Easy (?) Lowrance Question

[WR8Y]

Ok, on my Expedition Color model I have an external antenna jack.

 

So, what is it? SMA? SMB? What? Looks like a female gender, but I don't know what kind of CONNECTOR.

 

(I am gonna try building an external passive antenna and want to order connectors for the cable.)

[+user13371]

It's an MCX jack.

 

I expect you're either building the antenna for the learning experience, or you just don't value your time very much. A Gilsson active antenna only costs about $20 on eBay.

 

http://search.ebay.com/gps-antenna-lowrance-mcx

Edited April 17, 2006 by lee_rimar

[WR8Y]

It's an MCX jack.

 

I expect you're either building the antenna for the learning experience, or you just don't value your time very much. A Gilsson active antenna only costs about $20 on eBay.

 

 

TIME? First of all, I am divorced, my kids are grown and I have nothing much to do except clean house and mow the lawn!

 

But now that you mention it....

I build antennas for fun. Have been doing so since 1974. Now, 1.5 gHz is gonna be a challenge, to be sure.

 

I had no idea I could buy what I want for $20. A $20 antenna would 'hit the spot', but does $20 REALLY buy an effective GPS antenna?

[WR8Y]

*Ignore this post*

Edited April 17, 2006 by WR8Y

[+CheshireFrog]

I had no idea I could buy what I want for $20. A $20 antenna would 'hit the spot', but does $20 REALLY buy an effective GPS antenna?

 

Effective in that any external antenna is going to do better than the one on your GPS while it's in your car.

[WR8Y]

 

Effective in that any external antenna is going to do better than the one on your GPS while it's in your car.

 

Ok, that's one concern. And I KNOW you are right there, but..............................

 

But the other concern I have is weak reception under the trees on the trail. It appears that I only need 5-10 db more signal than what the built-in antenna is getting me.

 

I SUSPECT that, IF the antennas on the market REALLY offer the gain they claim (which I am not sure I believe) then they would be worth it.

 

I think I'm gonna order one of the el-cheapo amplified antennas tomorrow. At $20 plus shipping, I THINK it's worth the risk.

[gm100guy]

try this link for a plan

 

[+user13371]

I know some people rave about external antennas, and at $20-something it's not much to risk, but...

 

For my own use, I'm not sure how much value it would be. I uise a Lowrance iFinder H2O, and here are some of my observations:

 

1) In early 2005, I drove a 14' U-Haul from Michigan to Oregon with the iFinder in a windshield mount. This is as bad as any car short of a metallized window - worse perhaps, because the box of the truck would block the skyview above and behind. The GPS never lost its fix, and a track analysis later showed good accuracy for the whole trip.

 

2) When hiking, I've never lost lock under tree cover, period. This is with the GPS in a belt-case whenever it's not in my hand, so shielding its skyview with my body doesn't seem to matter.

 

3) I frequently download my tracks and review them in Google Earth, and can tell you that the worst accuracy, the most "wandering," shows up not when hiking in the woods - but when when I'm downtown with tall buildings. These urban canyons bounce the signals around and the GPS has trouble figuring out the multi-path reflections.

 

An external antenna won't help very much with point 3. You'll get a stronger signal, maybe - but there's still the multi-path problem.

Edited April 18, 2006 by lee_rimar

[+NWMOhunter]

I run the iFinder Hunt and keep it in a zippered pouch on my 4-wheeler when riding. I have not lost a signal even when riding through heavy cover on in heavily wooded ditches.

 

I have gotten position locks while in my truck which was parked in the garage. I have only tried this twice and it locked both times. I even got a lock when I turned my GPS on when I was sitting in the bathroom (its better not to ask questions!)! No windows in the bathroom. The east wall is an outside wall, but everything else is bordered by the rest of the house.

 

I have even thought about tapping into the GPS antenna for the OnStar unit in my truck, but have absolutely no need to.