Origin B2 GPS antenna

Hicksy · 01-01-2005, 22:51

Calling anyone with an Origin B2 in their Fabia...

I've been having super amounts of trouble with my B2 recently, it's not locking on to any sattelites (v dodge spelling

) my journey to work is over an hour and sometimes it only locks on for a few minutes in total. It used to be fine, but now it all seems to be going a bit pear

was wondering whether the fact that I've got my GPS antenna thing on the rear parcel shelf might have something to do with it? is it worth taking it out and placing it on the front dash?

anyone else had any similar problems or can shed some light?

much appreciated guys and girls

Hicksy

Octygone · 01-01-2005, 23:14

Hi
Mines been playing up as well it's gone off a couple of times lately

doggy · 02-01-2005, 08:37

iv had two both not much good . in end put in trackstar plus and gave away my origin

Hicksy · 02-01-2005, 14:13

Hmmm, well I'm going to change my antenna to the front dash today, so will see if any change comes from that. Not happy though, keep on having to remember there's a camera coming up.

Points don't alawys mean prizes

Hicksy

simon1 · 02-01-2005, 14:23

I've got mine in the bottom left hand corner of my windscreen and it works fine.

Josh_PoloGTi · 02-01-2005, 14:31

I have mine in the bottom corner of my front windscreen and it's fine.

Hicksy · 02-01-2005, 18:09

Silly question coming up...

which side is the left side of the windscreen? The left sitting in the car or looking at the car? Hmmm

I've now relocated mine to behind the B2 unit underneath the parking ticket clip, is this going to be ok or should I put it on the other side (the left if you're sitting in the car!) ?

Hicksy

Josh_PoloGTi · 02-01-2005, 18:28

Mine is wedged inbetween the windscreen and the dash, just under the parking ticket holder!

Hope this helps

maffwilson · 02-01-2005, 18:34

I expect that this isn’t a great place to put the antenna I'm afraid. GPS signals are very weak and quite easy to ’interrupt’.

First off the rake - the angle of the rear screen - is too steep to allow the antenna to see much of the sky. You need reception from at least three satellites fairly wide apart in the sky to get a good position fix.

The second is that the rear demister wires on the glass attenuate the very weak 1.5Ghz signal from the GPS satellites.

Central on the dash under the windscreen, but away from the metallised black surround to the glass is the optimum position available inside the vehicle for GPS antennas. It seems to suggest from the post that it has been working though.

I’m not familiar with this Origin product (only GPS based Taxi Dispatch Systems) but quickly looking at the specs online says “GPS antenna (matchbox size) supplied on 3.5 metre lead” I assume this is a simple patch antenna with a small amp to allow a co-ax cable run to the main unit.

Have you changed or extended the cable from the antenna to the receiver at all? If so this will both attenuate and possibly affect the phase of the signals being fed to the GPS correlator (the clever maths bit which works out where you are) which will degrade the signal.

Sometimes running the cable through the car couples it to the wiring loom or other source of interference, try simply moving the cable run.

Maybe the cable might is damaged? Perhaps the outer shield of the coax cable is exposed? Maybe the core inside the cable is broken or the terminating connector has come apart inside - all can happen through vibration (a car is quite an aggressive environment) or running the cable through a bulkhead/sheet without a grommet. All this will again ruin the GPS signal.

3.5 meters is quite a long cable run, might be worth shortening it to the minimum length possible, seeing as others say this Origin has been giving them trouble. Or try a different patch antenna.

Also there has been some solar activity over the past few months which has been disturbing the atmosphere and hence radio propagation, this will degrade GPS

HTH

Josh_PoloGTi · 03-01-2005, 02:01

MaffWilson...

Are you into radio stuff?

**mannyo** · 03-01-2005, 10:24

Dont know about the origin, but I have my tomtom bluetooth gps reciever in the bottom left behind the taxdisc holder and it picks up 9 satalites consistantly. The reciever itself needs a good line of sight, not necessarily clear. For example when walking around granada in spain, the tomtom reciever still picked up a signal when located inside a camera bag with no view of the outside world at all.

Iwan · 03-01-2005, 11:28

I had one in my Impreza and it kept on losing satellite lock all of the time. Turned out the magnets weren't strong enough to keep the unit in the cradle (and hence keep the connector connected) so bumps and going round corners fast used to cause it to lose satellite lock.

I was told that if you contact Origin they'll send out some different magnets which fix the problem, though i never bothered with mine as i sold the car and the B2. Could be worth a call to them.

simon1 · 03-01-2005, 12:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hicksy

Silly question coming up...

which side is the left side of the windscreen? The left sitting in the car or looking at the car? Hmmm

I've now relocated mine to behind the B2 unit underneath the parking ticket clip, is this going to be ok or should I put it on the other side (the left if you're sitting in the car!) ?

Hicksy

Sorry I ment bottom left whilst sitting in it

Hicksy · 03-01-2005, 15:37

Blimey, thanks for the response guys! Have been out in it today and the new position under the parking ticket clip thing seems to have improved it slightly although still losing contact with space every now and again.

If things keep going pear or don't improve then I think a call to the Origin people may well be in order, although trying to move out of home at the mo so got loads of other (not necessarily more important) things to do!!

Maffwilson you appear to have infinite knowledge with all things to do with GPS and signals, and for that I salute you!

Hicksy

01-01-2005, 22:51	#1
Hicksy Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bexhill-on-Sea Posts: 106 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Origin B2 GPS antenna Calling anyone with an Origin B2 in their Fabia... I've been having super amounts of trouble with my B2 recently, it's not locking on to any sattelites (v dodge spelling ) my journey to work is over an hour and sometimes it only locks on for a few minutes in total. It used to be fine, but now it all seems to be going a bit pear was wondering whether the fact that I've got my GPS antenna thing on the rear parcel shelf might have something to do with it? is it worth taking it out and placing it on the front dash? anyone else had any similar problems or can shed some light? much appreciated guys and girls Hicksy __________________ - MY54 Fabia vRS - cruise control - airbag de-activation - origin b2 - anti hi-jack - cupra pd160 air intake - briskoda.net sticker -

02-01-2005, 08:37	#3
doggy Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: south/ yorks Posts: 59 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	iv had two both not much good . in end put in trackstar plus and gave away my origin __________________ SILVER VRS OWNER ! AKA DOGGY !

02-01-2005, 14:13	#4
Hicksy Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bexhill-on-Sea Posts: 106 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hmmm, well I'm going to change my antenna to the front dash today, so will see if any change comes from that. Not happy though, keep on having to remember there's a camera coming up. Points don't alawys mean prizes Hicksy __________________ - MY54 Fabia vRS - cruise control - airbag de-activation - origin b2 - anti hi-jack - cupra pd160 air intake - briskoda.net sticker -

02-01-2005, 18:09	#7
Hicksy Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bexhill-on-Sea Posts: 106 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Silly question coming up... which side is the left side of the windscreen? The left sitting in the car or looking at the car? Hmmm I've now relocated mine to behind the B2 unit underneath the parking ticket clip, is this going to be ok or should I put it on the other side (the left if you're sitting in the car!) ? Hicksy __________________ - MY54 Fabia vRS - cruise control - airbag de-activation - origin b2 - anti hi-jack - cupra pd160 air intake - briskoda.net sticker -

03-01-2005, 10:24	#11
mannyo BRISKODA Staff Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Stevenage Herts. Posts: 11,439 Thanks: 56 Thanked 356 Times in 328 Posts	Dont know about the origin, but I have my tomtom bluetooth gps reciever in the bottom left behind the taxdisc holder and it picks up 9 satalites consistantly. The reciever itself needs a good line of sight, not necessarily clear. For example when walking around granada in spain, the tomtom reciever still picked up a signal when located inside a camera bag with no view of the outside world at all. __________________ Manny 2005 Octavia 2.0TDi Elegance combi my skoda website http://www.octaviars.co.uk Join the briskoda.net folding team click Here for more info

01-01-2005, 23:14	#2
Octygone Old Git Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 6,776 Thanks: 182 Thanked 115 Times in 74 Posts	Hi Mines been playing up as well it's gone off a couple of times lately

02-01-2005, 14:23	#5
simon1 Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've got mine in the bottom left hand corner of my windscreen and it works fine.

02-01-2005, 18:34	#9
maffwilson Off we go Mo Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sussex Coast Posts: 736 Thanks: 5 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	I expect that this isn’t a great place to put the antenna I'm afraid. GPS signals are very weak and quite easy to ’interrupt’. First off the rake - the angle of the rear screen - is too steep to allow the antenna to see much of the sky. You need reception from at least three satellites fairly wide apart in the sky to get a good position fix. The second is that the rear demister wires on the glass attenuate the very weak 1.5Ghz signal from the GPS satellites. Central on the dash under the windscreen, but away from the metallised black surround to the glass is the optimum position available inside the vehicle for GPS antennas. It seems to suggest from the post that it has been working though. I’m not familiar with this Origin product (only GPS based Taxi Dispatch Systems) but quickly looking at the specs online says “GPS antenna (matchbox size) supplied on 3.5 metre lead” I assume this is a simple patch antenna with a small amp to allow a co-ax cable run to the main unit. Have you changed or extended the cable from the antenna to the receiver at all? If so this will both attenuate and possibly affect the phase of the signals being fed to the GPS correlator (the clever maths bit which works out where you are) which will degrade the signal. Sometimes running the cable through the car couples it to the wiring loom or other source of interference, try simply moving the cable run. Maybe the cable might is damaged? Perhaps the outer shield of the coax cable is exposed? Maybe the core inside the cable is broken or the terminating connector has come apart inside - all can happen through vibration (a car is quite an aggressive environment) or running the cable through a bulkhead/sheet without a grommet. All this will again ruin the GPS signal. 3.5 meters is quite a long cable run, might be worth shortening it to the minimum length possible, seeing as others say this Origin has been giving them trouble. Or try a different patch antenna. Also there has been some solar activity over the past few months which has been disturbing the atmosphere and hence radio propagation, this will degrade GPS HTH

03-01-2005, 11:28	#12
Iwan Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Swindon, UK Posts: 63 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I had one in my Impreza and it kept on losing satellite lock all of the time. Turned out the magnets weren't strong enough to keep the unit in the cradle (and hence keep the connector connected) so bumps and going round corners fast used to cause it to lose satellite lock. I was told that if you contact Origin they'll send out some different magnets which fix the problem, though i never bothered with mine as i sold the car and the B2. Could be worth a call to them.

03-01-2005, 15:37	#14
Hicksy Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bexhill-on-Sea Posts: 106 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Blimey, thanks for the response guys! Have been out in it today and the new position under the parking ticket clip thing seems to have improved it slightly although still losing contact with space every now and again. If things keep going pear or don't improve then I think a call to the Origin people may well be in order, although trying to move out of home at the mo so got loads of other (not necessarily more important) things to do!! Maffwilson you appear to have infinite knowledge with all things to do with GPS and signals, and for that I salute you! Hicksy __________________ - MY54 Fabia vRS - cruise control - airbag de-activation - origin b2 - anti hi-jack - cupra pd160 air intake - briskoda.net sticker -

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