Does the 66i check for new messages when you power it on?

Yes, I believe it does. You will see the curved up-arrow in the status line, indicating attempted satellite communication. 

At any time, you can go to the inReach Utilities page, Mail Check tab to see if the device is actively checking at the present time. If not, you can initiate an active check from there.

Hello, I just got my 66i and set things up. Leaving it on over night at home, the battery completely drained with Bluetooth and WiFi off. The little up arrow is visible at all times. I now saw that the device is trying to check for I reach messages. Could that cause the power drain? If so, how can the power drin be reduced? Only via expedition mode or turning the device off?

Thanks 

Yes, that will drain the battery big-time. Did you leave it on indoors? Unlike GPS reception, iR reception usually does not work at all indoors (except possibly on a windowsill). Once the device begins an "active message check", it will continue to try to complete it - almost indefinitely. It's waiting for a response from the iR satellite network. Doesn't matter if there are or are not messages waiting. It wants positive contact with the network.

That said, if this was an indoor test, it's not realistic. If you are going to do this kind of power test, you need to do it outdoors with a clear view of the sky.

Edited to add: To answer the specific question, all iR devices attempt a message check at powerup. And once an hour while on. Under normal circumstances, active message checks "piggy back" on transmissions such as "sent" track points or sent messages.

You're right twolpert, and for me is very annoying, because I spend a lot of time indoor to configure & plan my expedition on my device & the battery drain like *** cause of this !! I also try to put satellite on demo mode but once the message checking is send at power on it never stop. Really think it can be easily solve by Garmin with a cancel message check option...Battery useless drain on offgrid & backcountry site is really a security matters!!

The 66i will run while powered via USB. Do your setup that way. 

Note: Offhand, I don’t recall if this requires specific configuration to avoid data transfer mode.

Thanks Leslie, but just wonder if you understand my real experience, I'm offgrid with my unit during expedition...at night, I'm in a cabin or my tent  to stay warm for planning my route & terrain for the next day, but the unit is draining really fast (around 2 hour) because it can't reach signal just for the purpose of message check with the satellite..so as result, you have to carry a lot of battery pack for back up ...I love my 66i & don't really like to critic it, but I really think it could be a good improvement for battery life in real offgrid situation to have the option  to turn message verification off.

If you’re just planning your route you can just turn off the gps satellite reception totally to help save your battery, as well as turning down your screen backlight. In fact you can totally turn off the screen backlight and it’s still daylight readable. Turn off Bluetooth to your phone too.

thank snow_leopard, but turning GPS off don't solve the problem of the message verification trying to reach the satellite signal & draining the batterie!! or maybe I do it wrong...my only option on 66i it's to choose demo mode in satellite option & you still got the upper narrow on top of the screen indicating the unit trying to reach the signal!

Well if you are trying to do inreach tests and messages you need to be outside with a clear view of the sky and if it’s still not working you need to change your location for better reception. There can also be times when inreach reception is spotty. So are you referring to when you initially power the device on and it checks for any messages, if so then I don’t think you can disable that feature you’re just going to have to move to a different location where it can do that first message check.