GPS 7 sats on roof and 2 in front windscreen!?!?

UHF · 06-14-2005, 04:31 PM

I'm using the Royaltek Saphire on a Opus powered car PC. It ran fine in my windscreen when on my laptop and since i've had it on the carpc its been utterly useless in the windscreen.

In another post, people suggested it was lack of power from the carpc's usb extension cable etc. But how come i get SUCH an increase in locks when its on the roof of the car.

I can literally hold it inside the car under the windscreen and i get 2 green and a blue from gpsdemo, and then at the same angle holding it outside the car with my arm out the window i get 5 locked and then on the roof i get 7 locked.

My front screen isnt heated, its just a regular screen in a Skoda Fabia VRS, does this GPS have problems with windscreens, are there alternatives which dont?

I drove around all day with it on the roof and it had 5 bars in MapMonkey all day and updated like a dream, put it inside the windscreen and it didnt get a single lock during a 1 hour journey.

Wiredwrx · 06-14-2005, 04:36 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by UHF

I'm using the Royaltek Saphire on a Opus powered car PC. It ran fine in my windscreen when on my laptop and since i've had it on the carpc its been utterly useless in the windscreen.

In another post, people suggested it was lack of power from the carpc's usb extension cable etc. But how come i get SUCH an increase in locks when its on the roof of the car.

I can literally hold it inside the car under the windscreen and i get 2 green and a blue from gpsdemo, and then at the same angle holding it outside the car with my arm out the window i get 5 locked and then on the roof i get 7 locked.

My front screen isnt heated, its just a regular screen in a Skoda Fabia VRS, does this GPS have problems with windscreens, are there alternatives which dont?

I drove around all day with it on the roof and it had 5 bars in MapMonkey all day and updated like a dream, put it inside the windscreen and it didnt get a single lock during a 1 hour journey.

The power can be affecting the sensitivity of the unit. Your loptop provided enough juice to pick up "weak" satelites, while the carputer can not (just because the windscreen is transparent, doesn't mean that it does not block the satelite signal ) When you take the unit outside of the car, the signal strength improves, and you now pick up more satelites, even though you are having a power issue. I am not familiar with that unit, but does it have a magnet. If so, and even if not, it will just be a little harder to mount it, you might be able to improve the reception under the windscreen by mounting the unit on a small piece of metal. The metal will act as a groundplace, and should help with reception.

Also, when did you test the unit on the laptop last. Try them "side by side" or at least, as close as possible. Foliage, and atmospheric conditions can effect satelite reception.

Michael

thanatos106 · 06-14-2005, 04:37 PM

It may be interference from the other devices...

Just my .2 cents

UHF · 06-14-2005, 05:08 PM

the tests were done side by side, pretty much within a few hours with the car outside my house in the same place.

its magnetic, it sits brilliantly on the roof and actually looks like a little police light, but its not waterproof and it looks crap, so i need to make it run inside the car properly.

How can i boost power or sort out interference?

Wiredwrx · 06-14-2005, 05:11 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by UHF

the tests were done side by side, pretty much within a few hours with the car outside my house in the same place.

its magnetic, it sits brilliantly on the roof and actually looks like a little police light, but its not waterproof and it looks crap, so i need to make it run inside the car properly.

How can i boost power or sort out interference?

Try the metal plate trick, or a powered USB hub.

Michael

CdRsKuLL · 06-14-2005, 05:13 PM

ok, if you have tried them side by side and the results are above, then the only thing I can think of which has already been mentioned is the power issue. Would you have a powered usb hub handy.. this would then at least confirm if it was a lower power issue you were having.

CdR

MGD · 06-14-2005, 05:29 PM

I had the same problem with my GPS mouse, then I changed my Lilliput refresh rate from 75 Hz to 60 Hz and it works great now.

UHF · 06-15-2005, 02:31 AM

I will find a way to rig up a powered usb hub somehow, I'm using the 12v opus psu so I dont have an in car invertor or anything so I hope I can find a 12v usb hub!

I'll also try the refresh rate thing on the off chance, I do think the cables for that run down the same side of the car

mbkowns · 06-15-2005, 06:14 PM

my BU-303 won't work good unless its on a metal surface. It has a magnet on the bottom but I would rather not stick it outside the car on my new paint...

It has something to do with the magnet becuase if its still outside but under some wood or something it gets a poor signal

any work around for this?

Wiredwrx · 06-15-2005, 06:42 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by mbkowns

my BU-303 won't work good unless its on a metal surface. It has a magnet on the bottom but I would rather not stick it outside the car on my new paint...

It has something to do with the magnet becuase if its still outside but under some wood or something it gets a poor signal

any work around for this?

HUH? Please explain "It has something to do with the magnet becuase if its still outside but under some wood or something it gets a poor signal"

So, it has something to do with the magnet, but the wood makes it have a worse signal. So, is it the magnet, or the wood. Wuh?

The work around, hate to say it, but is, DON'T DRIVE WITH WOOD COVERING YOUR RECEVIER.

The magnet itself has nothing to do with your reception. The 3 or so things that matter to the reciever are, Power, Groundplane, and an Unobstructed view of the sky.

Seems as if power isn't your issue. You need groundplane. You can put a metal piece that sticks out at least a couple of inches under the unit , (It must be something that a magnet will "stick" to, although you do not need to stick the unit to the metal, it can be seperated by cloth or something else.) You can mount it on your dash, or on the rear shelf. And, while a metal canopy like the roof of a car is far worse of a signal blocker then a window, a window will block some of the radio waves. So, while it's reception will be imporved with the metal groundplane, it will not be as good on the back shelf as it would be if mounted on the trunk or roof of your car, with an unobstructed view of the sky.

Please, no wood over it.

Michael