GPSrChive Discussion Forum

I took my 66i on a 6 day trip in my 94 year old vintage car. It was attached with a RAM suction mount to the windscreen. The suspension in the car is not good, and the GPSr vibrated around quite vigorously.

On probably half a dozen occasions, it obviously lost communications with my map on the SD card and "weird sh&t happened". I usually had to power cycle it to recover.

• Has anyone else noticed any susceptability of the SD card to vibration?

I hate to think what's going to happen when it's on the handlebars of my mountain bike on a rough track.

Another multi-day trip in the old car, and the same problem occured (ie intermittent loss of the maps stored on the SD card - and consequent loss of routing).

I stuck some electrical tape on the back of the SD card to give it some extra bulk and put more pressure on the card reader contacts, and it may have helped the problem (but being intermittent, it's hard to say for sure).

I guess I could put the custom map in the GPSr's internal memory, but I like having it on the SD card so that if the custom map results in the GPSr not starting-up, I can just remove the SD card to solve the issue.

No-one else seen this problem?

The first thing I would advise is to try with a different SD card.

What is the brand, size and type of micro SD card you are using?

The card is unbranded, 32GB HC I and speed class 1

Do you have any other data on it besides maps? Do you lose access to that data also?

As others suggested, try a different card, and perhaps add a small folded paper under the batteries to help keep the notoriously flimsy micro SD card latch from moving.

Do you have any other data on it besides maps? Do you lose access to that data also?

As others suggested, try a different card, and perhaps add a small folded paper under the batteries to help keep the notoriously flimsy micro SD card latch from moving.

No, just the maps are on the SD card.

This is a 66i, hence it has the SD card in the socket in the side under the cover.

I very strongly suspect it is a vibration issue (because I don't have problems hiking, or using it in modern cars with good suspension), hence unless this card is thinner (and hence less contact pressure) than other brands, I suspect changing to a different brand won't solve the problem.

I guess not too many people use them in 94 yo cars . Mountain biking might be the more common harsh vibration environment.

steerage250 wrote: ↑Wed May 10, 2023 2:01 am ...... hence unless this card is thinner (and hence less contact pressure) than other brands, I suspect changing to a different brand won't solve the problem.

I agree, the use of a different card may not change anything, but to some
extent it will rule out that the card may be the cause of the problem.

steerage250 wrote: ↑Wed May 10, 2023 2:01 am This is a 66i, hence it has the SD card in the socket in the side under the cover.

Whoops, missed the "i".

steerage250 wrote: ↑Wed May 10, 2023 2:01 am I guess not too many people use them in 94 yo cars .

Probably not!

Have any photos to share?