Need help with GPS

C

Capt. Jim

New member
Does anyone have a GPS with an internal antenna mounted at the helm of their C-Dory? If so is the signal strenth OK? I an considering a compact unit such as the Lowrance M68c/sounder for my 16 cruiser and prefer not to have an external antenna if possible.
 
I have a Garmin 498 Sounder mounted just to the right of the helm. It seems to have an adequate signal despite having an internal antenna, but I've less than 40 hours on the boat, and a good bit of that time I wasn't using the GPS. This week we circled Wye Island (off of the Chesapeake Bay) and it appeared the GPS functioned perfectly the whole time. It wasn't that we needed it, but it was fun watching the highway page as we circled the island on the narrow waterway.

The manual states that I don't need an external antenna if I have an internal antenna and have a clear view of the sky. I'm assuming that if I do feel I need an external antenna, at some point I can add one (but I haven't ascertained the truth of that statement).

Bill
Edgewater, MD
 
jim, i also use a garmin 276 (b&w) and it works great!
dan, i hate to bore you, :oops: but what is a "puck" and what do you you do to hitch it to a laptop?
c u later
mike
 
A GPS puck is a GPS the size of a hockey puck, which hooks to your laptop, gets the power through the USB port, and works with any reputable plotting program. You don't need to wire up your other, expensive GPS to your computer, just use this !@#$ thing. Got mine off the internet for $100, which included MS street maps (your own version of Mapquest.) Without the software, its $70.

As Dan said, just tape it to the overhead shelf. Works great. The only problem I had was that Windows thought it was a MS ballpoint (whatever that is), and I had to use a software patch to fix that.

Boris
 
Hi
My 276C works good with the normal internal antenna , but...

Boy, when I hook up my 36db external Antenna, (e-bay 35 US$)what a different... :shock:

The Sat-Signal is now ALL the time full up on any sat.. :D

Get an outside one, especially when you want to use the WASS... :wink:

regards Chris
 
Try a ebay search for Delorme and I think the usb jobby is less than
a hundred bucks and think GI JOES has them as well. In my vehicle
it will sit up near the defroster vent of the windshield and have enough
signals to operate ok without the car roof messing things up. My laptop
plugs right into the 12 volt battery but you can get low cost inverters
to run the laptop. Delorme comes with map software mostly useful
for roads. Plugs into the usb port. Real easy to use and hook up.
Delorme will send you emails letting you know about the newest and
greatest if you give them your email.. It looks right thru the boat
top with no problems at all..

Bob Heselberg Eatonville Wa
 
One thing to consider is how well an internal will work in a heavy rain.

I personally would only use an internal if I already happened to own one
and just wanted to try it. Otherwise, I would buy an external and mount
it outside. It's really not that big of a deal.

Garmin's seem to need a short base, but it is possible to mount a Lowrance
LGC-2000 right on the roof. It would look like a little hocket puck.

I would also put it up a little bit in case you ever want to store a dink or
something on the pilothouse roof.

Mike
 
On a recent plane trip from Albuquerque to Seattle I was bored so I opened up my laptop and plugged in the GPS puck. Stuck the suctioncup to the planes window fired up MS streets and then tracked the plane going over the Great Salt Lake at 30,323 ft and 489 MPH. The lady next to me me was entertained even more than I was.
 
I use one inside, one outside... the outside antenna gets the "horizon" birds a whole lot better, and those give more precise posits. Depends on how important a really good posit is to your situation.

Dusty
 
Although my fixed GPS's are external antennas, I have used an internal antenna on the CD 22, in my RV (Aluminum--but thru the windshield), Suv etc. You will loose a little signal, but the accuracy will still be more than adequate.
 
Some units have antennas inside the box with the screen. All handhelds work this way although some also have an external antenna connector.

Some larger dashboard type units also have internal antennas inside the box. Very portable and popular on bass boats, etc. easy on, easy off. They are getting better every year as to how much reception they get.

This, imho, is different than a dash mount gps that has an external antenna but you happen to put that external antenna on the inside of your vessel. I think that getting the better, dedicated antenna hooked up is most important and that after that hook-up the final location has some affect but not that much (within reason). I see no discernible difference from having my "external antenna" on my electronic shelf as opposed to mounting it on a three foot mast. In fact, for a couple of reasons I moved both of my "external" antennas to the electronics shelf from their previous outside locations and am very pleased with their performance.

PS some of those puck sending units run by bluetooth or serial as well as by the usb. Pretty slick.

Regards,

Mark
 
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