Question for you guys with Nav systems that travel in or through big cities with lots of tall buildings (NY, Boston, etc..) Do the buildings interfere much with yout Nav reception?

 

Don't think so.

If anything, it's more likely there might be problems in wide-open areas, but I'm sure it has nothing to do with their being wide open.

What makes you wonder?

 

I was driving in Boston last weekend and got lost...wishing I had a Nav... being surrounded by huge buildings and I started wondering how the GPS signal would not get blocked by the bldgs.

 

I think what's most likely to throw it off is extreme atmospheric conditions. I've particularly had problems sometimes in stormy/lightning/thundering.

 

I couldn't believe it but mine worked in a couple of San Francisco's underground garages...

Santa Rosa Steve

 

mine works perfectly in downtown philly.

i was amazed - i went through a tunnel beneath a 1000ft mountain and the nav tracked correctly the entire time. how is this possible?

 

I don't know how the TSX Navi works but some systems use dead reckoning wich gets the speed from your speedo and uses g-forces to accurately estimate where you are.

 

I find that driving in downtown Los Angeles, dead reckoning works most of the time if I drive slowly and and smoothly. But when I drive fast, or if I drive on inclines (which downtown has a lot of in Bunker Hill), dead reckoning is way off.

 

So has mine!

 

Oh yeah, It works in underground parking garage for mealso. it's funny to watch the arrow go around in circles

 

I have a small complaint about the accuracy of the navi system. I'm not too sure about other cities, but in New York there are several roads here that have two or more express lanes with a local lane that runs right next to them (like Queens Blvd and Grand Concourse). There are concrete barricades or very narrow curbs that separate the express from the local and the navi system may think that you're on a local lane when you're actually on an express one, or vice versa. So the navi ends up constantly telling you to get on a road that you're already on, or not get on a road that you're not on.

It's not that big of a deal, especially if you are familiar with the roads. With regards to reception and big cities, I haven't really had any problems. Route calculation can take a little longer sometimes, but I'm not sure if the buildings are to blame.

For good measure, I've used the navi system in Philly and Albany with no problems at all.

 

Same problem. I drive on the 10 freeway east of downtown Los Angeles, and there is a carpoop lane. When I drive on the fast lane (lane closest to the carpool lane) it sometimes thinks I'm in the bus lane aka the carpool lane. Another time it thinks I'm on a street parallel to the freeway that's very close to the freeway. Fortunately, it usually correct itself after a few moments..at least when I'm on the freeway I know there is NO WAY I'm on a surface street.

 

Two Saturday's ago I believe we drove to the Javits Center (New York City) to go to the boat show. And the NAV worked perfectly the whole time. No interferance or anything. We also drove around the city going to different resturants. NAV found them all. Very pleased....

 

Thanks for the replies fellas. I can't wait to finally have a Nav...so I can maybe, for ONCE, not get lost trying meet friends in Boston, who happen to pick a different meeting place each time.