20 Most Recent Northstar 951XW GPS Receiver Questions & Answers

It would be good to make sure that the 951 software is up to date. The most recent software upgrade includes new code required due to changes that have been made to the GPS system. You can download the software for free from the Northstar web site but it requires a loader cable, power supply and a Windows based PC to perform the update. Most Noprthstar dealers know how to do this but they will charge for their time. The GPS antenna should be mounted where it has a 360 degree uninhibited view of the sky right down to the horizon to get best performance. Basicially any conductive material including pigmented paint, tinted glass or wet canvas can block the signal. Inspect the GPS coaxial cable and it's connections for any signs of corrosion or contamination. Sometimes just removing and reinstalling the connections is enough to remove contamination and get better performance. If in doubt concerning the coax and it's connections, temporaily substitute a new coax assy by-passing the existing cable to see if this makes a difference. You can monitor changes from the GPS status page. See the user manual for information concerning how to understand the numbers being presented. You should be tracking at least 4 SATs with signal levels higher than 30. Generally 95% of all GPS signal issues are related to the coax or its connections.
coax assy to v

physcially it might fit but it may not function property due to many changes/updates to the electronics. I would NOT recommend

Based on your description I would suspect that the internal memory battery is depleted and needs to be replaced. This battery is required to retain waypoint and route information when the input power is low or turned off. The battery is soldered onto the main circuit board and needs to be replaced by a technician having good soldering skills and access to instructions for the disassembly and reassembly of the unit. There is a list of dealers on the Northstar website. Review the list and make a couple of phone calls to see which ones will do bench work on this unit.

No because we have no parts here.

Here are some links to a few mounting accessories for your device currently available on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Northstar-GPS-Mounting-Retainers-941-951-952-6000-8000-/280723512462?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item415c6cdc8e



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Northstar-GPS-Mounting-Knobs-941-951-952-6000-6100-8000-/280723512762?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item415c6cddba


Just use your mouse to click on the link, which is the underlined and highlighted text just above. This will open a new web browser page automatically for you and allow you to view the information and items at the website indicated.

Please comment back here to this page if you have any details to add, have any questions, have difficulty accessing the links, or just require further general assistance and I will respond as soon as I see it.

I hope that was helpful to you, good luck and take care.

Joe.

Remove your SD/MMC card if you have one installed. Remove the batteries from the device. Hit the soft reset button (you'll need a paper clip or something) twice and wait about a minute. Insert batteries and start it up.

It seems the GPS software in your device is corrupted.
If you have the installation Disk of GPS then reset the GPS with factory settings and everything will work just fine again.

Thanks
Jimmy

Connect your unit up to the PC and run Garmin's webupdater program. It will scan your unit and tell you what updates are available and if you deleted a file, it will allow you to re-download it. You can find the program here: http://www8.garmin.com/support/collection.jsp?product=999-99999-27