I’m considering purchasing a GPS navigation unit (probably the Garmin GPS V) and am wondering how good satellite reception is inside the Element. Would I need an external antennae or will the included antennae be sufficient if mounted on the dash?


Mike.

I mounted my Garmin iQue 3600 right above the roundel for the fuel gauge, and without the external antenna I'd call satellite reception "OK... most of the time".

Most noticable problem is canopy (trees) dropout, but I also notice that it never enables "differential" (WAAS-enhanced) mode. Both are fully solved with an external antenna still inside and on the dash, but shoved up against the base of the windshield.

My Garmin GPS V works great in my E. I have been happy with this unit but now I think I'm going to get a 2610. The 19MB limit of the V is a real pain.

Thanks, I figured that with the sharp angle of the windsheild reception might be a problem. Also do you guys have any problem reading the displays, IIRC the 3600 has a colour PDA display, what about the GPS V's B&W?

I had a Magellan 750NAV in my E and had major reception problems when the antenna was on my dash. Moving it to the roof eliminated the issue entirely - it's for this reason I say that mounting it inside on the dash is not good for reception.

I have the Kenwood KNA-DV4100 nav unit operated from the DDX7015 in dash, 6.5" touchscreen, dvd head unit. The antenna is mounted in the lower driver side corner of the dash under the windshield and on it's scale of 0-10 I'm usually getting between 5-7 on average. If the sat signal is lost it can still guide since it's also connected to the vehicle's speed sensor. Only downside is that it's not portable like the handheld units. This isn't really a problem for us though since the Element is our sole road-trip vehicle anyway. Plus I like the cleaner appearance of an all-in-one, flush mounted control screen.
The fun thing about this system is clicking on "points of interest" icons for a McDonald's, a hardware store, a Blockbuster, etc. and it gives you their phone number. It's almost like having an on board national 411 system.

As the author of a GPS program (www.gpsbabel.org) with about 55,000 downloads and almost 3,000 geocache finds under my belt, I consider my experience with various GPSes more considerable than my mere 2,000 miles experience in my 4wd Element. :-) There's another local with even more geocache finds than me that owns an Element, too, so it's a pretty good testimony that they work out OK.

Unlike some vehicles (including my Chevy Venture) the Element doesn't have the metallic flake windows that torments GPS reception. So if you put the unit any place the driver can see it, your reception will be fine. I've had good luck with my Magellan Platinum and plunger mount on my driver's window placed far enough forward to not block the side mirror. I've had reasonable success with a 60CS on my dash with the lead "bean bag" mount but I'll conceed the screen it a little far away to touch type with. It does loose lock from time to time, but I've learned to expect that from the Garmin.

If you plan on the unit never leaving your car, you might consider an external antenna, but if you buy a GPS with reasonable coverage, I suspect you'll find the additional cablage involved in removing the unit to make it too aggrivating.

Enjoy!

i too use a GPS V but ive been hesitant to mount it on the dashboard anywhere using adhesive because ive heard it may harm the finish in some way. i usually just place it on top of a sticky pad above the radio. satellite reception is great up there.

i too use a GPS V but ive been hesitant to mount it on the dashboard anywhere using adhesive because ive heard it may harm the finish in some way.

You're the customer the "portable mount" and the "bean bag" mount were made for. Portable mount looks sort of like a coonskin cap laid flat with lead pellets sewn into it, a non-slip grippy surface where your head would be, and a clip (requires a different one for each model of Garmin) that would be on the top of the hat to clip your GPS into. Bean bag mount doesn't use the clip, it velcros to your unit.

Look at "Braclet mounts" at http://shop.garmin.com/accessories_for_product.jsp?sku=010-00226-00 for details.

I should note that I actually have "portable mount" for my 60 and not "bean bag". I've never been able to budge it with auto motion from the dash of my Element.

I use a Lowrance Ifinder (handheld) in a home made mount just to left of the center air vents. The position is a compromise between visibity and reception. Generally reception is fine; in canyons and forest it can loose position. And occasionally reception when the car is pointing in a particular direction is bad. Visibility depends strongly on the light source, with glare often being a problem. However I mostly use this GPS for recording my route, and occasionally checking how far I have to go to some junction. A few times it has helped backtrack on some backroad. Between GPS, power cord, and mount cost has been less than $200.

A better arrangement with this GPS would be to spend $80 for an external antenna (or maybe a reradiator), and a gooseneck mount that I could bring closer to me. But that is more bucks than its worth at this time.

The homemade mount uses the radio mounting screws.

paulj

Thanks, I had a look at the iFinder this might go on my list as well. I like the price point, the fact you can add additional SD memory cards and the external jack for the receiver.

Mike.

Depending on what you seek to do with it, it may or may not matter, but the Lowrance units are not as well supported in most "niche' programs as those from the two big names, Garmin and Magellan. They're thus harder to find parts and accessorts for. The folks that have them like them, but they're the distant horse.

The Magellan Meridians take SD for mem expansion. The color also takes an external antenna. Honestly, unless you're doing something like mounting it in a boat or a plane where the unit is essentially wrapped in metal, the external antenna that's availble (only) on the Meridian Color generally isn't worth the bother.

See http://www.mtgc.org/robertlipe for more than you probably wanted to know about Magellans. :-)

I got my Ifinder largely because of a good price ($150) - on a model that had been sitting on their shelf for a while. In fact after getting it I realized that its firmware was several iterations out of date, and I haven't been able to get the update to work. However for my purposes it does work.

It's internal memory is good (something like 10 tracks of 2000 pts each), plus they can be written to the SD card, allowing me to record two weeks worth of driving without any problem.

I haven't had a chance to compare its reception under trees with other brands, but I get the impression from comparing reviews that it does as well as the others.

It does have a connector for an external antenna, however it uses an unpowered one, so I can't just adapt a common Garvin one - I either have to buy the Lowrance one or make my own.

Fortunately the 12v power adapter wasn't too expensive, so I can use it full time in the car without worry about batteries.

The base map for the Ifinder includes federal and state highways, but only a scattering of lesser roads. I could, for extra bucks, download much more detailed maps from their mapping software package. The particular submodel that I got also came with a 32mb database (on SD card) of places and points of interest, giving me yet another way of finding the nearest Motel 6 :-)

I might add that I prefer getting my current direction of travel from the GPS than from a digital compass.

paulj

I am going to pick up a Deluo Bluetooth GPS with the Routis software for using with my Dell Axim.
Review here:
http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=reviews&id=504
Product available here:
http://www.deluo.com

Any comments or thoughts?
PS if you compare this to your $2000 in dash setup you are dumb. :x

This costs around $200. You get what you pay for and I know this. If I felt I could benefit from an indash system I would do that but this will be a great setup for using a PDA that I already use for MP3's in the car. And yes I know about glare and all that bizness.

[quote:13a04d9440=" "]PS if you compare this to your $2000 in dash setup you are dumb. :x[/quote:13a04d9440]

Is there someone on this forum you are directing this towards? If so - stop it.

I have the Eclipse AVN2454 in dash w/ navi
on a scale of one to ten i say about 6-7ish

i've lost gps only in a tunnel whats neat about it
is the unit tells you the range of your gps accuracy
like 100ft or 20 miles BUT on your map had exactly where you are with the Gyroscope & vss

I love it , there are TONS of different models and the
unit Brendan has the Tom Tom & Empires Kenwood were very cool to see up close
Empire & I's units are neat but the "tom tom" is cool due to the fact you can have it physically leave the vehicle
which was a +

the element is my only car and my gf's civic we wouldn't take on any trips anyhow :)

so i got the ecliipse

[quote:da4c284045=" "][quote:da4c284045=" "]PS if you compare this to your $2000 in dash setup you are dumb. :x[/quote:da4c284045]

Is there someone on this forum you are directing this towards? If so - stop it.[/quote:da4c284045]

Nope, I just hate when people compare apples to oranges. There are people who can't keep their mouth shut and have no valid input other than to tell someone their idea sucks. If I was going to say something to someone directly I would PM them. I want something I can take with, put on my bicycle, or stick it on a tank bag on the motorcycle. If I was going to say something to someone directly I would PM them.

Thanks for the input type X I will look into the tom tom too.

Tomtom makes the "2" and "3" which are software packages for PDAs and the "TomTom Go" which is a self-contained unit with a faster version of their software.(running on a linux embedded OS).

-brendan

Any idea how sensivitive the Tom Tom Go is to placement, both in terms of reception and viewing angle? It is nice looking item, though even at Fry's prices it would be some time before I seriously consider a unit like this. What I really need to get is an external antenna for my handheld.

paulj

[quote:291c6100ac=" "]Any idea how sensivitive the Tom Tom Go is to placement, both in terms of reception and viewing angle? It is nice looking item, though even at Fry's prices it would be some time before I seriously consider a unit like this. What I really need to get is an external antenna for my handheld.[/quote:291c6100ac]

It can be sensitive, esp. in vehicles with athermic windshields (unlike ours). They do have an external antenna kit: basically a standard GPS antenna, cable and a replacement mounting circle.

-brendan

Has anyone talked about routing an external antenna from the roof through the doors? I'm sure it can be done on temporary basis, but I'm not sure about a clean, semi-permanent installation.

For my IFINDER I appear to have a choice between a
- a passive antenna which I could place it on front edge of the dash, with the GPS unit in easy view and reach of the driver,

-or I could get a powered re-radiator antenna, with the antenna part stuck on the roof and a line snaking past the door seals.

They are available for a similar price from GPScity.com.

paulj

I just noticed that Lowrance is coming out with an auto GPS unit that looks a bit like this Top Top Go, the Iway. It includes 10 gig of harddisk space for mp3s, plus a power and 1/8 audio plug - everything the Element owner needs :-) Price, though, is in the thousand dollar range.

http://www.lowrance.com/automotive/Products/iWAY500C.asp

Anyone out there using the same combo? I have a sort of off topic question. I use an etrex for in/out of car navigation and am having an issuse plotting a waypoint with the software. I got the Lat/Long numbers from a state gov. site on a back coutry hut (that I've already been to) when I go to the mapsource topo cd the numbers don't match up. I know basically within a 1/4 mile where the hut is, but on the mapsource cd if I use the pointer going to the cordinates puts me way off the mark. Granted this assuming the site that I got the original info (lat/long numbers) from is correct.

When using coordinates from various sources, you need to make sure they use matching map datum - e.g. WGS84 v North American 1983 , etc., or else the bake the appropriate adjustment.

paulj

I have an older laptop I leave in there and throw on the passanger seat when I need a GPS. You can get a laptop, a USB GPS adapter and (I use) Microsoft Streets And Trips. Simple and a laptop case fits perfectly underneath the passanger seats. Also gives you a reason to get a power inverter and have a 110 outlet, making the E even more versitile ;)

I was thinking about using my laptop (I also have streets and trips 05) but I wasn't too comfortable having something that large unrestrained inside the car or taking my only computer camping etc...

Mike.

You'd be surprised what a nice, used Pentium II laptop can do from E-bay. I want to set up a wireless network inside my vehicle and run the internet through my cell phone, but I haven't had the time to work with it....but you can use it for that too.

I bought a Tom Tom GO after playing with Brendans a little while I was in DC for the Maryland meet and I must say Im even more impressed with it after playing with it now. It is very fast and very user friendly and it just looks so cool.

I bought a Tom Tom GO after playing with Brendans a little while I was in DC for the Maryland meet and I must say Im even more impressed with it after playing with it now. It is very fast and very user friendly and it just looks so cool.

Yay!

-brendan

I have an older laptop I leave in there and throw on the passanger seat when I need a GPS. You can get a laptop, a USB GPS adapter and (I use) Microsoft Streets & Trips.

For those of you who are using a notebook computer and mapping software - and MS Streets & Trips is pretty darned nice - what USB GPS unit are you using? And has anyone had any experience with the new MS S&T '05 that comes with it's own (rebranded) GPS?

Rob

I just use a generic receiver I got off E-Bay for like $50. I'm sure anything will work well. Now that I have wireless internet through my phone, I'm going to see if I can have an internet capable Element.

For those of you who are using a notebook computer and mapping software - and MS Streets & Trips is pretty darned nice - what USB GPS unit are you using? And has anyone had any experience with the new MS S&T '05 that comes with it's own (rebranded) GPS?

Rob
I have a Delorme Earthmare that has been working very well for me for over a year now. Streets and Trips is nice (I've used it with the Earthmate) but it lacks voice capability. Street Atlas 2005 has been greatly improved and has both voice input and output (where am i, next turn, etc. etc.). Next turn for route navigation is especially nice, giving you enlarged next turn arrows and street names (along with voice cues).

All in all they work well for an inexpensive pc/laptop based hands free navigation system.

My Garmin GPSmap 60C works great anywhere on the dashboard. I have the bracket-mount to the far left, just in front of the vent that's on top there. No problems with signal strength or accuracy.

[quote:13a04d9440=" "]PS if you compare this to your $2000 in dash setup you are dumb. :x[/quote:13a04d9440]

Is there someone on this forum you are directing this towards? If so - stop it.


i think he's just seen the reaction to certain posts and he was CYA'in it.