Using a vehicles satilite antenna for scanner GPS

[iggywfd]

Hi, I have a factory installed satellite antenna on my new Chevy Silverado truck, I don't plan on renewing the onstar or Sirius/Xm radio package when the free subscription expires. I was wondering if anyone has connected their scanner GPS into that type of antenna? and if so how complicated is the install?

 

[popnokick]

You'll need more than just a GPS antenna.... a full GPS receiver that outputs "NMEA sentences" is required, I believe since there is not one inside the scanner. IF there is a GPS receiver as part of the satellite radio package in your truck, and IF it outputs NMEA sentences, and IF you could figure out how to hack it to get to the serial data output that has those NMEA sentences... it might work. Lotta "ifs" there... you might spend a lot less money and time by simply buying an external GPS receiver and connecting it to your GPS-capable scanner.

 

[PACNWDude]

I had the same idea on a GM car of mine once the "free" OnStar time was expired. What I ended up doing is just removing the gear above the headliner and using the power wires for my own uses.

A Garmin GPS18 is wired for power and connected to my Uniden BCT-15.

None of the GM hardware was useful except for the power wiring and using the old wires to pull the USB cable through the A pillar.

 

[madrabbitt]

sat radio antennas are recieve only.

like someone said, you need an active gps antenna to give you the gps signal in a format that a receiver can understand.