GPS antenna / puck recomendations

[Casper]

Hey Guys and Gals, I need some advise/help.

I am currently running an Asus EEE pc with Garmin GPS 18 software. I really like this setup, with one exception. I tend to lose signal very easily/regularly. With all of the searching I have done it seems it is that my antenna/puck is just outdated. Ok, I can understand that. I have done a ton of searching and This Antenna keeps getting mentioned. It has the best reviews of all the ones I have looked at. My questiosn are this:

1. Will it work with my Garmin software? In my searchiong I couldn't quite find an answer. Some say yes, some say no, that I would need additional software to make it work.
2. Are there any other antenna's/pucks out there better? My requirements are A) Must interface/work with my current Garmin software. B) User friendly as I am not very computer literate. C) USB conection, as this seems to be the only way to connect to my Netbook (no bluetooth on mine)

Any help would be great. I have spent the last week searching expo and other sites and have found answers to everything but this.

Thanks for the help
Josh
&
Porthos
:smiley_drive:

 

[rambrush]

Well that is what alot of people are running and have no problems. I had one that must have been bad ended up tossing it in the trash and buying a Delorme LT-40 with there topo 7 and 8 program.

 

[craig]

The BU-353 is one of the best consumer grade GPS receivers out there. Yes, there are much better GPS units, but they are intended for surveyors, precision farming, etc. The BU-353 is $36, a high end unit that a surveyor would use is $2-5k.

I'm not sure if it will work with your Garmin software or not. Most Garmin software, such as Mapsource, is designed to up/download waypoints, tracks, and maps to/from Garmin GPS units. The BU-353 doesn't support this, as it expects that you are using PC based software such as DeLorem Topo, Overland Navigator (my software), or something else. How were you hoping to use this GPS with your existing Garmin software, and which Garmin software package are you using?

Either way, the BU-353 is an excellent GPS.. same chipset/reception as the Garmin 60CSx.

Craig

 

[shogun]

The BU-353 is one of the best consumer grade GPS receivers out there. Yes, there are much better GPS units, but they are intended for surveyors, precision farming, etc. The BU-353 is $36, a high end unit that a surveyor would use is $2-5k.


Either way, the BU-353 is an excellent GPS.. same chipset/reception as the Garmin 60CSx.

Craig

But a different antennae? The 353 is a "patch" and the 60 is a "quad-helix". I thought the patch was the cheapo solution and one of the reasons the 60 works as well as it does?

That being said, last week is the first time to 60 let me down. I usually use an ext ant but it lost lock. The lousy cheap junk plug looked buggered up and wasnt staying in all the way, so I just unplugged the ext ant. The unit is installed on the windshield, so the int ant should work fine. After unplugging the ext ant it still wouldnt lock. Several on/off cycles and 30 minutes later it finally locked. Terrain was not an issue.

 

[Casper]

I am currently running Garmin nRoute on my netbook. It is the software that came with the antenna. So I am PC based, as the netbook is my GPS (minus antenna obviously), no external GPS devises.

I know my software isn't the latest and greatest out there, but I really like it. I use it for both way finding in city's and tracking my offroad routes. If I understand what you are saying about the antenna it should (in therory anyway) work with my setup since it is PC based? Correct?

Thanks for the help.

Josh
&
Porthos
:smiley_drive:

 

[craig]

But a different antennae? The 353 is a "patch" and the 60 is a "quad-helix". I thought the patch was the cheapo solution and one of the reasons the 60 works as well as it does?

That being said, last week is the first time to 60 let me down. I usually use an ext ant but it lost lock. The lousy cheap junk plug looked buggered up and wasnt staying in all the way, so I just unplugged the ext ant. The unit is installed on the windshield, so the int ant should work fine. After unplugging the ext ant it still wouldnt lock. Several on/off cycles and 30 minutes later it finally locked. Terrain was not an issue.

That's the theory, and what they'll tell you at REI. In practice, it is my experience that a patch antenna on the roof works as good or better than a quad-helix antenna inside the truck. If I'm not mistaken, Garmin's own external antenna is also a patch antenna. The SIRF III chipset is what gives it the sensitivity, ability to stay locked on to satellites, etc.

Craig

 

[craig]

I am currently running Garmin nRoute on my netbook. It is the software that came with the antenna. So I am PC based, as the netbook is my GPS (minus antenna obviously), no external GPS devises.

I know my software isn't the latest and greatest out there, but I really like it. I use it for both way finding in city's and tracking my offroad routes. If I understand what you are saying about the antenna it should (in therory anyway) work with my setup since it is PC based? Correct?

Thanks for the help.

Josh
&
Porthos
:smiley_drive:

I don't know if nRoute requires a GPS speaking the Garmin proprietary protocol or if it will allow a generic GPS speaking NMEA0183. Somewhere in the back of my mind I have a memory that it will only speak NMEA0183 if you are running a "purchased" copy rather than one that came bundled with a GPS.

I'd contact Garmin and ask them "Will nRoute work with an NMEA0183 compliant GPS?"

Craig

 

[Casper]

Ok, thanks Craig. I had tried talking to Garmin in the past with not so good luck. However now with some of the technical terms I will try again. It's always hard to ask a company questions when you don't quite know what you are talking about, but I'm learning. I will give them a call tomorrow.

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos
:smiley_drive:

 

[craig]

I just spent a little quality time with Google Search, and I'm 99.9% sure that it won't work with anything except a Garmin GPS, or using the adapter software. Garmin nRoute only supports the Garmin proprietary protocol.

 

[Casper]

Bummer. I could look into the newer antenna Garmin makes I guess, I'm just affriad I would end up with the same problem of losing signal.

I guess I could get some adapter sorftware. That worries me though, not knowing alot about it I would want to spend a bunch of $$$ to cobble software and hardware together only to find it it doesn't work.

I guess maybe it's time to start looking into a whole new setup for the Netbook. I want something that is like what I have, can track my offroad trip and way points AND give me directions to places in the city's I visit. Hmmmm.

Thanks for the help, any other recomendations?

Josh
&
Porthos
:coffeedrink:

 

[craig]

Perhaps you could experiment with a simulator and the software setup for free? Then if you like it, move forward with the GPS purchase.

E.g.
1. Fransson GPSGate is an NMEA0183 GPS simulator (amongst other things). Download the trial version and set it up in place of the BU-353.

2. Go to one of the websites that describes how to setup the software that converts an NMEA0183 GPS input to a Garmin Proprietary output. Hopefully this software also has a trial version.

3. Hook up nRoute to the Garmin Proprietary output and see how it goes. If it works, then go spend the $35 on the BU-353.

Craig

 

[shogun]

If I'm not mistaken, Garmin's own external antenna is also a patch antenna. The SIRF III chipset is what gives it the sensitivity, ability to stay locked on to satellites, etc.

Craig

I've been using this antennae;

http://gilsson.stores.yahoo.net/gagps60ma606.html

which looks like a "patch" but claims to be amplified somehow. I think I did a strength bar check when purchased and it showed better than internal (for whatever thats worth). Never had a problem until last week. The MCX connector is junk, too small to handle, hard to fully seat, pulls out easily, and center wire/shield bends. Thats a Garmin-driven issue. I wouldnt use thier accessaries due to weak, non-durable construction (hmmm, a recurring theme?).

Happy with the Gilsson antennae, happy with the 60CSX, unhappy with Garmin use of MCX. That said, I'll be getting into the ON/353 system in the future.

 

[Casper]

Craig,
Thanks for all the advise. Your input has had me researching even more sites and write ups on this. Looks like you are right. The BU-353 will work with nRoute if I get GPSgate. The bonus to this is I will be able to expand in the futur to other GSP/Mapping software. Thanks for the advise.

Cheers,
Josh
&
Porthos
:smiley_drive:

 

[rascott]

i have used a deluo puck and also have a navibe puck.
both are usb powered and work well.
i use topousa software(and microsoft streets) with my little sony laptop.

 

[targa88]

The BU-353 will work with nRoute + GPSgate.
:smiley_drive:

The exact same set up that I am using - works fine