wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 19:06:23 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Being somewhat of a "high Tech Luddite", I also prefer my compass to
GPS and would pack it before the GPS. I can almost instantly use the
compass to take a bearing on something to be sure I have cleared a
potential obstacle. Being a trigonometry geek, I just think
navigating with a compass and taking bearings is just elegant.
BTW, also being a caver, GPS doesnt work in caves, compass does.

A GPS really doesn't even work that well in the woods. I have 2 and I
always carry them on vacation (Idaho, Alaska, the Dakotas and Wyoming)
but you have to climb a tree to get enough satellites to establish a
fix. My wife was constantly making fun of me waving these in the air
trying to get 3 satellites.
They do work OK in the desert.


Does anyone have any experience with working the GPS from the centre of
a moving vehicle? Does it need to be near glass to receive signals?



--
Regards,
Dave Brown
Brown's Marina Ltd
http://brownsmarina.com/

"Dave Brown" wrote in message
news:bv2dnYZKLdMchv_UnZ2dnUVZ_rHinZ2d@wtccommunica tions.ca...
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 19:06:23 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Being somewhat of a "high Tech Luddite", I also prefer my compass to
GPS and would pack it before the GPS. I can almost instantly use the
compass to take a bearing on something to be sure I have cleared a
potential obstacle. Being a trigonometry geek, I just think
navigating with a compass and taking bearings is just elegant.
BTW, also being a caver, GPS doesnt work in caves, compass does.

A GPS really doesn't even work that well in the woods. I have 2 and I
always carry them on vacation (Idaho, Alaska, the Dakotas and Wyoming)
but you have to climb a tree to get enough satellites to establish a
fix. My wife was constantly making fun of me waving these in the air
trying to get 3 satellites. They do work OK in the desert.


Does anyone have any experience with working the GPS from the centre of a
moving vehicle? Does it need to be near glass to receive signals?



--
Regards,
Dave Brown
Brown's Marina Ltd
http://brownsmarina.com/

I didn't have the proper mounts but have used my old Magellan 315 and my 1
year old Garmin GPS MAP 60Cx from the dash of a Voyager mini-van and a
Ranger pickup with no problems. I did have the 12 volt adapter plugged into
the vehicle for power although I doubt that makes a difference.
.....and yes, I laid it almost horizontal on the dash with the antenna
positioned as far forward as possible.
I was a bit concerned about the sun shinning on the screen.

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:40:21 -0500, Dave Brown
wrote:

Does it need to be near glass to receive signals?

Generally speaking, yes. I usually put mine on the dash board near
the windshield.

On Jan 5, 9:40*am, Dave Brown wrote:
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 19:06:23 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Being somewhat of a "high Tech Luddite", *I also prefer my compass to
GPS and would pack it before the GPS. *I can almost instantly use the
compass to take a bearing on something to be sure I have cleared a
potential obstacle. *Being a trigonometry geek, I just think
navigating with a compass and taking bearings is just elegant.
BTW, also being a caver, GPS doesnt work in caves, compass does.

A GPS really doesn't even work that well in the woods. I have 2 and I
always carry them on vacation (Idaho, Alaska, the Dakotas and Wyoming)
but you have to climb a tree to get enough satellites to establish a
fix. My wife was constantly making fun of me waving these in the air
trying to get 3 satellites.
They do work OK in the desert.

Does anyone have any experience with working the GPS from the centre of
a moving vehicle? Does it need to be near glass to receive signals?

--
Regards,
* * * Dave Brown
* * * Brown's Marina Ltd
* * *http://brownsmarina.com/- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Dave, they do need to be near glass if they only have an internal
antenna. There are models that have a connector for an external, and
the external itself costs around $25. There are also units made that
have the external already with it. Especially on trips to places I've
never been, I don't know how I ever got along without a GPS. And
before Mapquest, how did I EVER know where I was?

On Mon, 5 Jan 2009 09:00:32 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Jan 5, 9:40*am, Dave Brown wrote:
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 19:06:23 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Being somewhat of a "high Tech Luddite", *I also prefer my compass to
GPS and would pack it before the GPS. *I can almost instantly use the
compass to take a bearing on something to be sure I have cleared a
potential obstacle. *Being a trigonometry geek, I just think
navigating with a compass and taking bearings is just elegant.
BTW, also being a caver, GPS doesnt work in caves, compass does.

A GPS really doesn't even work that well in the woods. I have 2 and I
always carry them on vacation (Idaho, Alaska, the Dakotas and Wyoming)
but you have to climb a tree to get enough satellites to establish a
fix. My wife was constantly making fun of me waving these in the air
trying to get 3 satellites.
They do work OK in the desert.

Does anyone have any experience with working the GPS from the centre of
a moving vehicle? Does it need to be near glass to receive signals?

--
Regards,
* * * Dave Brown
* * * Brown's Marina Ltd
* * *http://brownsmarina.com/- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Dave, they do need to be near glass if they only have an internal
antenna. There are models that have a connector for an external, and
the external itself costs around $25. There are also units made that
have the external already with it. Especially on trips to places I've
never been, I don't know how I ever got along without a GPS. And
before Mapquest, how did I EVER know where I was?

Heh - good one.

Funny story. When we redid the 911 system and turned it into the
E-911 system, I (and a couple of other radio enthusiasts on the
rebuild committee) fought tooth and nail to get GPS incorporated into
the system. We even worked up a deal with Garmin who would provide
the GPS units at cost for all eleven departments to equip every
vehicle with a unit.

Coulnd't get that one past the local chiefs - they just coulnd't wrap
their collective brains around the concept of exact locations. :)

Eventually though, we won.

--

"Every normal man must be tempted at times
to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag,
and begin to slit throats."

H. L. Mencken

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:39:33 -0500, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

Funny story. When we redid the 911 system and turned it into the
E-911 system, I (and a couple of other radio enthusiasts on the
rebuild committee) fought tooth and nail to get GPS incorporated into
the system. We even worked up a deal with Garmin who would provide
the GPS units at cost for all eleven departments to equip every
vehicle with a unit.

Coulnd't get that one past the local chiefs - they just coulnd't wrap
their collective brains around the concept of exact locations. :)

They put up reflective house numbers out at the street out here in the
sticks for the benefit of the cops and fire departments. You cannot
get a cab. They simply cannot find the place. Nobody has ever found
this place that hasn't been here before. I like it that way. My
address is not on my checks. My phone is under a fake name. As a
friend once said, ' it doesn't pay to advertise.'

Casady

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:29:23 GMT, (Richard
Casady) wrote:

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:39:33 -0500, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

Funny story. When we redid the 911 system and turned it into the
E-911 system, I (and a couple of other radio enthusiasts on the
rebuild committee) fought tooth and nail to get GPS incorporated into
the system. We even worked up a deal with Garmin who would provide
the GPS units at cost for all eleven departments to equip every
vehicle with a unit.

Coulnd't get that one past the local chiefs - they just coulnd't wrap
their collective brains around the concept of exact locations. :)

They put up reflective house numbers out at the street out here in the
sticks for the benefit of the cops and fire departments. You cannot
get a cab. They simply cannot find the place. Nobody has ever found
this place that hasn't been here before. I like it that way. My
address is not on my checks. My phone is under a fake name. As a
friend once said, ' it doesn't pay to advertise.'

We did that too. As a large geographic area that is almost completely
rural in nature, it was very important as some driveways can be a 1/4
mile long.

We also have an odd situation on my street in that it is actually two
roads that are similar in name - three of the houses on my town's side
have the same number as the houses on the same street in the next town
over.

That is a problem. :)

I'm not too sure about being unfindable. You'd be surprized at what a
competant 911 operator can find out quickly through the phone
companies.

Fake name or no fake name.

--

"Every normal man must be tempted at times
to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag,
and begin to slit throats."

H. L. Mencken

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:39:51 -0500, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

We did that too. As a large geographic area that is almost completely
rural in nature, it was very important as some driveways can be a 1/4
mile long.

The drive is only a hundred feet, but there are trees and a massive
hedge. My place needs at the street numbers, the next door neighbor
doesn't.

Casady

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:49:18 -0500, wrote:

I am sure the antenna itself is the key

It is and it depends on whether it's a passive or active antenna. You
can also modify passive antennas to make then semi-active and actives
to make them semi-passive.

It's a whole science unto itself.

Most internal GPS antennas (and external antennas also) are bifilar
meaning that the antenna acts as a simple 1/2 wave dipole antenna but
it has reduced axial length - constructed as a helix antenna in which
the turn angle can be used to control the ratio of the orthogonal
linear field components and the input impedance. The advantage being
that you can build a flat, round, square, oblong, egg shaped or what
ever type antenna which will receive signals along the edges of the
antenna in addition to signals at acute 90 degree angles.

Aren't you glad you asked? :)

--

"Every normal man must be tempted at times
to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag,
and begin to slit throats."

H. L. Mencken

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:19:12 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:50:32 -0500, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

I am sure the antenna itself is the key

It is and it depends on whether it's a passive or active antenna. You
can also modify passive antennas to make then semi-active and actives
to make them semi-passive.

It's a whole science unto itself.

Most internal GPS antennas (and external antennas also) are bifilar
meaning that the antenna acts as a simple 1/2 wave dipole antenna but
it has reduced axial length - constructed as a helix antenna in which
the turn angle can be used to control the ratio of the orthogonal
linear field components and the input impedance. The advantage being
that you can build a flat, round, square, oblong, egg shaped or what
ever type antenna which will receive signals along the edges of the
antenna in addition to signals at acute 90 degree angles.

Aren't you glad you asked? :)

In my modestly equipped mind I just sum it up that the best radio in
the world will suck if you don't have a decent antenna system.
That is from the Breaker Breaker good buddy days of Children's Band
radio.

10-4.

--

"Every normal man must be tempted at times
to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag,
and begin to slit throats."

H. L. Mencken