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Unable to acquire satellites with a GPSMAP 172/178
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 Auto Locate 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 Auto Locate 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 Auto Locate 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 related FAQ for more information.