At 10:58 AM 6/20/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Other Eric,
>
>Thanks for the tip on the patch antenna. I really don't understand these
>things yet. That will make the mounting easier. I think a couple of pieces
>of angle aluminum will do it. BTW, do you know if the Garmin antenna they
>supply is weather proof?
Mine was a Magellan, and didn't appear to be waterproof to me. However,
minimal caulking would make it so. You've seen the site where the guy has
it mounted on a ground plane... well, if you use electrical/electronic grade
RTV seal around the seam and screw holes when you fasten it down, you
should be fine.
Hint: Electrical supply houses will have the RTV; a hardware store will
have a nice galvanized sheet to mount the antenna on (furnace ductwork).
> Also, on my antenna, it looks like there are
>three mounting holes around the perimeter of the antenna. The holes didn't
>go through the cardboard at the base of the antenna, but there were three
>holes in it. I was able to remove the cardboard base (it's just glued on)
>and reposition it so that the holes line up.
Your antenna is completely different from mine, sounds like. I guess
the GPS industry has standardised on 5 v preamps in the antenna bases,
so they can be interchanged.
>Well I originally tried running the GPS with the antenna in my basement (no
>window) shack, with no luck, so I will have to put the antenna outside and I
>will need to get it on the roof. The house is the only thing out here ( a
>former corn field ) that blocks the sky, but it does a good job of that (2
>story).
>
>Just to make sure things working, I brought the receiver up to my 1st floor
>office where I have another computer and ran the antenna outside through a
>door. Again, the house was still blocking some of the sky. I was able to
>get it to lock to 1 or 2 satellites. I know that it needs to reprogram to
>its new location. I attempted to do a survey, but it cancelled my request as
>it didn't see 4 satellites.
It can take as long as a day to really get itself together.
Good luck,
Eric
>73,
>Mark
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Eric F. Richards" <efricha@dimensional.com>
>To: <tentec@contesting.com>
>Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 10:06 AM
>Subject: Re: [TenTec] HP GPS Receiver
>
>
> > At 09:45 AM 6/20/2003 -0400, you wrote:
> > >Eric,
> > >
> > >Thanks - but does the antenna need a ground plane? I suspect it was
>designed
> > >to mount on a vehicle roof which would act as a GP. On the K8CU website,
>one
> > >person mentioned mounting in a pie plate or such. I received no
> > >instructions with my antenna.
> >
> > Hi, different Eric here...
> >
> > As often is the case, it is a matter of RTing the FM. The antenna is
> > a patch and shouldn't need a ground plane. However, the GPS is designed
> > for fixed site operation, not mobile, so you have to manually command it
> > to do a sky survey:
> >
> > :PTIME:GPSYSTEM:POSITION:SURVEY ONCE
> >
> > This is described on page 1-15. Page 1-16 has some comments about dealing
> > with limited antenna exposure to the sky.
> >
> > As for me... my antenna is INSIDE, and sits near a window. It works
> > well enough that I have no plans to mount the antenna outside.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Eric, KB0YDN
> >
> >
> >
> > >73,
> > >Mark
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Eric Scace K3NA" <eric@k3na.org>
> > >To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> > >Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 9:15 AM
> > >Subject: RE: [TenTec] HP GPS Receiver
> > >
> > >
> > > > In most installations the hockey puck antenna is attached to the top
>of a
> > >stick/pipe/tube. The antenna needs to be in a location
> > > > where it can see the maximum amount of sky. Even tree foliage will
>block
> > >the GPS signals.
> > > >
> > > > 73,
> > > > -- Eric K3NA
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: tentec-bounces@contesting.com
> > > > [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Mark Erbaugh
> > > > Sent: 2003 June 19 Thursday 23:25
> > > > To: tentec@contesting.com
> > > > Subject: Re: [TenTec] HP GPS Receiver
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I got my Z3801 yesterday and checked it out. How/where did you
>install
> > >the
> > > > antenna? I think I need to put the antenna on the roof so that the
>house
> > > > doesn't block the sky. For testing purposes I set the antenn in the
>front
> > > > yard (as far as the 20' cable would go) and it could only acquire 2
> > > > satellites, which isn't enough to do a survey and set the new
>position.
> > >Does
> > > > the antenna need to be mounted on a metal ground plane?
> > > >
> > > > 73,
> > > > Mark
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Carl Moreschi" <n4py@earthlink.net>
> > > > To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> > > > Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2003 19:44 PM
> > > > Subject: [TenTec] HP GPS Receiver
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > I received my HP GPS receiver today. I have it all installed. I
>used
> > > > Jim's
> > > > > method to hook it up to the rs232 port to the computer and it works
> > >fine.
> > > > I
> > > > > now have a 10 mhz frequency standard that sets my rx340 exactly on
> > > > > frequency.
> > > > >
> > > > > My N4PY Orion Control Program is just about ready for prime time. I
> > >have
> > > > it
> > > > > working with the remote tuning pod and things are looking great.
> > > > >
> > > > > Carl Moreschi N4PY
> > > > > Franklinton, NC
> > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > TenTec mailing list
> > > > > TenTec@contesting.com
> > > > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > TenTec mailing list
> > > > TenTec@contesting.com
> > > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > TenTec mailing list
> > > > TenTec@contesting.com
> > > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >TenTec mailing list
> > >TenTec@contesting.com
> > >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
> > --
> > Eric F. Richards
> > efricha@dimensional.com
> > "The weird part is that I can feel productive even when I'm doomed."
> > - Dilbert
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > TenTec@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
>
>_______________________________________________
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>TenTec@contesting.com
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--
Eric F. Richards
efricha@dimensional.com
"The weird part is that I can feel productive even when I'm doomed."
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