Hi folks.   Has anyone that has replaced their GPS aerial (antenna?), ever used one of the little pucks, mounted under the dashboard, instead of replacing the aerial in the roof?   I've had a look at what it takes to get to mine, and I'm not liking the look of getting the headlining out.  It doesn't look like there is room to get access too, due to the sunroof.....

 

Cheers

Andy

Hi Andy

 

The dashboard is transparent to GPS radio signals, the windscreen too unless its a heated type.  So mounting a puck under the centre of the dash or in the shallow cubby box should work.  Nearly all of the puck antennas have a built in low-noise amplifier which are powered by sharing the centre conductor of the coax with 5 volts DC at a miniscule current.  As long as the head unit supplies this then you are OK.  Sometimes the power on/off is selected in a setup menu.  If it doesn't, you will need to interpose a unit to introduce 5 volt DC power to the cable, I'm not sure if these are commercially available.

My professionally retrofitted Amundsen head unit has a GPS puck attached on the A pillar (avoiding the airbag). It works well.

Edited 1 May, 20206 yr by muddyjim

2 hours ago, Andy Sayle said:

Hi folks.   Has anyone that has replaced their GPS aerial (antenna?), ever used one of the little pucks, mounted under the dashboard, instead of replacing the aerial in the roof?   I've had a look at what it takes to get to mine, and I'm not liking the look of getting the headlining out.  It doesn't look like there is room to get access too, due to the sunroof.....

 

Cheers

Andy

I have used one on an Espace IV to get a TomTom to work .... it didnt work very well.

I put it down to the Espace having an athermic windscreen and that blocking all the signals (hence why the TomTom did not work when mounted on the dash.)

I eventually used the Renault GPS antenna mounted on the roof specific to the Espace .... worked without any issues.

 

I believe heated windscreen also cause the same issues , hope you get a solution.

I've had one in many vehicles (Golf, Golf Plus, Touran, Fabia, Roomster, Yeti, Smart 451) with no issues at all - never pay more than £5