Want to throw my Earthmate against the wall. Need advice.

TheJack · 09-07-2006, 04:03 AM

OK guys... Need your advice.

I'm absolutely sick of my GPS Mouse.

Unfortunately, every piece of glass in my car blocks signal. I've done everything but nail the thing to my roof. Right now, the puck is mounted inside the plastic windshield-wiper cowl. I've even held it in my hand out the window. It works, but totally unreliable. Sometimes I get 8 SATS, sometimes I get none. Sometimes I lock quickly, sometimes it takes LONG (I notice I finally got a 3d fix after an hours)....

It drives me nuts to see it go Green>Red>Yellow>Red>Green>Red>ETC>ETC. I currently live in West Texas and we have NOTHING but Sky. I'm likely moving to Dallas within a year, but still it isn't NYC on SanFran.

Ok, so obviously I need to get away from the Mouses, so I can get a good external antenna and engine. OEM or UBlox-rig?

Ublox-rig: I really dig the idea of DR, but 300-400 dollars for something I have to build is alot for me. Also, I'm not the best electrician. Is it really, really worth the difference?

OEM: What's the heads-up winner? Garmin 15L? Sirf3 Board? Will it really give me reliable performance?

I'd like to spend up to $150 on a good engine and active antenna. I'm not a GPS-phile, but when there is nothing but sky above me I want Quick Init/Lock and consistant "green".

Your advice is appreciated.

DarquePervert · 09-07-2006, 07:55 AM

BU-353.
Works just fine and is less than half of what you have budgeted. I live in Dallas and haven't had a single issue with mine. It sits on my dash behind the windshield. It's also been tested buried underneath my dash and it still works just fine.

sciontC · 09-07-2006, 10:26 AM

again the bu-353 will solve all your priblems. i had the earthmate antenna as well and had the same issues as you. The bu-353 is awesome. i sat on it and still got 10 sats lol

Marvin Hlavac · 09-07-2006, 02:06 PM

Jack, the problem is that your town is not currently covered by the GPS satellite network. The U. S. military expects to have your geographical area operational by the end of 2015, but that is still conditional upon funding by the U. S. Department of Defence.
__________________
Don Trustme

Marvin Hlavac · 09-07-2006, 02:15 PM

...couldn't help it, sorry

.

What vehicle are you driving, Jack? Some tinted windows do block radio waves quite well. A newer GPS receiver, which is based on SiRFstarIII chipset, could overcome this issue, or at least it could somewhat improve the performance. Mounting your unit externally would solve the problem for you.

DarquePervert · 09-07-2006, 02:26 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Marvin Hlavac

Jack, the problem is that your town is not currently covered by the GPS satellite network. The U. S. military expects to have your geographical area operational by the end of 2015, but that is still conditional upon funding by the U. S. Department of Defence.

I was about to rip you a new one.

crez79 · 09-07-2006, 03:13 PM

BU-353 works great for me. I had an Earthmate and had the exact same problem you described. I switched to the BU-353 and was amazed. It gets a lock before I am out of the driveway every morining. The longest it ever took was maybe 30 seconds.

I have it mounted under the cloth, but above the metal of the deck in my trunk. It works beautifully, and you can't see it. I did have it outside on the trunk, but one day the top of the thing came off. It was there when I left, and when I got to the dentist, it was gone. It isn't very weather proof without the top, hense the inside the trunk solution. I have at least 8 satilites all the time.

polo6979 · 09-07-2006, 03:44 PM

I have the BU-353 and it will not go throught the tent on my windows...... you guys are praising this thing and I am not having any luck with it at all.

Marvin Hlavac · 09-07-2006, 04:32 PM

Some tinted windows do block radio waves quite well.

Wiredwrx · 09-07-2006, 04:38 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by polo6979

I have the BU-353 and it will not go throught the tent on my windows...... you guys are praising this thing and I am not having any luck with it at all.

Some tint is just too RF resistant/blocking that NOTHING will work. The only way to improve the signal inside the car is to try and get a more sensitive receiver, but like you are finding, sometimes the tint will just be too much. This is not the GPSs fault, this is the tints fault. Remove the tint, or get non metalized tint, or mount the unit outside the car. You have to realize that the BU353 is not trying to "Go Through" anything, it is trying to receive signals from a satelite in outer (could be inner, I am not sure of the exact height of the sats) space. The tint is blocking it from getting there.

Michael

devious · 09-07-2006, 08:56 PM

ditto on positive BU-353 comments - I've only had one spell where it took a while to lock on, otherwise has been snappy & reliable. I don't have heavy tint on windows. you may have to look at external solution, or wait til 2015

TheJack · 09-07-2006, 11:23 PM

polo6979 - GPS versus Tint is just science. Most tints use metallic elements. These elements distrupt/distort the RF. You can get tint that is not metallic, but its generally more expensive and not as effective.

OK.. based on recommendations I'll give the BU353 a try.... Question though...

My windows/tint are totally RF blockers, even the windshield has oem metallics in it.

So it has to go outside..... I'm pretty picky about appearance, so no magmount, wire thru the window for me. It has to be either 100% concealed or OEM mounted.

Currently, the Earthmate is in the plastic "wiper cowl" (the trough that hold the wipers and mechanism). On the Celica the cowl is above the firewall, relatively flush with the hood, so it can get warm. I've touched the Earthmate after a hot, long drive... and it isn't any warmer than the body of the car.

So.... Given that the Earthmate got as many as 8-9 SATS in the current location on a good day.... Think I should just place BU-353 in the present location?

JimmyFitz · 09-07-2006, 11:42 PM

I switched from an older GPS receiver to the BU-353. It sees at least 2 or 3 more sats in a head to head comparison, sitting at the same spot at the same time. Mine is mounted out of sight under the trunk lid. My trunk lid is made of composite material (in other words, plastic). It does not affect the reception at all. It is not inside the weather strip seal, so it gets wet where it is and that is ok. Go ahead and get the BU-353 and put it inside your cowl area.

tn6478 · 09-08-2006, 10:52 AM

I have heavy tint and i use the Holux m236 with the usb cable and it works great. I get at least 8 sat it. No problem with getting a signal at all. I turn on Iguidance3 and the sat are there. Dont try bluetooth with it though u gonna get a headache of it lossing connection.

Wiredwrx · 09-08-2006, 11:41 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by tn6478

I have heavy tint and i use the Holux m236 with the usb cable and it works great. I get at least 8 sat it. No problem with getting a signal at all. I turn on Iguidance3 and the sat are there. Dont try bluetooth with it though u gonna get a headache of it lossing connection.

For the record, saying you have "heavy tint". Isn't significant or impressive. The opacity of the tint doesn't change it's ability to pass RF. If it is darker, it doesn't reject more RF. What matters is if it is metalized. Only the metalized tints block RF, wether it is light or dark.

Michael

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