Thread: OEM GPS Installs

As TV-frequency is nowhere near Radio/GPS frequencies, it won't improve tv-reception at all.

Man - I wish you still posted here VWmike!

Unfortunately the link to the first cable is bad (it was an ebay auction... )

Anyone have any more info on this cable?

edit

ok - I've done a bit more reading and searching, since I'm not using a case, I don't need to worry with the BNC connectors. So this leads me to my next question. What kind of connection is made to the card its self? Is it a MCX connection on the card and at the antenna? If I'm seeing it right, it appears that the reciever has a female connection built onto it, so that end of the cable needs to be male? What about the antenna end? Male or female? I'm thinking that this cable would be what I would need but I'm a little unclear. Anyone? Link to cable

Also, regarding the mention of the connectors:

P/N FA1-NCRJ-C01-0 / GPS

Is this because the antenna only comes with ONE end and you need to buy the other?

I'm not worried about the FM part of this just yet. If I can find a decent FM card, I would be happy to utilize that part of the antenna as well.

Originally Posted by VWmike

Stonewall78, I have put together the following information about the shark fin in hopes that if you do decide to take on the mod it will go as smooth as possible.

Gps shark fin/ 1K0-035-507-C
The antenna is part of VW's navigation system and cost $110 US. Should be able to get it at any VW dealer . I purchased it online here... Antenna

Cable 1
The first cable you will need is available on ebay. This cable is the one connected to the GPS module and runs to the back of the case. $12.50 US
Link

Cable 2
This is probably the hardest to aquire and runs from the back of the case to the antenna. The cable you will need is RG174 or RG316 and terminated with a male BNC connector. I acquired this at work and didn't need to buy it but have done some searching and you can buy cable assemblies with BNC connectors on both ends fairly cheap.
Link
This leads me to the connectors that are on the antenna. They are made by Amphenol and detailed information on them can be found here
The blue one is GPS and purple is AM/FM radio. I bought them online from digi-key and where about $4.00ea. Digi-key

P/N FA1-NCRJ-C01-0 / GPS
P/N FA1-NDRJ-C01-0/ am/fm

The connectors do require a special crimper inorder to crimp a ferrule around the outer shield of the coax. Although if you have above average soldering skills it is possible to solder the outer shield to the connector. After assembling the cable I would recommend checking that the center conductor and the shield are not shorted together. This can be checked with any ohmmeter and you are looking for infinite resistance. If it is shorted then the 3vdc being supplied by the gps module will be going straight to ground and will it will fry.....

I think that covers just about everything. I have tested the gps operation with mapmonkey and I have locked on to 7 satillites with the antenna strung out my back porch about 7ft away from my house . I can only guess that this would only improve the farther I get from the house. I have not installed this in my car yet as my install is still months away but cannot find any reason why it won't work.

Just a note about the Radio portion of the antenna. I have yet to do any testing in regards to reception quality with a aftermaket head unit. I have read some posts on other forums about poor radio reception when they remove the factory VW radio and replace it with a aftermaket one. This is something I can live with becuase I can't remember when the last time I listened to FM radio. Excellent FM radio reception is something you absolutely must have then you might want to wait unitll I get my new head unit and can verify the reception quality....

Good luck

Originally Posted by jcdillin

And here it is installed in the computer

I know that you said you made one of these cables. I'm trying to figure out exactly which one.

Is it the one that goes to the serial port?

Also, I'm trying to understand why you went to a serial port on the back of the machine that leads to nothing instead of going to a serial port actually on the mobo. Or did you just tap into the serial port back there instead of going to the mobo directly?

Thanks in advance!

PS: if anyone is interested, I've found the antenna listed for right at $100 on this site:

https://www.1stvwparts.com/part_number.html

Just search under the OEM part number: 1K0035507C

Spiffy SiRF III module: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/pro...roducts_id=652

I'd buy one if I hadn't already bought a Garmin GPS 15H. Ah well, when the time comes to replace it there will be GPS/GLONASS/Galileo combo units on the market

so what's different between that module and the Garmin?

I notice that it only has a 110v power supply....wonder if the wall wart is just converting it to 12v? or if the unit takes 110V to begin with?

and I'm gathering that since it's an eval version, it's still in beta mode?

can you go into a bit more detail about the GPS/GLONASS/Galileo units?

What is special about those? I'm gathering it's more sensitive? more accurate?

Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

so what's different between that module and the Garmin?

The SiRF III chipset is what's being used in some of the newest Garmin GPS receivers (like the GPS60Cx), it's a 20-channel WAAS-enabled receiver with better sensitivity than the Garmin GPS15H/L (-159dBm for the SiRF III, -135dBm for the Garmin) and ever so slightly less power consumption (.23 watts vs .33 watts...not enough to make any kind of difference in a vehicle).

Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

I notice that it only has a 110v power supply....wonder if the wall wart is just converting it to 12v? or if the unit takes 110V to begin with?

Most likely takes a range of something like 9 to 15 volts. Take a look at the board, all it has is a linear voltage regulator , TTL->RS232 level shifter, and the GPS module.

Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

and I'm gathering that since it's an eval version, it's still in beta mode?

No, it's in production. The eval board is just that...for people to evaluate the unit and decide if they want to use it in their products/projects. My previous GPS, a Motorla M12 module, came on an eval board. Usually all the eval board does is provide power regulation, TTL/RS232 level shifters, and an antenna connector so it's easier to experiment with. Difficult to play around with something when it wants 3.3v and spits out TTL on a tiny pin header.

Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

can you go into a bit more detail about the GPS/GLONASS/Galileo units?

Galileo and GLONASS are other satellite-based positioning systems. GLANOSS is Russia's system, Galileo is the European Space Agency's system. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_positioning_system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLONASS

A receiver that's able to make use of more than one positioning network will be a bit more robust and accurate.