OEM GPS Installs

**VWmike** · 03-16-2005, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by rando

Damn, that is sexy! Are you going to drill a hole in your car to mount that fin? That would scare the crap out of me!

Nope ... just remove the stock antenna and it fits in the same hole.

**jcdillin** · 03-16-2005, 07:25 AM

I really like that antenna idea, thats great looking

**IntellaWorks** · 03-16-2005, 08:22 AM

I think the antenna is a great idea as well, I'm tempted to run down to Vdub and buy one for my truck !!!

**rando** · 03-16-2005, 10:25 AM

Me too except my truck doesn't have a factory hole for an antenna. They're integrated into the side glass.

**JC-S60** · 03-16-2005, 11:14 AM

The poor radio-reception could be due to the fact that it might be an active antenna... If the factory HU sends out power over the coax (as with the GPS-receiver), an aftermarket HU probably won't do that.

**VWmike** · 03-16-2005, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by JC-S60

The poor radio-reception could be due to the fact that it might be an active antenna... If the factory HU sends out power over the coax (as with the GPS-receiver), an aftermarket HU probably won't do that.

JC-S60 ,

Seems you where right on the money with this. It is in fact an active FM antenna. I did some searching and found an adapter ... here
$25.00 , one more thing to buy. Damn this is getting expensive . Anyway thanks for the help.

**Chris31** · 03-16-2005, 08:32 PM

Is the reception much better with an external antenna than the typical GPS mouse type when also placed on the roof?

**jcdillin** · 03-16-2005, 08:34 PM

well I had a serial GPS unit sitting on the deck above my trunk and I would only get about 5 to 7 sats, with the external antenna and the Garmin, I never have less than 9 most the time it's 10 to 12

**Chris31** · 03-16-2005, 09:10 PM

Cool,

Since this OEM + antenna solution is brough up my interest has sparked up again. I have a garmin GPS16 with a built in antenna. I get 3 to no lock in a dense area, about 6-9 in open space. I have been thinking year ago if its worth the money and hassel to upgrade to OEM + antenna.

Can we conclude that the build in antenna is not as good as the external one?

**wagonerd** · 03-17-2005, 03:27 PM

not to turn this into another tv antenna thread but, what are the odds that this antenna would give better reception for a tv tuner? (sorry...had to ask

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