Some Q's for anyone using a Rikaline 6010

01black_ac · 04-28-2006, 02:01 PM

I have a Rikaline 6010 USB version, and I've got some prelim questions, since I'm planning to start running all my wires in the next few days.

1. Do any of you experience problems with resuming from hibernate mode with the Rikaline always connected?

2. Have you mounted your's with a direct line-of-sight to the sky, or is it possible to mount it in the trunk under the rear shelf where the speakers are mounted? I've heard stories where people claim they have their Rikaline mounted under the driver or passenger seat and it has no problem acquiring satellites, but I'm not sure how true that can be.

I'm trying to figure out a good place to mount it in the car, and am thinking it will probably need to be somewhere near the rear of the car, possibly just snaked up from the trunk and onto the rear shelf or right under the headliner, where the headliner meets the rear window.

3. Is there any reason why a GPS unit should be mounted toward the front of the car (by the windshield) as opposed to the rear of the car? I had a problem powering the unit when I put it on the end of a 10' USB extension cable, so I'd like to keep it as close as possible to the computer in the trunk...

Basically, I'm just looking for some hints/insight as to best places to mount it. Does it absolutely have to have line-of sight to the sky?

'01

-zip- · 04-28-2006, 02:12 PM

1. Do any of you experience problems with resuming from hibernate mode with the Rikaline always connected?
I dont use hibernate so cant help there

2. Have you mounted your's with a direct line-of-sight to the sky, or is it possible to mount it in the trunk under the rear shelf where the speakers are mounted? I've heard stories where people claim they have their Rikaline mounted under the driver or passenger seat and it has no problem acquiring satellites, but I'm not sure how true that can be.

Mine is located under the dash of my car, behind the instrument cluster.
I'm trying to figure out a good place to mount it in the car, and am thinking it will probably need to be somewhere near the rear of the car, possibly just snaked up from the trunk and onto the rear shelf or right under the headliner, where the headliner meets the rear window.

3. Is there any reason why a GPS unit should be mounted toward the front of the car (by the windshield) as opposed to the rear of the car? I had a problem powering the unit when I put it on the end of a 10' USB extension cable, so I'd like to keep it as close as possible to the computer in the trunk...
Should be no problem with the extension, I have a 15 foot cable. However, I think mounting in the back is a good idea. One thing I did find was the GPS and LCD can interfere with each other. If my lilliput is running at 72Hz refresh rate, my 6010 sat number drops in half. So I keep the LCD at 60Hz and all is fine.
Basically, I'm just looking for some hints/insight as to best places to mount it. Does it absolutely have to have line-of sight to the sky?
I would test it, again I do not need line of sight get 8-10 sats no problem, but only cutting through plastic then glass. Give it a test.

Rob Withey · 04-28-2006, 02:33 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 01black_ac

1. Do any of you experience problems with resuming from hibernate mode with the Rikaline always connected?

I don't use hibernate, so no comment.

Quote: Originally Posted by 01black_ac

2. Have you mounted your's with a direct line-of-sight to the sky, or is it possible to mount it in the trunk under the rear shelf where the speakers are mounted? I've heard stories where people claim they have their Rikaline mounted under the driver or passenger seat and it has no problem acquiring satellites, but I'm not sure how true that can be.

I'm trying to figure out a good place to mount it in the car, and am thinking it will probably need to be somewhere near the rear of the car, possibly just snaked up from the trunk and onto the rear shelf or right under the headliner, where the headliner meets the rear window.

Mine is located on the front dash, behind the windshield. It will eventually be moved to under the scuttle panel in front of the windshield.

Quote: Originally Posted by 01black_ac

3. Is there any reason why a GPS unit should be mounted toward the front of the car (by the windshield) as opposed to the rear of the car? I had a problem powering the unit when I put it on the end of a 10' USB extension cable, so I'd like to keep it as close as possible to the computer in the trunk...

My PC is up front, so front of the car is closest for me. Generally the front screen of a car is more sloped, so putting the gps below this will give a view of more of the sky. If mounting at the back, perhaps consider mounting it outside on the roof, but take suitable waterproofing precautions.

Quote: Originally Posted by 01black_ac

Basically, I'm just looking for some hints/insight as to best places to mount it. Does it absolutely have to have line-of sight to the sky?

'01

Line of sight will give you the best performance. I generally get between 8 and 10 satellites with it being on the dash at the very front. Move it back a few inches so it has less view of the sky, and the satellite locks drop off dramatically.

01black_ac · 04-28-2006, 03:07 PM

Hmm.. ok... the thing about my Acura CL is that the rear window is almost the same slope as the front windshield, so I suppose if I mount it on top of the rear shelf, between the speakers, but at the bottom of the window, that might give me better reception. I'll probably have to test it in different locations, but the good thing about it being mounted in the rear of the car is that it won't require complete rewiring through the car just to reposition it, so rebuilding the inside of my car won't get held up by that (I'm so sick of driving around with most of my dashboard pulled out).

I would rather not mount it outside the car because that's just asking someone to come by and start pulling on it, but inside on the rear deck will probably work. I'll still have to figure out some way to mask it so it's not sitting out in the open.

Can these units receive if they're mounted upside-down? For example, if the magnetic side were facing up, would it still receive?

(I don't have the GPS hooked up to any test system right now, otherwise I wouldn't be asking these basic kind of questions)

Thanks for the help so far.

'01