GPS Antenna required but which one...?
 

Hopefuly this is in the right place, what kind of gps antenna do I need for this headunit please and where can anyone recommend I get one...?

https://ibb.co/hc7YrzD
https://ibb.co/18dmQD7

Many thanks.

Any GPS receiver with an SMA connector should do.


FleeBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GPS-Anten...K/253099787922


AliExpress: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32944401091.html


Take your pick. As long as it has the SMA connector and is designed as a GPS antenna, you'll be fine. There are no head-unit specific antennas in the ChingLing head unit universe :)

Hello Sjonnie.

My Erisin GPS antenna (the one coming with the Erisin) doesn't look that efficient and it needs sometimes 10 km or far more to catch the signal which is rather worrying. And even worse it freezes sometimes from time to time or wandering just close by but not on the right place. It's like that since the beginning. And don't think nevertheless that the aerial is out of order for it is able to work fine on some days nearly during the whole trip after a short while of errand when starting up.

I think I put it not exactly in the same spot as yours: I fitted it immediately on the right behind the right jaw of the dash when you put it at the bottom of the hole, just below the windscreen.

I can swap the place indeed and locate the antenna in the same spot as yours.
But I was thinking of reusing the genuine Rover antenna, despite the fact I've taken off the GPS box in the boot.
Would you give me some wise advice?
Thanks a lot.

I think it has more to do with the unit than the antenna. I also sometimes notice that the GPS takes longer than expected (indeed sometimes a few kilometers but never 10) and sometimes the position is just of by 30 meters or so. Note that I am using the antenna which was already installed in the car. It was originally supplied with the WinCE unit that I had before.



So replacing the antenna might not be the miracle cure you are looking for.


What does help is resetting the GPS app on the unit. You can find the GPS app in the main menu and there is a reset button. This will force the unit to re-acquire the satellites after which the unit is behaving normally for a couple or weeks/months.


It's just a small blemish on the unit's track record. All in all I am still very happy with it :)

Thank you buddie. :bowdown:
I'll try that tomorrow.
Easier than getting off that awful bunch of wires! :eek:
I see it's a kind of bug and pray affair... :D

I'll keep you posted. :}

BTW you told me 'You can find the GPS app in the main menu and there is a reset button' but which could be the path to reach that reset button?
I can't see where it lies.
Or even I may have find a suitable item but I'm going nowhere with it.
Sorry Sjonnie to be so silly... :shrug:

You are absolutely certified NOT SILLY!!!:D


I gave the direction out of memory and because I use Agama Car Launcher which effectively hides the default main menu (where the apps all are). I can't disable Agama without some effort so I made a screenshot of the app "in action:


https://i.postimg.cc/jwmdtchB/gps-test.jpg


Hope you can find the app (GPS Test) and reset the GPS (the three dot button top left iirc) :D

Thank you. It's very kind of you.
BTW I've read that another mean to do the GPS reset is to use the front panel reset hole on the right. So I did it... and no joy...
But TBH I did it inside the larger garage which has thick walls and one storey. And I've already noticed it's very hard if not impossible to reach 3 satellites.
Next journey will take place next Saturday: I'll tell you.
N.B. despite Agama I can reach the Erisin parameters: I'd set up a launch button in the main menu.

Hello Sjonnie here are some fresh news.
As I've done a 100km journey yesterday I was able to use the GPS test app along the way to get a clearer idea of what's happening.

The aerial does work but... the received signal looks rather weak. I could see lots of satellites (up to 15 and more) but mainly orange or yellow coloured. It took 20km or more (because of the reset I guess, I was starting from a blank canvas) to get the "3D Fix" and three green signals at last then Waze became usable and fully functional after a few more km.

Hence I fear I'm back to square one and it leaves me 2 explanations IMHO:
- either the GPS aerial provided (unlike yours coming from a previous Vince) isn't powerful enough
- or the place I've chosen (behind the Erisin, inside the right 'jaw') isn't good enough to catch a full signal.

What are you thoughts?
A weak aerial or a bad spot?
I feel rather uneasy to take off once more all the stuff: the best is the enemy of the good as one says...
But if it's necessary, let's do it.

BTW I would like to save my favourite display configuration when starting up (split screen with WAZE on the left, TORQUE on the right and MUSIC playing in the background - I know, I'm a bit demanding!), rather than messing in the menus every time. Is it possible?

Thanks for you invaluable help. :bowdown:

The antenna is most likely not the best of the bunch so you should take that into account. I have reset the GPS reception while my car was standing still. It took only 2 to 3 minutes. Getting a fix in a moving car is likely to need more time. If possible: get your car out of the garage, reset the GPS and check how long it takes to get a fix. It might surprise you ;)



You could consider buying an alternative antenna (you were thinking shark fin but that's a huge operation since you will have to remove the headlining to be able to mount it on the roof). As a test you could place the (new) antenna at the left or right A pillar on the dashboard. Or at the center for that matter. I had it in the right corner *on* the dash in my ZT-T and it didn't seem out of place (well, not really ;) ). It's not that difficult to connect the antenna, you would only have to loosen the head unit, pull it out and connect the antenna. If testing is successful you might consider placing it under the dash. For which you would have to remove the head unit of course. I cannot recommend a specific type of antenna. They are all more or less generic I believe.



As for your display configuration: I have never used the split screen functionality. I am more of a "clean desktop" kind of guy :mrgreen: And since I am using Agama I haven't felt the need to use the original menu with it's options. Sorry about that:shrug:


I hope you get the TTFF (TimeToFirstFix) sorted so you can keep enjoying the Erisin :)