GPS Mounting

[RsqRabbit]

Dose it matter what position the Uniden GPS is mounted. I am thinking mounting it with it's double stick to the windshield next to the rear view mirror?

 

[RandyKuff]

As long as you get Satellite signal lock it should be fine...
I had a Garmin unit I used years ago that sat on the hump between the seats and worked fine...

 

[tvengr]

I mounted 2 GPS receivers inside the plastic dashboard cover under the windshield and they work fine. I also have 2 amplified speakers and a 4 output multi-coupler all hidden inside the dash.

 

[nessnet]

double stick...

I assume, by the above, it is a SDS200 Uniden GPS module? The one with the telephone cord?

If so, the tape is the bottom. The non-tape side is up and the one that should be facing the sky.

BTW, the Uniden SDS200 factory pucks are crap. Considerably worse sensitivity to other Uniden pucks and all other GPS gear I have.

 

[tvengr]

I was using 2 Garmin receivers. They worked OK. I haven't tried the SDS200 units yet, I am in the process of changing to SDS200 scanners in the vehicle. If the signal wasn't blocked with the old ones, I wouldn't expect the performance of the new ones to be any different. I mount the receivers on a metal plate with the receivers on top of the plate.

 

[JoeBearcat]

This isn't an official recommendation, but rather than putting it on the windshield upside down I would mount it right-side-up on the dashboard.

 

[z96cobra]

It shouldn't matter between right side up vs upside down, but I don't have that exact unit so I can't say 100% for sure. If it gets a good signal in an upright position, flipping it upside down shouldn't make a noticeable difference, if it's a quality GPS. You can buy some new 3M mounting tape and put the tape on the top of the unit, then mount it next to your mirror.

 

[nessnet]

Unfortunately, it isn't a quality GPS. The antenna needs to be pointing in the right direction.

Good suggestion switching which side has the 3M. I would advise marking which side is up in case both sides have their tape removed.

 

[jonwienke]

It shouldn't matter between right side up vs upside down

100% wrong. If the receiver is upside-down, the module circuit board is between the antenna and the satellites, and blocks the signal.

 

[z96cobra]

100% wrong. If the receiver is upside-down, the module circuit board is between the antenna and the satellites, and blocks the signal.

Not even close to 100% wrong. Like I said... I don't have that exact model, so I'm not 100% sure with it, but I've mounted numerous GPS units upside down, on their side, etc. and have never had a problem with them receiving signal, if they received a good signal mounted right side up in that spot. Many of those units have magnets in the base, so there's even more material to block the signal, and they work fine. If the unit is barely able to get a lock in the upright position, then flipping it may cause complete loss of signal.

 

[jonwienke]

It 100% affects the amount of signal the module gets. It might still work in the glove box or the trunk, but that doesn't mean putting it there is a good idea. You absolutely 100% no question will get the best signal with the patch antenna facing up with a sky view. There's no good reason not to when doing so is just as easy as mounting upside-down.

 

[z96cobra]

Which is why I said... if it gets a good signal mounted right side up, it will probably work fine upside down, if it's a quality GPS unit. He's asking about windshield mounting VS the dash. Mounted upside down, high up on the windshield, may get a better signal than right side up, on the dash, just because there's less vehicle body to block the signal. He's not dropping precision guided bombs... I bet flipping most new (good quality) GPS units won't degrade signal enough to see even a couple of feet of difference in actual location. Even back in the days of Selective Availability (before Clinton had it shut off) I got perfectly fine location info with units mounted every which way, and today's receivers are much better than those old units.

 

[nessnet]

... if it's a quality GPS unit. .... Mounted upside down, high up on the windshield, may get a better signal than right side up, on the dash...,

1: The SDS200 Uniden puck is complete crap. So, we have that to consider as a main factor here.
2: A patch antenna behaves exactly as Jon says.

Combine the two, and in a weak signal area, the Uniden 200 puck may not get a lock. I have GPS receivers that work almost anywhere, this isn't one of them. I have one on my windowsill right now. I have to actually cant it so it points at a bit of an angle towards 'open sky". If it gets bumped, and not be at a slight angle, it will sometimes loose lock.

Trust me, if it were upside down, it would NEVER get a lock....