the GPS-blues (will i ever find a good receiver?)

mischka76 · 03-28-2006, 10:01 AM

Hi

Im on the end of my nerves now with gps receivers..

I am looking for a reasonably priced gps receiver that connects to the COM-PORT (so no usb or even bluetooth stuff creating virtual comports and what have you) which can take an external antenna.. or guaranteed works behind a heated window!
also, it should last for at least the the warranty period!

any sensible suggestions, with web-links?

the reason is that i have spent quite some time now finding a good receiver. In my hay-days of car-pc i had a hicom hi-204e on usb. it was cheap and sat on my roof. a usb cable went through the sunroof opening. unfortunately there were 3 problems:
1.usb problems, the driver playing up or getting "re-discovered" by windows. and i dont want to be re-installing drivers when i am driving.
2.the cable getting clamped in the sunroof and eventually got broken. dilemma: the thing doesnt work under the windscreen so it has to be outside!
3.being outside in the rain...even the term "waterproof" has its limits.

i solved the problem with the usb by ordering a com-port cable but some time later the mouse died because of too much water. so i bought a holux mouse, a gr-230. this is a bluetooth-enabled receiver with possibility for an active external antenna. cost me about £50. soon i found out bluetooth is a no-no with hibernate. doesnt work. so i ordered a usb cable (£15) and an external antenna (another 15 quid) which worked wonderfull for some time. then the os started to re-discover the comport again after waking up from hibernating. holux helpdesk never heard of it but swapped the usb cable for a com-port cable and for a few weeks i had a peacefull life. untill last week, when my receiver died. it wont get any more signals even though it should. in its last hours it was receiving, not receiving etc for no reason.

I also got one of those U2 mice from fortuna which doesnt work in the car AT ALL. it causes loads of interference and wont pick up the signal even outside.

i'd like to keep the setup with an external antenna, but if anyone knows a good receiver that is known to work under a heated rear window im happy to try. (though im not to keen leaving a gps receiver in clear view, just an antenna is different all together!)

so, apart from the 3 devices above does anyone have a good suggestion?

Sonicxtacy02 · 03-28-2006, 11:46 AM

i have a heated tinted window. It doesnt affected my bu 353. get the bu 355

Marvin Hlavac · 03-28-2006, 07:12 PM

The most sensitive GPS receivers on the market these days are the ones with SiRFstarIII chipset. I can however only think of one that accepts external antenna: GPSlim236. But that one is Bluetooth and/or USB and you are looking for a serial.

You could use re-radiating antenna with any receiver (even if the receiver is not designed to accept external antenna). Look at the following sample of a re-radiating antenna: http://semsons.com/gpsreran.html

wi77iam · 03-29-2006, 07:26 AM

Here is a 12 channel SiRF II gps module with MMCX external antenna connector for less than $60. You'll have to wire up your own serial port connector, though, but it's very easy.