Anyone has a solution to extenal GPS acquiring satellite through the windshield?

[jamieb]

It's a side effect of reducing heat and light from the sun. For the same reason many new buildings use windows that have some metallic components that block lots of radio waves, and the sun's energy. The windows screen out light so reduce the amount of needed cooling.

Very true. If you go into any recently-built LEED-certified building with a cellphone, signal drops off when you are more than 5 or 10 feet in from the exterior walls or windows. Newer buildings are being constructed with these windows. They will need to have micro-cells scattered in the buildings for people to use...

In California, the building code for hospitals mandates much more steel in the structure (the building is a giant Faraday cage), so you get almost no cell or GPS signal inside the buildings. The frequency used by text pagers is such that it penetrates the buildings better, but not perfectly and there are dead spots in our hospital now. Medicine is one of the last industries where text pagers are still used, but most hospitals are moving over to WiFi-based messaging. The challenge is reliability and security.

For what it's worth, my pager does work in my Model S.

 

[Chris TX]

I have an Escort radar detector that uses GPS to silence at locations marked for false alarms (like the "your speed is..." things that blast radar), and to announce the existence of known red light cameras. In the Tesla it's hit or miss whether it can get a GPS signal. It comes in and goes out. I know because it announces "GPS signal lost" and "GPS signal acquired". So I get lots of alarms at places I have previously marked. It works perfectly in other cars.

In addition to not getting enough GPS signal, you aren't getting proper sensing of radar and laser through the windshield with that detector. It's only going to see the stuff really close and strong. Feel free to check out the radar detector threads in the "Interior" section of the forums for more info. Get ready to drop about a grand on a remote mount one, too

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For what it's worth, my pager does work in my Model S.

Doesn't that create some kind of technological rip in the space/time continuum?

 

[SUN-day Driver]

In addition to not getting enough GPS signal, you aren't getting proper sensing of radar and laser through the windshield with that detector. It's only going to see the stuff really close and strong. Feel free to check out the radar detector threads in the "Interior" section of the forums for more info. Get ready to drop about a grand on a remote mount one, too

I get K and KA band alerts quite well. There are stationary sources near my house so I know how far away it detects them. I have never seen laser (while driving any car) so I can't say if that is affected. I'm glad if something gets blocked by the window it's the GPS but not, in my experience, the radar instead of the other way around.

 

[Chris TX]

I get K and KA band alerts quite well. There are stationary sources near my house so I know how far away it detects them. I have never seen laser (while driving any car) so I can't say if that is affected. I'm glad if something gets blocked by the window it's the GPS but not, in my experience, the radar instead of the other way around.

The blocking of radar and laser is well documented by many Tesla Model S owners. The coating does reduce the signal of all radar bands and practically blocks all but the closest laser guns. You are handicapping your radar and your sense of "security".

 

[K5ING]

See if your GPS has an input for an external antenna. Most of mine do. You'll have to run a small wire to the outside through either the door, hatch or maybe the sunroof. GPS signals travel pretty well through aluminum too so maybe mounting it out of sight, under the frunk, is a possibility.

 

[mudfud]

Anyone tried a GPS antenna repeater?

Amazon sells one for $40 that is supposed to repeat the signal inside the car or building.

I need a better signal for my dashcam.

 

[mudfud]

the antenna repeater works. GPS signal now recorded with dash cam.

I will experiment to see the least visible place to mount the external antenna. it is on the roof above the hatch now. I am hoping that tucking somewhere in the cross beam cover between the pano roof and back window will still get signal.

 

[mmh]

the antenna repeater works. GPS signal now recorded with dash cam.

I will experiment to see the least visible place to mount the external antenna. it is on the roof above the hatch now. I am hoping that tucking somewhere in the cross beam cover between the pano roof and back window will still get signal.

That is awesome. Please let us know how it goes. Pictures would be appreciated.

 

[mudfud]

I have the receiver on the roof for now, next to the cell phone repeater. The other end of the repeater is in the center console. Stuck a piece of stainless for the magnets. If I can find some place inside to stick the gps antenna, I'll move it.

 

[mudfud]

followup: the GPS repeater works well so the dash cam can get data; however, about 10% of the time the onboard GPS is confused and locks up. this clears if I unplug the accessory antenna. most noticeable when the turn by turn directions get stuck.

also, putting the receiver into the headliner did not work. still under the glass. for now, I still have to have 2 antennas on the top of the car.

 

[faughtz]

I'm using this repeater from Amazon:

Amazon.com: SBG-190: iTrek GPS Re-radiating antenna / GPS Signal Booster for Garmin Nuvi TomTom Magellan and other portable navigation GPS: Electronics

and it works well for both the blackview and VBOX Sport. Number of sats and strength on the Sport are about the same as the dedicated racelogic antenna. Haven't noted any interference with the car.

 

[mudfud]

Where did you place the antennas? This likely makes a difference on interference.

 

[faughtz]

receiver is currently on the outside of the windshield, drivers side corner. Will experiment and hope to hide it in the frunk. re-transmitter is laying in the console, should be able to tuck it under the yacht floor.

 

[SteveW25561]

receiver is currently on the outside of the windshield, drivers side corner. Will experiment and hope to hide it in the frunk. re-transmitter is laying in the console, should be able to tuck it under the yacht floor.

Any updates from either faughtz or mudfud about their luck with GPS repeaters and interference with the car's own GPS functions? Also final places for the external and internal GPS antennae?

 

[mudfud]

Any updates from either faughtz or mudfud about their luck with GPS repeaters and interference with the car's own GPS functions? Also final places for the external and internal GPS antennae?

Yes. My unit is working well for GPS coordinates with the dash cam.

I only occasionally have it interfere with the onboard navigation. I have not been able to reproduce what conditions cause the interference, but when my map gets "stuck" I unplug the GPS repeater.

my repeater antenna is in the center console area. The magnetic receiver antenna is on the roof just above the rear hatch.

 

[SteveW25561]

Yes. My unit is working well for GPS coordinates with the dash cam.
Thanks for the update.

I only occasionally have it interfere with the onboard navigation. I have not been able to reproduce what conditions cause the interference, but when my map gets "stuck" I unplug the GPS repeater.

my repeater antenna is in the center console area. The magnetic receiver antenna is on the roof just above the rear hatch.

Interesting. I'm wondering if your internal repeater antenna is broadcasting a signal that's too strong and interfering with the onboard function. I don't know where Tesla puts its GPS antenna. Did you try experiments with different placement of the repeater antenna ( eg in the passenger footwell, behind or near the rear seats etc)? I'm wondering if it would leave enough signal for the dashcam yet eliminate interference with the car's Gps.

In other words I wonder if maximizing the distance away from Tesla's GPS antenna would still allow the dashcam to get what it needs? These devices seem to have a several meter range so I'd imagine placement almost anywhere in the car could still work. Ironically perhaps dampening the repeater signal somehow would help (hmm. Just now as I write, I wonder if wrapping it in tin foil might do a little something?).

 

[GasKilla]

I saw a manufacturer owned Tesla MS at a supercharger with 2 external GPS antennas attached to the roof. I guess they don't even have a solution for getting a signal through the glass, but seriously I think they were on the roof for GPS accuracy as I assumed this car was used to help create their super accurate maps that help with autopilot.

I don't have a pano roof but do have ultra high fidelity sound package which means I don't have XM radio (no loss for me) because they couldn't find a place to put the XM antenna. You'd think they could tuck it under the rear window but perhaps the glass really does block radio frequencies.

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I saw a manufacturer owned Tesla MS at a supercharger with 2 external GPS antennas attached to the roof. I guess they don't even have a solution for getting a signal through the glass, but seriously I think they were on the roof for GPS accuracy as I assumed this car was used to help create their super accurate maps that help with autopilot.

I don't have a pano roof but do have ultra high fidelity sound package which means I don't have XM radio (no loss for me) because they couldn't find a place to put the XM antenna. You'd think they could tuck it under the rear window but perhaps the glass really does block radio frequencies.

 

[faughtz]

Any updates from either faughtz or mudfud about their luck with GPS repeaters and interference with the car's own GPS functions? Also final places for the external and internal GPS antennae?

I have left the receiver at the driver's side lower windshield corner, so the windshield wiper does not hit it. I may just leave it there, it's not very noticeable.
I have the repeater-transmitter antenna inside the front lower left of the yacht floor.
No blackvue GPS reception in my garage, but synchs (blue light) within two or 3 minutes of driving.
No interference with the car.

 

[SteveW25561]

I have left the receiver at the driver's side lower windshield corner, so the windshield wiper does not hit it. I may just leave it there, it's not very noticeable.
I have the repeater-transmitter antenna inside the front lower left of the yacht floor.
No blackvue GPS reception in my garage, but synchs (blue light) within two or 3 minutes of driving.
No interference with the car.

Thanks for the update. I'm glad it works for you.

Unfortunately, I tried the identical unit you suggested, and it intermittently caused the in-car Nav and realtime map tracking on the 17" screen to either freeze or track the car off the road (but close to the proper location). It was unpredictable and quite intermittent. I tried placing the internal transmitting antenna on the floor between the center arm rest/console and the front passenger seat. I did have the receiving antenna inside the vehicle under the sunroof -- the magnet held nicely to the crossbar. I returned the transmitter unit but now I wish I tried your placement, but I was bugged by the interference with the on board Nav systems.

 

[faughtz]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad it works for you.

Unfortunately, I tried the identical unit you suggested, and it intermittently caused the in-car Nav and realtime map tracking on the 17" screen to either freeze or track the car off the road (but close to the proper location). It was unpredictable and quite intermittent. I tried placing the internal transmitting antenna on the floor between the center arm rest/console and the front passenger seat. I did have the receiving antenna inside the vehicle under the sunroof -- the magnet held nicely to the crossbar. I returned the transmitter unit but now I wish I tried your placement, but I was bugged by the interference with the on board Nav systems.

I still have not seen any interference to the car. Is the only time you saw these symptoms when the repeater-transmitter was active?