[aprssig] Garmin GPS 18 question

Gary n6lrv at cox.net
Tue Sep 13 20:38:11 EDT 2005


One other little known fact is if you let your power supply to the GPS18
drift below 4.7Vdc then it will freeze up on the next memory write. The
memory writes happen periodically and are not displayed in any way. This
really does happen. As one of the first in this group to use a GPS18 I found
out first hand how voltage sensitive the GPS18 is. Using a common 9V battery
as a power source (via a solid state 5V regulator) mine eventually and slowly
ran down until it reached the minimum threshold of the regulator (about 7Vdc)
then the regulator's output dropped accordingly. In short order the GPS18
locked up and would operate or communicate. Garmin replaced it under warranty
but getting answers from Garmin took hours of calling and digging. I finally
got a service manager to explain the problem. They realize this shortcoming
in the GPS18's design but they won't be correcting it. I have also been using
the GPS15H which has internal regulation but it is not packaged the same way
and it requires an external antenna.
Gary

clayj at nwlink.com wrote:

> The regulator is in the lighter plug - there's a VERY specific warning on
> either the GPSCity (where I actually ordered my LVC) or Garmin web site.
>
> If you put ANYTHING over 5V on the LVC, you'll fry it.
>
> Clay
> N7QNM
>
> > Scott I have the LVC model, i hav a reg in line
> >
> > I think they have a reg in the cigarette lighter. do not quote me tho
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org
> > [mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]On Behalf Of Scott Miller
> > Sent: Wednesday, 14 September 2005 5:50 AM
> > To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
> > Subject: [aprssig] Garmin GPS 18 question
> >
> >
> > I see that the GPS 18 PC takes up to 30 volts.  Does anyone know if the
> > regulation is done in the unit itself, or is it in the cable?  In other
> > words, if you cut off the cable, is the PC the same as the LVC version?
> >
> > Scott
> > N1VG
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> >
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