snoman Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 This is a question for owners of 2006 Subarus that have factory-installed navigation. Where is the GPS antenna located? I haven't seen any pictures showing a roof-mounted antenna on a new Legacy. I am installing a Pioneer AVIC navigation system in my Legacy, and I'm looking for a stealth replacement for the magnetic mount antenna (which can't even be mounted on our trunk lids). It would be nice if I could buy a color-matched and painted OEM antenna from the Subaru part's counter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 I think the antenna just sits on top of the unit..in the dash My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoman Posted November 2, 2005 Author Share Posted November 2, 2005 Can anybody confirm this? I don't know how a GPS antenna could operate accurately inside of a metal car body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slickvic Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Help us, Opie-wan....you're our only hope...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAP Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 GPS signals go right through glass. You get slightly less coverage since the roof blocks a few degrees of the sky, but in practice most GPS units work fine if set on the dashboard of a car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDubbs Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Satellite radio uses more bandwith down, and most folks have it mounted in the back window. Did we ever find out what the mystery dome thingy on the front right of the dash is for? Temp sensor or gps antenna housing? No, the name has nothing to do with bragging about 20 inch wheels... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoman Posted November 2, 2005 Author Share Posted November 2, 2005 The small dome sensor on the right side of the dashboard is a photosensor. It is used by the automatic climate control to determine the intensity of the sunlight as I understand it. I still find it hard to believe that an OEM navigation system would have an "in car" antenna. An internal antenna can never have a full line-of-sight view of the sky in all directions. When using an internal antenna, you are bound to have decreased accuracy when driving in certain directions. Maybe Subaru felt that this wasn't much of an issue due to dead reckoning capabilities of the navigation computer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red beast Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 GPS signals go right through glass. You get slightly less coverage since the roof blocks a few degrees of the sky, but in practice most GPS units work fine if set on the dashboard of a car. i have a dell axim x50v with a pharos bluetooth. the receiver works great hidden in the center console where it is plugged into the power outlet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny_m Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 The small dome sensor on the right side of the dashboard is a photosensor. It is used by the automatic climate control to determine the intensity of the sunlight as I understand it. Hmmm....I was under the impression that it was a photosensor for the electroluminencent gauges. While the gauges vary in intensity between headlights on/headlights off, it seems like to me that they brighten up a little on sunny days and soften up a little on cloudy ones... Who knows? I could be nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opie Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Help us, Opie-wan....you're our only hope...... According to the service manual, it's on a bracket behind the combination meter (gauges) directly under the dash cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f1anatic Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 I am installing a Pioneer AVIC navigation system in my Legacy, and I'm looking for a stealth replacement for the magnetic mount antenna (which can't even be mounted on our trunk lids). Why is that ? I am looking at a similar setup and wanna know why ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NutBucket Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 There's a new breed of GPS antenna that's ultra sensitive now. That's why they don't necessarily have to be roof mounted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoman Posted November 2, 2005 Author Share Posted November 2, 2005 Why is that ? I am looking at a similar setup and wanna know why ? Are our trunk lids aluminum or not? I was under the assumption that the trunk lid is made of aluminum (nonmagnetic), but maybe I was wrong and only the wagons had aluminum hatches? Either way, it would be nice to find a nice stealthy antenna to mount on my white car instead of the ugly black antenna that comes with my navigation computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoman Posted November 2, 2005 Author Share Posted November 2, 2005 According to the service manual, it's on a bracket behind the combination meter (gauges) directly under the dash cover. Interesting. Maybe the GPS receivers I've used in the past have had terrible sensitivity compared to the new models, and it is now possible to install the antenna inside of the vehicle. I am extremely concerned with GPS reception because the Legacy's ECU is not compatible with the Pioneer AVIC. I cannot connect the speed signal to the navigation computer, and therefore I won't have dead-reckoning capabilities to display my position when GPS reception is weak. As of now, it looks like I'm going to try mounting the antenna under the carpet of the rear deck. Maybe I'll be suprised and it will work perfectly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NutBucket Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 I think it would be ok however if you use the defroster all bets are off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fweasel Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 FWIW, Jeep and Dodge OEM have the antenna mounted above the dash cluster, just below the dash pad. It can be done. The small dome sensor on the right side of the dashboard is a photosensor. It is used by the automatic climate control to determine the intensity of the sunlight as I understand it. I still find it hard to believe that an OEM navigation system would have an "in car" antenna. An internal antenna can never have a full line-of-sight view of the sky in all directions. When using an internal antenna, you are bound to have decreased accuracy when driving in certain directions. Maybe Subaru felt that this wasn't much of an issue due to dead reckoning capabilities of the navigation computer? ignore him, he'll go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Hmmm....I was under the impression that it was a photosensor for the electroluminencent gauges. While the gauges vary in intensity between headlights on/headlights off, it seems like to me that they brighten up a little on sunny days and soften up a little on cloudy ones... Who knows? I could be nuts. You're just nuts My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny_m Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 You're just nuts Ok. Now at least I know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVXWRX Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Interesting. Maybe the GPS receivers I've used in the past have had terrible sensitivity compared to the new models, and it is now possible to install the antenna inside of the vehicle. I am extremely concerned with GPS reception because the Legacy's ECU is not compatible with the Pioneer AVIC. I cannot connect the speed signal to the navigation computer, and therefore I won't have dead-reckoning capabilities to display my position when GPS reception is weak. As of now, it looks like I'm going to try mounting the antenna under the carpet of the rear deck. Maybe I'll be suprised and it will work perfectly? i had an old-skool Clarion AutoPC w/GPS in my SVX, with the antenna mounted on the rear deck and it worked just fine. (couldn't mount the antenna on the dash - the SVX front windshield is titanium coated, and got no reception AT ALL! ) the Garmin portable in the Legacy now also works great using just its internal antenna - technology is teh improvering! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhiTauFord Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 I use a TomTom bluetooth GPS and my Palm Tungsten E2. I get full GPS signal from my receiver when it is in the center cubby with the door closed. LOVE it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeggyMom Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Are our trunk lids aluminum or not? I was under the assumption that the trunk lid is made of aluminum (nonmagnetic), but maybe I was wrong and only the wagons had aluminum hatches? Either way, it would be nice to find a nice stealthy antenna to mount on my white car instead of the ugly black antenna that comes with my navigation computer. A little glossy white krylon should take care of that... seen it done MANY times. Just don't use a metallic paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoman Posted November 4, 2005 Author Share Posted November 4, 2005 Well, maybe I'll try mounting it inside of the 3rd brake light on the rear deck. If it does work well, as many people seem to think it will, I won't have to worry about trying to mount an external antenna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY Dragon Slayer Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 guys i have a garmain 2610 gps unit . it is 100% portable . i sue it in all my cars and even by motorcycle. it only needs 3 of 16 satalites to find where it is . ofcourse the more sats the better. ive noticed that with only 4 sats the mapping is dead on . no external antenna gust the internal one mounted in the unit.If i lose a signal due to dense tree or canyon coverage th eunit picks up as soon as the overhead sky is clear . so what if it dosent work in a tunnel , it will when you come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Visualfx Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 FWIW, Jeep and Dodge OEM have the antenna mounted above the dash cluster, just below the dash pad. It can be done. +1 ive installed factory nav's in these cars and can confirm this 100% Worked at a dealership Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeggyMom Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I mounted my antenna for my carputer on the metal beam that runs under the dash behind the cubby, and it does not pick anything up there. It is a Pharos GPS that I recieved with Microsoft Streets and Trips My Dad has the same one... and I'm pretty sure that is a "line of sight" antenna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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