Recommendations for location of GPS antenna on 226 Seafarer

[Brad1]

I need to install a GPS antenna (puck ?) for the Lowrance 525 CDF I'm installing in my boat. My boat does not have a hardtop. I have two locations I'm considering installing the antenna. The location I like the best, is in front of the console, on the flat area, just behind the windshield. I think this would be the cleanest looking install location. But I'm concerned that the reception will not be optimal. Sometimes in the early morning there's condensation on the windshield and I'm wondering if that would affect reception if the antenna were located there. Or would the bimini roof affect reception? My second location would be on the deck, on the flat area that the bow rail is mounted on. On the same flat area of the deck where the starboard running light is located, but just a few feet back from the running light. Another place I could install it would be on the cuddy roof, to the port side of the hatch. But there are snap on pads that go on that area, and I don't want to eliminate being able to use that pad.

So I'm looking for suggestions / recommendations for good locations (or mounting options) for the GPS antenna.

Thanks.

 

[gradyfish22]

Do not installed it behidn the windsheild, I did it this way on my boat and have a few guys in my marina who did as well, every once in a while your windsheidl frame will block antenas from giving you a position fix. Any metal in its way will do so, your canvas top supports can as well. It would not last long or happen often, but 5-10min of no GPS will drive you nuts when you are trying to go back over a drift, anchor on structure, or navigate somwhere you may not be familiar. I would recommend doing it right and spending the few bucks for an antenna that will place the GPS antenna above anything else on the boat so there is no interference. The area forward on the cabin roof would work, but I would want the GPS antenna to be level to work properly, you might need to level it out with wedges or something, it would be a good compromise, but you are stll prone to the windsheild or other obstructions depending on where the satellites are around you. Just because a few are in the air does not mean all will give you a GPS fix, weather and other conditions can dictate that from time to time. Another option is you can mount the GPS off your bow rail, they sell mounts for that, it will eliminate most interference, but not all, it will still be low and not in an ideal position, but will cost less and might suit your needs better. I'd go with the the antenna to get it above everything on the boat or as high as you can, but go with whatever will suit your needs best.

 

[Brad1]

Thanks Gradyfish. Based on your experience with the behind the windshield location, I've ruled that out.

What do you think about the deck location. I'm looking at placing it just behind the base of the bow rail stanchon. 2nd stanchon back. The bow rail would be about 14" above the antenna. I think the rail is 7/8" diameter. Do you think that would be enough to obstruct reception?

 

[gradyfish22]

That should eliminate most obstructions, the satellite would have to be low in the sky, and typically at that angle you would pick up another one in the sky, usually there are atleast 2-3 at a time in the sky. You should be good there, but you cannot be 100%, the only down side is that with all the bouncing the boat does forward, it may be moving a lot and I'm not sure how that would effect the GPS updating, also it will be an obstacle if you fish forward. Every antenna is different, especially from different companies, it is tough to tell how it will act when mounted in a forward location, that may be a question only Lowrance can really answer. There may be something about that written in there installation instructions but I am not sure.

 

[Brad1]

Thanks Gradyfish.

Good point about the boat moving and how that might affect things if I were to locate the antenna on the deck with the bow rail above it. You've convinced me and I'm now on board with the totally unobstructed location. I think I'll now be looking to use a mount that attaches to the bow rail. I'd like to put it on the cuddy roof, but I'm not sure how to remove the headliner in order to route the cable. Thanks again.

On a side note, these new fangled things and their networks and so-forth. Geez, I feel like I gotta be network engineer to hook one of these things up.

 

[Ky Grady]

A friend of mine runs a older 226 and he mounted his on a standard antenna mount oposite side of the VHF antenna on the side wall of the cabin. It extends above the bimini and the motion is minimal being its close to the center axis of the boat movement. GPS is Port side, VHF Starboard side. He has two threaded ends that mate to the mount. Female end for the lay down and male end to go into the mount that Lowrance includes with thier puck antennas, then a section of white PVC with the ends glued as you would a pipe fitting, cut to your desired elevation above the bimini with the GPS wire fed through the PVC. Very clean and functional install and a unobstructed view of the sky at all times.

 

[Brad1]

Looking at it some more, I've ruled out mounting the GPS antenna on top of the cuddy roof. I would foresee someone wanting to sit there when we're occaisionally still fishing (I ussually troll though). I'm either going to go with the port side location In agreement recommended (there's a photo on this site which shows the same thing and it looks good) or a vhf antenna base with short mast mounted on the deck location I mentioned earlier.

Thanks for the good feedback and recommendations. I hate drilling into the boat unless I'm certain how I want things to be.

Brad

 

[Brad1]

One more thing. If the VHF antenna is a couple ft from the GPS antenna, will the VHF interfer with the GPS?

 

[croixboy]

One more thing. If the VHF antenna is a couple ft from the GPS antenna, will the VHF interfer with the GPS?

No. It will not interfere.

 

[nevsatII]

I mounted my lowrance lgc-2000 front deck next to bow pulpit, and it works fine there. It was mounted on the hardtop, but the radar beam caused interference and eventually burned out.

 

[Brad1]

I mounted my lowrance lgc-2000 front deck next to bow pulpit, and it works fine there. It was mounted on the hardtop, but the radar beam caused interference and eventually burned out.

I might have to go that route. I had a 4' Shakespeare fiberglass antenna extension on hand and I discovered that the inside diameter of the antenna extension is too narrow to accomodate the jacks on the ends of the Lowrance cable. So using the antenna extension / mast might not be an option now. Unless there's another extension / mast on the market that might work. I might mount it on the forward deck area and use a VHF antenna base with a 1' stainless extension so that I can get the antenna just above the bow rail.

 

[nevsatII]

This is how mine is mounted

 

[BobP]

brad1, the bow rail is far enough above not to be a problem if you mount it like the Gulfstream.

 

[Parthery]

How about on the side of the walkaround?

This is how mine was mounted on the 208 (any my 228 without a hardtop) Worked great.

Its an easy install too...if you peel off the screw covers and remove the 8 or so screws holding the switch panel in place, you can slide the panel out of the way. This makes it easy to install the nuts and washers on the ratchet.

 

[Brad1]

Parthery, I was considering that location. I actually have my VHF antenna installed where your GPS antenna is installed in your pic, so I know exactly what you mean about removing the switch panel. That's what I had to do to install the VHF antenna base. That's the best looking install IMO. Come to think of it, it might have been the pic of your 208 that gave me the idea a few years ago where to mount my VHF. But I did a little experimentation with VHF antenna interference with GPS antenna and here's what I found. With the VHF mic button pressed in, I moved the GPS antenna closer to the VHF until the GPS lost positioning. The distance was really close, practically touching the GPS antenna to the VHF antenna before that happened. However, the GPS didn't regain positioning until I moved it's antenna almost 3 ft from teh VHF antenna. The 3 ft distance coincides with alot of GPS manufactorer recommendations not to place the GPS antenna within 3 ft of the VHF antenna. That has me wanting to keep the two further apart.

I had to put all work on the boat on hold for the past week as I blew out a hernia and had to have emergency surgery this past Monday. Hoping to make some "light" progress this weekend. But I gotta take it real easy.

 

[Parthery]

Seems like a bad week to be on Great Grady, between you and Greyg8r, we will need an injured reserve list soon. Feel better.

I never had trouble with the GPS antenna being next to the VHF antenna, and in fact, on the 226 they were less than a foot apart on the T-Top. Still, if you are looking for distance, you might consider mounting it on the other side of the walkaround? There is a cross access PVC rigging tube installed in the floor.

Beyond that, the gunwale mount (flush) might be the best idea. Maybe astern, near the anchor light base?

Looking at that picture again reminds me that the 208 is a great looking boat....

 

[Brad1]

Looking at that picture again reminds me that the 208 is a great looking boat....

That exact picture of your 208 helped influence my descision to buy a Grady White. I actually set out shopping for a clean used 208. When I called the nearest dealer to inquire, they didn't know of any 208s for sale (used), but they had a leftover 226 that was too good a deal to pass up.

Feeling alot better today (and wanting to get some "light" boat maintenance done) I ended up mounting the GPS antenna on the portside deck, just behind the 2nd (from the front) bow rail stanchion. I came close to using the antenna mount, with 1 ft stainless antenna extension on a VHF base mounted next to that same stanction. That looked nice and clean too, and no obstructions. But I opted for mounting right on the deck first. If I need better reception, I can install the VHF base, extension and antenna mount and use the existing hole for the cable, only needing to mount a clam shell over it.

I know it seems like alot of decision just for mounting a GPS antenna, but the cable requires a 7/8" hole to be drilled and I didn't want to drill a hole that size without having given it a fair amount of thought.

Thanks everyone !

 

[Bob's Cay]

Brad, I have an older 204 and mounted my GPS antenna on top of the radio box behind the windshield. Mine is on a 4" stand at a slight angle. It works fine and I have never had any problems with it. I have a bimini top, not a hardtop.

FYI, on THT last week the guy from BOE had a post about a new Garmin. Included in the package was a new style antenna mount that allowed the antenna to mount below a poling platform or console. This should be the link.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/forums/thre ... 7&posts=20

Also, Garmin sells several models with built in antennas that are meant to be mounted on consoles - behind windshields. What about all the car GPS units? They work fine with a suction cup mount on a windshield, under a metal car roof.

I wouldn't rule out your first choice of locations.

 

[uncljohn]

I mounted mine on the dash on the passenger side behind the windshield at the suggestion of folks here. I can't say I've ever experienced a loss of signal from my window frame. It works fine there from my experience. I also have a soft bimini top.

 

[CJBROWN]

I mounted mine on the dash on the passenger side behind the windshield at the suggestion of folks here. I can't say I've ever experienced a loss of signal from my window frame. It works fine there from my experience. I also have a soft bimini top.

Same here, mine is just in front of the electronics box on the dask behind the windshield, less than a foot in front of the display unit. It pulls in 9-12 satelites and neither the windshield frame nor bimini tubes interfere when there are that many signals.

That location is even recommended on the install instructions for Lowrance and Garmin. It's a "good" location, not "best".

I think it's a non-issue, but others obviously have had a problem with signal reception.