Problems with RDS-TMC receiver

[billkos]

I’m new to this forum and hope someone can help me out. I just purchased a RDS-TMC receiver to go with my TomTom XL S IQ Routes GPS. The GPS acknowledges the receiver when it’s connected and puts up the traffic bar on the right side of the screen. My problem is it doesn’t seem to be able to pick up any stations despite the fact that Total Traffic Network indicated there are 6 within my receiving area. I know for certain I get within 10 miles of one transmitter during my commute. I’ve tried the usual things like selecting the factory default settings, a soft reset, and even manually setting the frequency, none of which worked. I even stopped at a rest center on the highway for 10 minutes or so and pulled the GPS with receiver outside the car to make sure it wasn’t attenuating the signal. Still no reception. All I get is the car icon with an arrow circling around it, never a green dot. In all cases when I was trying this out I had a route programmed in. Initially I assumed the problem was a bad receiver so I returned it to the store and got a replacement unit. Same problem! Am I doing something wrong?? Was there a bad batch of receivers manufactured by TomTom? Do I have the right model number receiver?



Here’s the list of my equipment and software:

GPS - XL S IQ Routes Model 4EM0.001.02 (serial number starts with RU)

Application software – 9.510.1234792.2

Map – United_States_2GB V915.5074

TomTom Home – version 2.9.7.3256



I also checked for corrupted files on the TomTom. None were found.



The RDS-TMC receiver and charging cable in question is model number 4UUC.001.01. Based on the information from TomTom’s website it should be compatible with my GPS.



The GPS works great but this receiver is starting to give me headaches. I would appreciate any help in getting this to work Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[canderson]

Scratching head.

I show your unit as an XL340 with TTS, so we agree on basically what it is.
9.510 was the last release of the code for that unit, and is designed to support the 4UUC.001.01 cable.
So that match is correct.

You say you always get car icon with green circling arrow. That indicates that the device is looking at a particular station and checking for RDS content. It should cycle between yellow dot and the car/circle icon as it looks at various stations. As you say, the ideal end result is the green dot, indicating an RDS capable station has been found. The fact that you are seeing this much indicates that the TomTom is seeing the cable and intends to try to work with it.

What we're down to, in spite of your post, still seems to be some sort of reception issue. Can you identify, in general terms, your start and stop locations for a typical commute? And I assume you are getting your TTN info here? >> http://www.totaltraffic.com/index.php/solutions/2013-04-02-15-39-16/coverageareas

 

[billkos]

I have a 20 mile commute that takes me through New Haven CT (about midpoint) almost entirely on I-95. The nearest station that carries traffic info is WKCI 101.3 MHZ in Hamden CT (there are 5 others). I checked the transmitter location and it's about 10 miles away at the closest point. I've also tried entering the frequency manually. So far I've never been able to get traffic on the GPS despite many attempts. I've not seen the traffic indicator show anything but the car with circling arrow icon. No yellow or green dot. My confusion is that this is my second receiver. When I discovered the problem I brought the cable back to the retailer and got an exchange for a new one. Both have this problem. I could understand one being bad but with two it makes me wonder if there's a more fundamental problem I was overlooking.

 

[dhn]

Are you placing the 'egg' on the dashboard visible through the windshield?

 

[canderson]

Would have suggested that, but when he said "...I even stopped at a rest center on the highway for 10 minutes or so and pulled the GPS with receiver outside the car to make sure it wasn’t attenuating the signal." I let that go for the moment. However, if the rest center just happened to be some distance from an RDS capable FM station (Murphy sticking his head into the test), we might not know anything from that, either.

To the OP:
We certainly have not heard of any issues with a defective run of these units before.
Here's the list I have for the entire area (some of which may not be close enough to your route) WHCN 105.9, WKSS 95.7, WALK 97.5, WURH 104.1, WKCI 101.3, WWYZ 92.5
Do those agree with the ones you have been trying manually?

 

[billkos]

Yes, those stations look correct. I can (and have) put a small battery operated FM radio on the floor of my car and will get WKCI booming through from my driveway to the front door of work. I don't think the problem is lack of signal strength from the transmitting station. The GPS with cable is mounted on the front dash with the cable going along the bottom of the windshield. I did try draping the cable over the rear view mirror so it wasn't laying on the dash. Made no difference. I'm beginning to think I may have gotten two bad receivers in a row. Is there another model RDS-TMC receiver currently available that will work with my GPS?

 

[canderson]

Wow .. no ideas left. Good testing technique (like the FM on the floor - sounds like something I'd do!)

Negative on alternative receivers. What you are being sold is the correct and only part for your unit at this time.
Stranger things have happened, but as I say, this is an item we just don't hear about ref failures here. Guess all you can do is try another, perhaps from another source?

 

[billkos]

Thanks. I think you're right about finding another source. I'll see if I can find another place locally. I'll let you know if that fixes the problem.