Sat Nav and heated windscreens

Gorgeous_George

Hi

I'm thinking about buying a Sat Nav (bluetooth) receiver for use with my wife's Nokia N73.

She drives a Ford Focus with heated windscreen. This must degrade performance but can anyone tell me if I'll need an external antenna?

Thanks in advance.



GG

Omertron

You will almost certainly need an external antenna as the heating element will filter the GPS Signal out and stop it from getting to the receiver.
You may have a section of clear screen behind or above the rearview mirror where you could place the GPS receiver. Any chance you could borrow someone's to verify?

Gorgeous_George

Thank you Omertron, that's what I feared.

I was looking to buy a Bluetooth receiver from eBay but will need to ensure that an external antenna can be fitted (to the unit).



GG

CHR15

Don't worry about it.

I have a Mondeo with a heated screen and have no problems whatsoever.
If I am charging it, the receiver slides about all over the dashboard.
The heating element doesn't affect it at all, it never loses its signal.

I use a cheapo Ebay BT77 bluetooth gps receiver I got form Ebay (about £40).

Once it has locked on, I usually put the reciever inside the Sunglasses holder by the rear view mirror. I found it remarkable it worked from inside there as it has to go through the solid roof!! but it works fine.

DuncanMiller

I had a ford fiesta with sat nav and a heated front screen and it always worked fine - sometimes it took a while to get the initial signal but once on I never had any problems.

haven't tried it in the new car yet (without heated screen) so not sure whether the time to get a signal was related to the screen or not.

Little_John

Any form of electric wres abouve you will screw about with a GPS signal I had a nightmare a few years ago in San Francisco with the trolly bus wires.

Clear sight of the sky is a bit of a myth when it comes to gps, I can get a signal in the house no problem, and as your buying a bluetooth you can put the receiver anywhere within a 10 metre range and it should work in the confines of a car definatly no problems buy some velcro and stick it to one of the side windows at the back of the car the other side to the gps and it is removeable.

superscaper

Little_John wrote:

Clear sight of the sky is a bit of a myth when it comes to gps, I can get a signal in the house no problem,

Not so much a myth as just advisable as you are less likely to get a signal indoors. The satellites' radio signals aren't that strong and of course they're constantly moving.

Gorgeous_George

Thanks all for your advice. If I can pick up an AE at the same time as the Rxr and cheaply I shall do so.

I'll try it under the parcel shelf first so it can be left in place without fear of being stolen. I know it's best to remove it but I know Mrs GG too well.



GG

owey

I have too have a Mondeo with a heated screen, with no problems apart from sometimes when I first start it up, if I drive straight away I have lost the signal. I do have an external antenna as a backup though.

Little_John

George
you rmore likley to have problems if it is under the heated screen then if it is sat on the back seat, just incase you have any problems try the back seat

Halfords had some antena for £1 each a few weeks ago, maybe you could try your local halfords and see if they have any left. I did post pictures somewhere of the packageing they were priced at about £7-£8 normally anyway.

ollyk

Little_John wrote:

Any form of electric wres abouve you will screw about with a GPS signal I had a nightmare a few years ago in San Francisco with the trolly bus wires.

Clear sight of the sky is a bit of a myth when it comes to gps, I can get a signal in the house no problem, and as your buying a bluetooth you can put the receiver anywhere within a 10 metre range and it should work in the confines of a car definatly no problems buy some velcro and stick it to one of the side windows at the back of the car the other side to the gps and it is removeable.

So a ford focus uses high voltage, alternating current for it's heated windscreen now does it?
There is a huge difference!