External Antennae

[+jonboy]

I am getting a GPS 76S so that I can at last use an external antenna. I've read Rich of NEPA's thread on how he rigs his antenna and it is very useful, but I don't see my self wearing a hat with a cable dangling from it. I've seen some people tape the antenna to the top of a shoulder pad, while I 've seen others who have a larger pack rig it up on the top pocket. What do others find best?

 

Also, if one antenna is shortened for easy use when walking, does that mean I should purchase another to leave mounted on my vehicle? Can an antenna be left permanently mounted and survive the kind of ice crud we get in the northeast? What are peoples preferences on models? I'm not the kind who can make my own.

 

Thanks, jonboy

[+Renegade Knight]

Do you really need an external antanai?

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[Geonavigator]

I have a piece of cloth on the base of an antenna that I pin to the back of my collar. The antenna wire passes under my coat to the 76S in my pocket. The antenna wire cannot become tangled in the brush. The antenna amplifies signal strength producing increased accuracy under a dense forest canopy. Detach antenna from the coat collar and mount it to your car top using the magnetic base.

[+Brown Dwarf]

I've had good luck with the Lowe -- and bad luck with the Garmin. Works great sitting on the roof of the car, with the lead coming in through the sunroof.

 

Haven't needed one on the trail; the 12XL may lose signal occasionally -- but it seems to pick it up again quickly enough.

 

Given all the errors in the system, no GPS will consistently bring you right to the cache. Use it to get you close -- and then go into ferret mode.

[Fox Finder]

If you are an insect, you have antennae. If you are a radio/GPS nut, you have antennas.

[Alphawolf]

An aluminum "telescoping" golf ball retriever, lashed to my pack frame with the antenna mounted to the top of it. Fully extended, it will go up about 15 feet! Jusssssst kidding I don't use an external and haven't ever seen the need for one, especially with the quad antennas.

 

"Never take a sunset for granted. Stop what you are doing and enjoy it. You never know when it may be your last"

[+Searching_ut]

I've periodically used a GIII+ to record trail tracks in conjunction with a Mighty Mouse II external antenna. I generally just attach the antenna to the top flap of my pack by using the antennas magnet in conjuction with a steel washer which I would put under the top flap of the pack. Gave me a solid enough attachment, but allowed the antenna to break free if I snagged the cable, which is a problem I encountered from time to time. The cable is pretty tough though, so I never did any damage, but I found it to be a fair bit of hassle. I also tried a chunk of broomstick with a metal washer attached at the top to give me a little altitude. I found this set up way to geeky, plus it was more trouble than it was worth.

 

I found I can get about as good of results by simply putting an etrex on top of my shoulder, which is the way I record my tracks most of the time.