Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an
LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended fro use on open
cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an internal
antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no difference in
satellite reception on my center console boat.

Do you agree?

Thanks,
Butch

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

"Butch Davis" wrote in message
ink.net...
As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an
LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended fro use on open
cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an internal
antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no difference in
satellite reception on my center console boat.

Do you agree?

Thanks,
Butch


Yes. And I would go the same route with my open cockpit runabout if I was
in the market for a GPS and if the unit was within my budget for a GPS.

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

Once upon a time (1999ish) I switched from an internal antenna to an external
antenna on my 17' Boston Whaler Montauk center console. Same GPS. The
signal strength bars were noticiably better with the external antenna. A couple
of years later I bought a new GPS. I spent a few extra bucks for the external
antenna version.

Maybe it was just that the external antenna was a better antenna. Maybe it was
the metal rail over the top of the windshield.


Chuck


"Butch Davis" wrote in message ink.net...
As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended
fro use on open cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an internal antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no
difference in satellite reception on my center console boat.

Do you agree?

Thanks,
Butch

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 22:49:32 GMT, "Butch Davis"
wrote:

As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an
LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended fro use on open
cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an internal
antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no difference in
satellite reception on my center console boat.

Do you agree?

No.

dedicated external antennas are always superior...


If this is recently released technology how do you know?

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 19:37:37 -0500, " JimH" jimh_osudadATyahooDOT
com wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
. ..
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 22:49:32 GMT, "Butch Davis"
wrote:

As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an
LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended fro use on
open
cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an internal
antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no difference in
satellite reception on my center console boat.

Do you agree?

No.

dedicated external antennas are always superior...

If this is recently released technology how do you know?

because they can only be one kind of antenna for a variety of reasons.
the only improvements is in algorithms and transmitted signal quality.
plus quantity of available satellites of course.

I would like to see a field test of the unit before I jumped to any
conclusions.

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 22:49:32 GMT, "Butch Davis"
wrote:

As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an
LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended fro use on open
cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an internal
antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no difference in
satellite reception on my center console boat.

=====================================

An external antenna will almost certainly give you a stronger more
reliable signal assuming that it is mounted in the clear. That said,
you may very well be happy with the internal antenna. If you have a
handheld GPS with an internal antenna you could temporarily put it in
about the same place as you are proposing for the Lowrance and see how
it performs there.

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

"Butch Davis" wrote in message
ink.net...
As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an
LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended fro use on open
cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an internal
antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no difference in
satellite reception on my center console boat.

Do you agree?

Thanks,
Butch


My Garmin 162 has an internal antenna and has no problem getting fast and
consistent satellite locks with WAAS or without. If the only thing the
signal has to shoot through is a canvas bimini top, such as in my
installation, I wouldn't hesitate to go with an internal antenna. Sure
simplifies the installation.

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 19:46:02 -0500, " JimH" jimh_osudadATyahooDOT
com wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
. ..
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 19:37:37 -0500, " JimH" jimh_osudadATyahooDOT
com wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
m...
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 22:49:32 GMT, "Butch Davis"
wrote:

As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an
LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended fro use on
open
cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an
internal
antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no difference
in
satellite reception on my center console boat.

Do you agree?

No.

dedicated external antennas are always superior...

If this is recently released technology how do you know?

because they can only be one kind of antenna for a variety of reasons.
the only improvements is in algorithms and transmitted signal quality.
plus quantity of available satellites of course.

I would like to see a field test of the unit before I jumped to any
conclusions.

whatever...


Hey, as you know there are no absolutes in life Tom..........and technology
changes everyday.

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 18:03:20 -0700, "RG" wrote:


"Butch Davis" wrote in message
hlink.net...
As of late this month Lowrance LMS-337C DF GPS will be available as an
LMS-339C DF IGPS with internal antenna. It is recommended fro use on
open
cockpit or center console boats.

For cost and ease of installation reasons I'd prefer to use an internal
antenna unit. Seems to me that it would make little to no difference in
satellite reception on my center console boat.

Do you agree?

Thanks,
Butch


My Garmin 162 has an internal antenna and has no problem getting fast and
consistent satellite locks with WAAS or without. If the only thing the
signal has to shoot through is a canvas bimini top, such as in my
installation, I wouldn't hesitate to go with an internal antenna. Sure
simplifies the installation.

i agree with wayne. the question was will it make a difference and it
does make a difference. how that difference effects the operation of
the unit is most probably minor, but it will affect gps performance.

And it may be so minor as to be unnoticeable. Again, you do not know
without actually testing or using the unit.

Internal GPS Antenna (IGPS) Question
 

i agree with wayne. the question was will it make a difference and it
does make a difference. how that difference effects the operation of
the unit is most probably minor, but it will affect gps performance.

On the other hand, over time, the internal antenna unit could turn out to be
more reliable since there is no antenna cable to flex and break (highly
unlikely) or antenna/cable connections to corrode from exposure to the
elements (quite a bit more likely). Yet another minor point.