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  1. #1
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    Default GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    I recently installed the STI-R+ and have the GPS sensor under the hood, directly under some plastic by the windshield. The unit is facing up. Another person with the same car had good results with this but I do not. I get the solid GPS light or my speed about 25%, so obviously my reception is not good.

    I'm going for a clean install and will try installing the receiver under the center speaker grill; will the grill be an issue? I think it's plastic. it has a decent view of the sky as well.

    If i start with the GPS receiver in the open (by moving the receiver on top of the hood, I get good reception. While the car is still on, if i move the receiver under the plastic/hood, i maintain the signal. If i turn off the car for longer than a few hours, I cannot reacquire the gps signal. Why is that? Is there some kind of memory that allows it to reacquire the gps signal?

    Also, when I dont have a signal, why is there a beep after a min or so, does that mean it's giving up on finding a signal? When I had voice on, I used to hear "acquiring gps..." but with voice off, it's just a beep.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
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    Cleveland (Eastern Suburb), OH
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    What kind of car? Some cars have coatings or wires in the front glass that can affect GPS reception.

    When you say "under the hood," do you mean the dash plastics? Plastic shouldn't impede GPS very much, but metal definitely does. If you mean the actual car hood, yeah, that is going to block GPS. Under a plastic / foam dash should be OK, but for absolute best reception it should have an unobstructed view of the sky. Getting it up on your roof outside the car is going to be the closest to "perfect" you can get.

  3. #3
    Lead Foot
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    Oct 2011
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    Isn't suppose to be mounted inside the vehicle? That's where mine is

  4. #4
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    Thanks for the reply. The car is a 2010 Audi S4. Yes, the gps sensor is in the engine bay, slightly under the hood, there's actually a piece of plastic that the wipers rest on and it's under that piece. So its not directly covered by the metal hood.

    Sounds like I'll be moving the gps receiver.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    Most installers will put the GPS on the dash... Did you self-install or take it somewhere? If a shop did it, I would find out where they put the "brain" of the system as well, because that *Definitely* needs to be *inside* the car (it's not weatherproof).

    The GPS puck should be weatherproof so it's probably OK to have it outside, but remember that the wipers are metal, and you are obstructing some of the sky-view with the cowl of the hood. I have an '08 VW R32 and I'm familiar with Audi's hood design; I think I know the general area you're talking about.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    I did the install. (what a pain) The brain is under the steering wheel area. I gave the hood area a shot since someone else posted that it worked for them. I'll try the center channel speaker grill and hope that works. I'd like it to be out of sight.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    If you can get it under the dash plastic and *not* under the grill that may actually be better. If the grill is metal, metal is bad. Plastic is less bad than metal.

    Personally, I want my GPS as accurate as possible (I use the speed meter setting as a digital speedo since my car only has analog), so I have it up on my dash... along with the puck for my nav unit, so there are two pucks and it's not quite as ugly since there is some symmetry.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    It definitely sounds like something is interfering with your GPS reception. I have my GPS receiver mounted by a small window behind one of the back doors on my car and it works fine even though the roof of the car is obstructing most of its view.

    I have noticed that if the car is parked for a few hours, it does take a bit longer to find the satellites again and this is made worse by driving off before it does find them but no worse than a normal satnav. I have heard the beep you mentioned after about a minute as well so this is normal but it does find them eventually if I drive off before the satellite icon stops blinking.

    Best idea is to re-mount the GPS antenna where it has a better view TBH. If that fails, then it may be a problem with the antenna itself but I doubt that is the case.

    One thing I have to ask is what did you mean by it giving your speed at 25%? It should give your speed at the full % of what you are doing or nothing. Particularly if you keep up a constant speed for some time. It can lag a bit, just like a normal satnav but it should catch up after a few seconds alright.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    Quote Originally Posted by corkguykev View Post
    It definitely sounds like something is interfering with your GPS reception. I have my GPS receiver mounted by a small window behind one of the back doors on my car and it works fine even though the roof of the car is obstructing most of its view.

    I have noticed that if the car is parked for a few hours, it does take a bit longer to find the satellites again and this is made worse by driving off before it does find them but no worse than a normal satnav. I have heard the beep you mentioned after about a minute as well so this is normal but it does find them eventually if I drive off before the satellite icon stops blinking.

    Best idea is to re-mount the GPS antenna where it has a better view TBH. If that fails, then it may be a problem with the antenna itself but I doubt that is the case.

    One thing I have to ask is what did you mean by it giving your speed at 25%? It should give your speed at the full % of what you are doing or nothing. Particularly if you keep up a constant speed for some time. It can lag a bit, just like a normal satnav but it should catch up after a few seconds alright.
    Thanks for the reply. Oops, that was a typo. I meant to say that I get my speed about 25% of the time, or about 1 in 4 times I drive the car. Like you said, either it works or it doesn't.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: GPS Reception Questions for Sti-R+

    Definitely a reception issue so by the sound of it. Try and find somewhere inside the cabin (preferably near a window etc) and mount it there and see how it goes .

    I have mine mounted with velcro by a rear window. I had to help out the velcro with a few drops of liquid super-glue as it didnt stick well to the plastic. Hopefully, that idea will serve you in your re-install and the super glue (loctite) that I used seems to peel off leaving minimal mess when you decide to remove it. From the car anyway in my case.

    I found this out when I tried to (temporarily) remove the receiver to see and the whole lot came off instead of just the receiver lol. I had to re-do the job but it is well held now and Ill leave it alone in the meantime as its working fine where it is .

 

 

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