GPS Antenna

[Pricey67]

I've recently fitted a RNS510 but I'm still waiting to receive and install the GPS antenna.

I saw an install on You Tube that showed the antenna being fitted above the head but under the dash. Has anybody else fitted their antenna like that and if so does it perform well? I'd have thought the antenna would need line of sight but I'm also keen to keep the dash looking uncluttered.

Thanks in anticipation for your help.

Steve

[nikster]

I added the gps receiver under the dash, however I never really got a good signal. I purchased a GPS Shark Fin antenna from CarSystems and replaced the dummy antenna on the roof and I have to say the signal and response of the RNS510 is far better (such as 13/13 sat signal and always giving a 3D location.

[Pricey67]

Cheers for that Nikster. Does the GPS shark fin look original and was it difficult to fit?

[nikster]

Hi. I ran the cable at the same time as I installed parking sensors and rear view camer so not to bad. There's a great review on installing the camera, so it's all the same tasks such as panel removal and running up behind the dash. If you have a spare few hours it's defo worth it as the sat nav is far more accurate.

[Mark V]

Non of this is really necessary unless you are determined to have OEM roof antenna fitted and all the stress that entails - there is an alternative approach that works very well and does not require anything to be removed apart from the head unit itself.

Place the GPS antenna on the plastic 'roof' of the manual holder in the upper part of the glovebox. There is a large hole between that point and the back of the head unit that you just thread the cable through with your hand. Secure the antenna with a bit of duct tape - job done and works perfectly!

PS - GPS antennas just need to have no metal in their 'line of sight' and will perform perfectly well through plastic and normal windscreen glass (although the new heated screens on Golf mk.7 will prevent it as they have a metallic layer).

[nikster]

that's odd then as I had the GPS antenna there and the unit struggled to find GPS height and would "wander" when in a built up area. This has now totally disappeared with the OEM install on the car roof.

[Mark V]

I have installed it there on two cars without problems - it does need to be in that specific location as there is metal structure to one side which affects the signal. I always get a 3D signal and have had no issues with it. An OEM roof fit maybe marginally better in terms of signal strength bit if you are getting a 3D fix then it does not matter if its from four or twelve sats!

I have not heard of anyone else installing the antenna here - have you nicked my idea?

[nikster]

I ran the antenna cable as part of the PDC and camera install, to take the car apart just for this would be a real ball ache.. especially if you already have an acceptable GPS signal.

[Mark V]

Yes well worth it in the context of your job I agree....

[Pricey67]

Cheers for that Mark, as it sounds so easy I'll give it a go and report back.

[Pricey67]

Just out of curiosity, was there any any particular part of the glove box shelf you have to place the antenna or is that part of the dash free of all metal structure?

[Mark V]

Its not easy to describe (easier to do it!)but you just get the antenna on to the right hand part of the manual enclosure 'roof' and you should be fine (thats about as far as anyone can reach in anyway.... its not visible in the glovebox - its in the void over it if you follow?

[Pricey67]

Its not easy to describe (easier to do it!)but you just get the antenna on to the right hand part of the manual enclosure 'roof' and you should be fine (thats about as far as anyone can reach in anyway.... its not visible in the glovebox - its in the void over it if you follow?

No worries mate, you've explained it well. From what I can gather I need to secure the antenna (plastic to plastic) to the RHS of the roof of the service wallet shelf and thread the plug through a void in the glove box?

[Mark V]

Yes spot on! The anenna wire will pass to the right through a void to the space behind the head unit without going through the actual glovebox - it all takes place just above the level of the glovebox and wires are all concealed even with glovebox open.

[dstill]

I put my antenna above the RNS unit and I have big problems with it, it never seems to show exactly where I am, it always shows about 50 metres off where I actually am.

I'm going to try moving my antenna to above the glove box position as mentioned in this thread. I don't know if this will work as I checked to see what the sat nav was tracking and it showed 12 out of 12 satellites and also showed 3D with the antenna in its current position!

[Mark V]

If its picking up that many satellites (which is very unusual to get them all) and giving a 3D fix then its not an aerial problem as you can't improve on the signal you have now.

[nikster]

in the hidden setup menu, under navigation, gps what are the PDOP, VDOP and HDOP values. They should be around 3 or less.

[Pricey67]

Yes spot on! The anenna wire will pass to the right through a void to the space behind the head unit without going through the actual glovebox - it all takes place just above the level of the glovebox and wires are all concealed even with glovebox open.

Antenna mounted as suggested...now is all I need are the maps!

So I could get 7 digit post codes I recently carried out a successful fw update to 381x and then burnt a v9 map onto a multilayer DVD. Unfortunately the head unit does not like the DVD and ejects it shortly after loading. I've since tried burning other versions onto different DVD's but still no joy!

Has anybody else experienced similar problems and more importantly does anybody have any suggestions?

[nikster]

how did you burn the DVD, you need to use cloneDVD or similar package.

[dstill]

If its picking up that many satellites (which is very unusual to get them all) and giving a 3D fix then its not an aerial problem as you can't improve on the signal you have now.

That's what I thought, makes it even more confusing. I moved the antenna and mounted it above the glove box but this has made absolutely no difference.

I'm going to check the settings nikster mentions, not sure what they are but if they are different to what he says I will report back.