Installation of GPS unit
Submitted: Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 11:09
ThreadID:
10909
Views:
2526
Replies:
9
FollowUps:
1
This Thread has been Archived
Bazza
G'Day all,
Hope everone had a great weekend. I spent a few hours yesterday trying to find a spot in the 120 to discreatly mount my portable Garmin 12sat GPS. I hate the idea of drilling holes in dashboards, but I did come up with an idea, and I'm wondering if anyone else has tried it? I thought of fixing ( glueing ) the mounting bracket to the glass windscreen in the top right-hand side above the grab handle. A good viewing angle and out of the way. Anyone else tried this, and if so, how did it go?
Regards,
Bazza.
Reply By: Alex_W - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 11:33
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 11:33
Bazza,
I am using a RAM-Mount (www.ram-mount.com) low down on the pillar in the GU. I drilled holes in the facia (groan) but figured it would be easier to get a new facia than a new dash from Mr Nissan if needs be...
The guys from GPS Oz (www.gpsoz.com.au) tell me that they can now get adhesive pads for the RAM-mounts which would have been better.
I've also put the power and data (I use Oziexplorer and on a laptop) on a 4-pin socket just below the RAM-mount along with a re-radiating GPS antenna.
When I was first experimenting with a borrowed GPS I first mounted it right in the middle of the dash on a rather discrete little stick-on mount from Garmin. It was okay but there was no way of getting the power/data cable to it that wasn't untidy and it was also a bit hard to operate whilst driving.
Mounting on the pillar means that I can operate the GPS without taking my hands off the wheel and I can read the idy-bidy little screen without any dramas. Most importantly, it doesn't obscure my view out the front of the wagon.
Check out the
forum for posts about sticking things on your windscreen. Makes the boys in blue a bit excited apparently...
AnswerID:
48731
Reply By: The Banjo - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 11:48
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 11:48
I use a ram mount too .... excellent.... got a GPS holder from the Lowrance distributor.... ram mount is screwed to a self made bracket that slots into a hole in the right side of the dash - hole is actually a recess for packet of smokes or similar....my bracket has a covered flange that fits neatly into the recess and then jammed in with tightly packed foam plastic packing. Works
well - no holes anywhere. My Lowrance works
well on dash in flat country - level 9 signal all the time - in hilly terrain, a re-radiating antenna would be needed to reduce dropouts. I need red sand under me.
AnswerID:
48732
Reply By: Troopie - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 12:50
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 12:50
Heya
I have a Magellan cradle mounted on the dash. Like others - I simply used the velcro that comes in the strips with a sticky back.
My only trick is to suggest cleaning the area you intend to stick it down to with turps (or something similar). The reason is the dash is often oily and dusty - I found the turps really cleaned and dryed the surface.
Mine is mounted in a Troopy though - so plenty of flat dash space...
On reflection I spose you chould
check the chemical used to clean the surface wont damage the dash. I've now done this to two vehicles and had no trouble or permanent marks....
Cheers
AnswerID:
48735
Reply By: Gazza - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 23:04
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 23:04
Bazza,
I use a PCMCIA GPS Module in my laptop running OziExplorer, the only bit to be mounted is the external antenna which I mounted on the top of the
snorkel.
For $360 I have the GPS, extenal antenna and the laptop provides the power and data interface,
TOO EASY, no cables or mounts required. Only issue is that I do run a 240v inverter to power the laptop.
Drawback is that I don't have a handheld GPS for use outside the car but I never walk more than 5Km from the car so why do I need a handheld??
Gazza
AnswerID:
48821