No reception in NYC

lexdiamond20 · 04-22-2008, 03:14 PM

Hope someone can help. Ok, my car pc has been working excellent the past year. The only problem is I loose the GPS signal when I get the areas of NYC with large buildings i.e. times sqaure, park ave, financial district etc. See it doesnt lose the signal and turn the car cursor from green to red in IG, but it turns yellow or red and jumos me from one road to the other on the screen. It even says im off the rad sometimes. Anyone else have this problem...please tell me you do. Im just about ready to get a new mouse. Just need to know if this problem is common.

This is the one I have:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Holux-USB-Mouse-...2em118Q2el1247

Rick99TAWS6 · 04-22-2008, 03:36 PM

Got enough 5V from your power supply - had similar issues myself, GPS would work and then not, upgraded power supply from M2 to DSATX and it seems to have cleared that up - think I was just a bit low on 5V with all the usb, etc

lexdiamond20 · 04-22-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Rick99TAWS6

Got enough 5V from your power supply - had similar issues myself, GPS would work and then not, upgraded power supply from M2 to DSATX and it seems to have cleared that up - think I was just a bit low on 5V with all the usb, etc

Power is fine. Im using a 450 watt PS so I know tahts not the problem. Im not too keen on GPS specs. Can anyone tell from the Ebay link if the receiver is too weak to read through the high rise buildings in NYC. Im seriously thinking thats the problem.

Marvin Hlavac · 04-22-2008, 07:53 PM

That's a good receiver (based on the fine SiRFstarIII chip).

What you are observing is very typical behaviour of GPS navigation while driving among tall buildings in large cities. If you do a lot of driving in such areas, pretty much the only thing that you can do to improve the reception of the weak satellite signals, is to place your GPS antenna on the outside of your vehicle - on the roof. If you currently keep your GR-213 inside you car, you will observe substantial improvement when you place it on the roof.

If your GPS location still jumps from one street to the next, then when ever you find yourself in big city downtown, just switch from 3D map view / heading-up to 2D-view / north-up. That way the map will stop rotating senselessly, and you will be able to orient yourself easily, even while your GPS location icon happens to fly across buildings

.

lexdiamond20 · 04-22-2008, 11:40 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Marvin Hlavac

That's a good receiver (based on the fine SiRFstarIII chip).

What you are observing is very typical behaviour of GPS navigation while driving among tall buildings in large cities. If you do a lot of driving in such areas, pretty much the only thing that you can do to improve the reception of the weak satellite signals, is to place your GPS antenna on the outside of your vehicle - on the roof. If you currently keep your GR-213 inside you car, you will observe substantial improvement when you place it on the roof.

If your GPS location still jumps from one street to the next, then when ever you find yourself in big city downtown, just switch from 3D map view / heading-up to 2D-view / north-up. That way the map will stop rotating senselessly, and you will be able to orient yourself easily, even while your GPS location icon happens to fly across buildings

.

Thanks Marvin ill try that.

skuller · 04-22-2008, 11:45 PM

don't worry too much about it, it happen all the time.
the gps signal bouncing all over the tall building.

lexdiamond20 · 04-24-2008, 10:02 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by skuller

don't worry too much about it, it happen all the time.
the gps signal bouncing all over the tall building.

I see GPS systems in every other car in NYC. Are you saying theyre having the same problem? Highly doubt it.

skuller · 04-24-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by lexdiamond20

I see GPS systems in every other car in NYC. Are you saying theyre having the same problem? Highly doubt it.

unless they have dead reckoning feature on their system, then yes they are having the same problem.
dead reckoning is overriding the gps signal if the signal is not making sense, with the sensor from speed of vehicle, heading (with gyro), etc.

2k1Toaster · 04-24-2008, 01:29 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by skuller

unless they have dead reckoning feature on their system, then yes they are having the same problem.
dead reckoning is overriding the gps signal if the signal is not making sense, with the sensor from speed of vehicle, heading (with gyro), etc.

OEM nav units do use speed/direction that help.

But the biggest thing is put the puck on the outside. I had mine in my dash, in my trunk, and now on the top of the trunk. In the dash (up near the plastic facing up) and trunk (magnetic mount stuck to underside of same metal it is on now), reception was horrible. Would take 20 to 40 minutes to lock, and would lose signal in heavy tree areas, and large coverings. No skyscrapers here, maximum city ordered height is 13 stories I believe

As soon as I stuck it outside, instant lock on cold boot, and reception in the garage with the door closed, I never loose signal. 2mm of metal sure does make a difference!

RipplingHurst · 04-24-2008, 01:51 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

But the biggest thing is put the puck on the outside. I had mine in my dash, in my trunk, and now on the top of the trunk. In the dash (up near the plastic facing up) and trunk (magnetic mount stuck to underside of same metal it is on now), reception was horrible. Would take 20 to 40 minutes to lock, and would lose signal in heavy tree areas, and large coverings. No skyscrapers here, maximum city ordered height is 13 stories I believe

As soon as I stuck it outside, instant lock on cold boot, and reception in the garage with the door closed, I never loose signal. 2mm of metal sure does make a difference!

My experience exactly. That's why I'm considering an external antenna. I can't figure out how to stick that GPS mouse (Garmin 18) outside. It is in my dash right now, at the skightest tree/building, I lose signal. Outside the car, perfect, it takes a very narrow street with tall buildings to block it. The roof is the best place by far, period: number of sattelites, speed of locking into them, precision, etc.

2k1Toaster · 04-24-2008, 01:56 PM

Well consider the $35 price on eBay of the 353 which is SirfIII as well and has a magnetic base with weatherproof enclosure, versus an external antenna to your current GPS puck and the time needed to solder them together...

We really do live in the age where it is cheaper to replace than to hack or repair.

Marvin Hlavac · 04-24-2008, 09:32 PM

2k1Toaster said: "... the biggest thing is put the puck on the outside ..."

(The best antenna is the location.)

Genesisfactor · 04-24-2008, 09:35 PM

go sirf 3. I go into manhattan all the time, never lost a signal. Even makes it a bit in the tunnels before losing signal, but as soon as you're out, your' back on track

In my carputer progress,the last pic i took had the gps in it. I don't even had an external antenna for it.

lexdiamond20 · 04-25-2008, 09:23 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Genesisfactor

go sirf 3. I go into manhattan all the time, never lost a signal. Even makes it a bit in the tunnels before losing signal, but as soon as you're out, your' back on track

In my carputer progress,the last pic i took had the gps in it. I don't even had an external antenna for it.

Well I get a lock with 10 seconds of turning the PC on and almost instantly as soon as I leave the tunnels. Im not sure if the antenna is waterproof but I do know that it has a magnet to place on the outside of the car. I guess my only bet is to leave it where it is, under the rear window next to brake light, and just place it outside on the trunk when im headed to the city.

Thanks for the advice guys.