Help with my GPS..

[Luna Sea 5]

My gps seem to be going in and out due to the antenna hook up.  When I bought the boat they hard wired the antenna wire to the wire that goes to the back of the GPS.  I don't want to take the boat out of the water to fix this problem, so my question is.. (unless someone can help me fix it), If I bought another antenna and hooked it up to the back of the gps while the other antenna is still hardwired, will it work?

[IrishAyes]

What kind of unit do you have?

On my old Raymarine GPS I had to hook up a switch for my GPS antenna and reboot it (turn it off and them back on, similar to a computer) if the unit would not pick up the satellites.

When the unit goes out, how do you get it to pick up the satellites again? If you turn the GPS off and then back on you may only have to install a switch on the GPS antenna wire to fix the problem.

It sounded strange when I was told of the repair by Raymarine, but it worked.

Good luck.

[Still Running]

Nick,
Do you know if your unit has SeaTalk on it? It should have a box in between the antenna and the unit. That box has power and ground to it.
Something to check.

[CapBob]

I could be the connection going into the unit...I had to replace mine the beginning of the year.......also watch for corrosion

[Luna Sea 5]

it i remember correct, the antenna wire is spliced to the power wire? maybe? but it def is also hooked up to an electric bord.  There are many wire back there and I am not electrically inclined, so i could be something simple.  I think something is loose as it goes on, then loses the satalite.. After touching some of the wires it goes back again. 

I did try the turn on, turn off thing.  I had the same problem last week.  I don't like to check the connestions cause I may pull something out and then really get confused. 

I did  notice some lose wires hanging, but by looking at them, they look like they were never used.

I firgure, if wires were off, then it wouldn't work at all.  So its should be just the matter of finding a lose connection,if I knew what to look for.

Now my original question, can another antenna also be hooked up right to the unit while the old one is still hardwired..  It is nice to have an extra anyway, so I am not worried about the expence. 

[IrishAyes]

I don't know if it would work with two antennas hooked up or not. Probably would but, if there is a loose connection at the unit itself you may have the same issue with a new antenna. I would try to find the bad connection as that is what it appears to be.

Is there a way to trace the antenna wire from the antenna all the way to the unit? If so, and you find any spices, resplice and/or clean all of the connections right up to the unit. Work with one wire at a time and you should not have a problem.

[Still Running]

On my Humminbird the antenna goes right to the unit. On my Raymarine unit it goes to the SeaTalk. The antenna on the Raymarine is powered from the SeaTalk. The Humminbird has no power that goes to the antenna unless it’s inside the unit.

The boat I just picked up has the Raymarine unit on it and the GPS would work sometimes. Turned out to be a loose fuse.

[Luna Sea 5]

On my Humminbird the antenna goes right to the unit. On my Raymarine unit it goes to the SeaTalk. The antenna on the Raymarine is powered from the SeaTalk. The Humminbird has no power that goes to the antenna unless it’s inside the unit.

The boat I just picked up has the Raymarine unit on it and the GPS would work sometimes. Turned out to be a loose fuse.

well Rich, if you have the knowledge to understand what your looking at, and the tools to correct it.. I will call you next weekend.

[PeggyLee]

Nick, Last year my Garmin Unit was crapping out and then I'd have to reboot again.
It turned out to be the wire to the fuse box and panel.You might want to check that out .

[Luna Sea 5]

thanks for all the help guys.