealous that you spend so much time with your GoPro. They are on strike.
 
This had happened to me too.. from time to time leaving SEE due East I will lose all GPS.. phone, 650, iPad.. usually comes back in about an hour
 
Dr. O said:
What that is is a warning shot across the bow of all the sky mariners who believe that GPS is the end-all/be-all of navigation. This is a point I have made since the beginning of Loran. Put all your eggs on one basket and the yolk is on you.
I still carry an old and outdated set of charts. .
Click to expand...
While I agree I would get up to date charts. With VOR’s getting decommissioned left and right you could get yourself in a pickle if your are planning on relying on something that was dc a year ago
 
Are there really that many folks out there who don't have at least one functional VOR and know how to use it?

Also if you're lost in most of the country you can always just call for help on 121.5 and get in touch with someone at ATC who, I presume, can give you a transponder code and have you ident to locate you. I wouldn't make that my plan A or B but... it's a thing you could do.
 
“Solar activity”, lol!
Good job, Chemtrail False News Team.

(Last month, our Chemtrail Group was joined by the Pulse Irradiation Group, who is now conducting tests in populated areas; one side-effect of this is the scattering of satellite signals like gps.)
 
It was your VOR being jealous of all the GPS/iPad attention and no love for her.
 
Sometimes when I’m flying inverted in the Grumman (to shake out the water, don’t you know) I lose GPS too.
Funny tho, WAAS seems OK under those conditions.
 
cowman said:
Are there really that many folks out there who don't have at least one functional VOR and know how to use it?

Also if you're lost in most of the country you can always just call for help on 121.5 and get in touch with someone at ATC who, I presume, can give you a transponder code and have you ident to locate you. I wouldn't make that my plan A or B but... it's a thing you could do.
Click to expand...

Actually I just removed my [only] VOR receiver a couple of weeks ago. Wasn't much use though, as the plane's previous owner had already removed the antenna...

I don't have a transponder, either. But I do have paper charts.
 
I'm still waiting for someone to brag about their sextant.
 
One of your GPS antennas is bad and transmitting trash.... interfereing with the others.

Turn each GPS device off, one at a time. When it comes back you’ll know the offending unit.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I hope I didn't imply that I don't know how to navigate without it.
Click to expand...
It's PoA, of course you did. The FAA may be involved shortly too.

SixPapaCharlie said:
Departing 52F almost to Oklahoma.
Click to expand...
Ooooohhh...that's right next to Area 51 it sounds like. Probably the real reason.

SixPapaCharlie said:
Unfortunately I was supposed to be going to San Antonio but what are you going to do when the GPS goes out?
Click to expand...

Swing by the FSDO and have a beer!
 
I gave my sextant to my wife and she doesn't use it much anymore.
 
Nothing to worry about comrade, just your government keeping you “safe”
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
One of your GPS antennas is bad and transmitting trash.... interfereing with the others.

Turn each GPS device off, one at a time. When it comes back you’ll know the offending unit.
Click to expand...


This. We had similar intermittent issues. Turns out the Garmin “TSOed” antenna was delaminating and emitting spurious noise on the GPS freq. Took a long while to narrow this down.
 
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