Antenna solution for Etrex units? - not really.

[Guest Point2Point]

This should go into the "I knew it wouldn't work, but had to try it anyway" category:

 

I got my hands on some of those peel and stick antenna boosters for cell phones - y'know the ones you see advertised on TV. They look like a little printed circuit and you are supposed to stick them under the battery on your phone and they will 'miraculously' improve reception.

 

So I took one and tried using it on my Garmin Vista in a variety of positions, wondering if I would see the satellite reception improve. I tried to do this as scientifically as I could, keeping the Vista in the exact same position while I moved the sticker around and under it. After each reposition, I let the unit sit for a minute or so and watched the signal strength each time.

 

When placed underneath the Vista in various ways, the signal strength didn't seem to change much either way. There was slight fluctuation, but nothing out of the ordinary. When placed on the sides of the Vista, (over the buttons) the signal strength diminished noticeably. Some satellites dropped more than others, but overall there was a drop in reception. When placed on the top (over the serial port connector), the signal diminished quite a bit more. And when placed over the face of the Vista (over the globe logo) the signal was completely blocked and the unit lost reception.

 

Like I said, I didn't really expect this to work, but just wanted to try it and post results for anyone else that might be thinking of trying this. Since I got about a dozen of these things from a friend for free, it was no loss on my part to play around with this idea.

 

Just for the hell of it, I stuck one on my cell phone too. Didn't really notice any difference there either. What a surprise, huh?

[Guest SteveL]

Try rubbing some snake oil on the antenna...

[Guest ClayJar]

tove works. . )

 

[This message has been edited by ClayJar (edited 12 October 2001).]

[Guest arffer]

quote:

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Of course, if you really want to try it out, grab a little rectangle of aluminum foil, some double-sided tape, and an exacto knife. Stick the aluminum foil inside the battery compartment (using the double-sided tape), then cut it into any particular pattern you'd like (you can pause the commercials and match them if you really want to). -posted by ClayJar

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Please delete that last post immediatly. My patent attorneys will be in touch with you regarding your infringment in the near future.

 

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arffer - developer of the Aluma-techno-foil GPSR vunder-bar GPSR antenna

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 12 October 2001).]

[Guest arffer]

quote:

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Of course, if you really want to try it out, grab a little rectangle of aluminum foil, some double-sided tape, and an exacto knife. Stick the aluminum foil inside the battery compartment (using the double-sided tape), then cut it into any particular pattern you'd like (you can pause the commercials and match them if you really want to). -posted by ClayJar

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Please delete that last post immediatly. My patent attorneys will be in touch with you regarding your infringment in the near future.

 

####################

arffer - developer of the Aluma-techno-foil GPSR vunder-bar GPSR antenna

 

[This message has been edited by arffer (edited 12 October 2001).]

[Guest ClayJar]

Um, but, um, ai...

 

[Guest arffer]

Saw a commercial this weekend for a new 5 minute super-techno-peroxido tooth whitener, and if I order immediatly, it comes with a super cloth one-size-fits-all robe!

 

Based on experiance I gained in this thread, I thought it might be applied to whiten and brighten my scratched, dull GPSR screen that has seen better days.

 

Um, it burned clean through to the battery case...

 

The good news is I get to keep the robe!

[Guest k2dave]

If they really improved reception cell phone manufacturers would be including them in their phones.

 

Another item I have seen in the past is a little ball that you attach to the end of your antenna. I don't know if it will help but the talkabout radios have such a ball at the end of their antenna.

[Guest n1niq]

quote:

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Originally posted by k2dave:

 

Another item I have seen in the past is a little ball that you attach to the end of your antenna. I don't know if it will help but the talkabout radios have such a ball at the end of their antenna.[/b]

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HI Dave:

 

I have to laugh at those adds too. The teardrop shaped rubber balls they are selling were developed by the military. Their purpose was to prevent eye injuries from being poked by whip antennas. They don't affect reception.

 

Chris

[Guest ClayJar]

You know, I think they do affect reception... It's really hard to hear my radio when I'm yelling, "My eye! My eye!"

[Guest ClayJar]

You know, I think they do affect reception... It's really hard to hear my radio when I'm yelling, "My eye! My eye!"

[Guest GeoForse]

quote:

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Originally posted by ClayJar:

(Okay, I know, I know. It's just that I am getting really sick of the commercials, since they are on practically all the time... I don't like to be reminded that they must be making a killing selling a completely fraudulent product to people who don't even know how the electric burner on their stove works.

[Guest GeoForse]

quote:

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Originally posted by ClayJar:

(Okay, I know, I know. It's just that I am getting really sick of the commercials, since they are on practically all the time... I don't like to be reminded that they must be making a killing selling a completely fraudulent product to people who don't even know how the electric burner on their stove works.

[Guest ClayJar]

Electricity goes through the burner and makes it heat up. There, now you know for sure.

[Guest ClayJar]

Electricity goes through the burner and makes it heat up. There, now you know for sure.