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Cellular forums Home > Archive > Garmin GPS > March 2007 > External Antenna
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| I see on ebay some dealers say you need a metal ground, while others say
magnet can be removed. Do you have to have the metal ground plane for GPS
reception???Thanks
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| BigJim 2007-03-16, 4:33 am |
| I bought a magnetic mount for my c340 and it works great, purchased it at
bestbuy for about 32 dollars.
The reason I bought is was to get the unit off the window.
"LP" <lpmaines@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5pmKh.9702$t8.815@trndny02...
>I see on ebay some dealers say you need a metal ground, while others say
>magnet can be removed. Do you have to have the metal ground plane for GPS
>reception???Thanks
>
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| Broadback 2007-03-16, 7:33 am |
| BigJim wrote:
> I bought a magnetic mount for my c340 and it works great, purchased it at
> bestbuy for about 32 dollars.
> The reason I bought is was to get the unit off the window.
> "LP" <lpmaines@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:5pmKh.9702$t8.815@trndny02...
>
>
I don't understand the "Ground" bit. Surely if you are in a car the
metal plate is not grounded, also if you walk with is on your backpack,
or wherever there will be no ground. I have mine indoors on the curtain
rail, no ground there either.
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| Roy Hann 2007-03-16, 7:33 am |
| "Broadback" <wen@towill.plus.com> wrote in message
news:55vcj5F26n9taU1
@mid.individual.net...
> BigJim wrote:
> I don't understand the "Ground" bit. Surely if you are in a car the metal
> plate is not grounded, also if you walk with is on your backpack, or
> wherever there will be no ground. I have mine indoors on the curtain
> rail, no ground there either.
It's not a "ground"; it is a "ground plane". A ground plane is a reflector
that allows the antenna to operate.
Roy
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| Jack Erbes 2007-03-16, 10:33 am |
| LP wrote:
> I see on ebay some dealers say you need a metal ground, while others say
> magnet can be removed. Do you have to have the metal ground plane for GPS
> reception???Thanks
It is actually called a "ground plane", it is not actually a connection
to an Earth ground, it is mechanical plane that improves the reception.
And the need for a ground plane can vary with the antenna design. If
placing the antenna on a flat metal surface (like the roof of an auto)
markedly improves the signal strength, then that is the best way to use
it.
If you lose some or all of the signal when you hold it flat on the palm
of you hand in the same area, then your antenna probably was designed to
have a ground plane.
Jack
--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)
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| Joseph Myers 2007-03-16, 12:33 pm |
| On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 01:28:33 GMT, "LP" <lpmaines@yahoo.com> wrote:
>I see on ebay some dealers say you need a metal ground, while others say
>magnet can be removed. Do you have to have the metal ground plane for GPS
>reception???Thanks
>
Not with mine, which is mounted on top of my truck camper, it is an
aluminum roof, been working fine with my Garmin GPS for years. I glued
it to the roof with RTV.
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"Roy Hann" <specially@processed.almost.meat> wrote in message
news:ZoidnSm7VIG5HWf
YRVnyjQA@pipex.net...
> "Broadback" <wen@towill.plus.com> wrote in message
> news:55vcj5F26n9taU1
@mid.individual.net...
>
> It's not a "ground"; it is a "ground plane". A ground plane is a
> reflector that allows the antenna to operate.
>
> Roy
Correct. Without the ground plane, fellas, you just have a short piece of
wire, not a tuned antenna. It's not tuned to the correct frequency and
probably has no (maybe negative) gain. You may as well use a wire hanger as
it will give you the same results.
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