Cheap Easy improvement of GPS LOCK!... - Page 3

popuptoaster · 09-30-2004, 07:17 AM

does a GPS arial work through fiberglass?

I ask because my hearse has a fiberglass roof section from front to back, but the original steel roof is still there under it at the top of the windscreen for about the first foot and a half, It would be a handy place to stick a GPS reciever, along with anything else that needs hiding!! lol

Spaghetti · 09-30-2004, 08:06 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by popuptoaster

does a GPS arial work through fiberglass?

I ask because my hearse has a fiberglass roof section from front to back, but the original steel roof is still there under it at the top of the windscreen for about the first foot and a half, It would be a handy place to stick a GPS reciever, along with anything else that needs hiding!! lol

You drive a hearse???!!!
Is it in active service then.....?

jpelzer · 09-30-2004, 09:28 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Spaghetti

You drive a hearse???!!!
Is it in active service then.....?

Hearses are little-known muscle cars... We used to have one back in college. I wonder what the border patrol was thinking as we crossed the US/Canada border, 15 passed-out teenagers on top of 40 or so cases of Molsen. They stopped us for a while, but eventually waived us through.

popuptoaster · 09-30-2004, 06:48 PM

not in active use anymore, its in the process of being turned into a luxury tourer/mobile entertainment centre

pic here http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...e/c73ae599.jpg

Its also getting more grunt from a 200 horse quad cam 24 valve V6 and a shot of laughing gas.

Spaghetti · 09-30-2004, 06:59 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by popuptoaster

not in active use anymore, its in the process of being turned into a luxury tourer/mobile entertainment centre

pic here http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...e/c73ae599.jpg

Its also getting more grunt from a 200 horse quad cam 24 valve V6 and a shot of laughing gas.

Brilliant!
Just need that Jackass-style runaway coffin to complete the effect...

bLindmOnkey · 10-01-2004, 12:04 AM

just to get back on topic, I've noticed that my Re-Radiating gps antenna, which has magnets taped underneath it to stick to a car roof does get an exceptionally better signal than just using my navman antenna, but fix times with this re-rad is a minute as opposed to 5 and I've connected to 10 sats instead of just 6-8, so aside from the antenna just being better overall the magnets may have something to do with the better signal.

BOND007BE · 10-04-2004, 05:10 PM

could you guys send me some pics of USING the magnets ?

thanx

julz · 10-23-2004, 08:28 PM

stupid question but has anyone tried stacking up multiple magnets underneath?? How about really strong magnets like the ones ripped out from hard drives?

might give this a shot later on and let u know how i go

julz · 10-23-2004, 11:24 PM

i found a good spot for the receiver, magnet it onto the rear child safety seat metal bracket (provided your car has one, all australian cars have them as part of regulations).

c4shm0ney · 06-20-2005, 05:01 PM

I'm posting a picture of my setup below. The GPS can not get a lock sitting where it is at. The enclosure is made of aluminum and has been painted. The reciever is looking up through the rear window. Is the aluminum case a groundplane or not? Would mounting a heavy magenent on the underside of the car about 2 inches under the enclosure make a groundplane?
Any advice is appreciated.

The GPS is the white circle in the top right, It's an old RandMcnally GPS 'mouse' reciever without the cover.

tj!2k4 · 06-20-2005, 05:08 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by popuptoaster

does a GPS arial work through fiberglass?

Since an old thread has been revived... the answer to this question is YES. My Mustang has a fiberglass hood and trunk; both GPS and XP work as flawlessly as can be expected mounted in the trunk.

jpelzer · 06-21-2005, 09:50 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by c4shm0ney

I'm posting a picture of my setup below. The GPS can not get a lock sitting where it is at. The enclosure is made of aluminum and has been painted. The reciever is looking up through the rear window. Is the aluminum case a groundplane or not? Would mounting a heavy magenent on the underside of the car about 2 inches under the enclosure make a groundplane?
Any advice is appreciated.

The aluminum case should work fine as a ground plane. If you move the whole thing outside your window, does it lock on? If no, you probably have bigger issues. If yes, I'd take a look at any coatings that may be on your rear window, such as anti-UV.

I doubt adding a magnet would help. The case should make a much better ground plane than any small magnet would. You may try varying the distance between aluminum and antenna, that may have some effect (closer generally better)

c4shm0ney · 06-21-2005, 05:20 PM

I added a 8x8 inch square of aliuminium foil under the reciever to test this out. From what I can tell it appears to work. I'm able to recieve more satalites and get a lock where I was unable to previously.