Thread: Where do you mount your GPS antenna?

I am doing my homework now, so when I turn my broken down snowmobile I will be ready to be as informed as possible to turn that cash into a SI.

I am thinking in terms of maximum accuracy, so I am planning on a 798 interconnected with a 717 or 727 up front, both with an external antenna.

Will if make a difference if I mount my GPS antennas as close to directly above the transducer, to make that GPS signal as accurate as possible, by eliminating as much distance as possible between the two?

Thanks - Adam

that is how i have mine i mounted my GPS antennas as close to directly above the transducer,

ram mounts makes a plate to bolt the antenna to. Plate mounts to back of unit. You want the puck closest to where you fish the most. If it is at the front of the boat that's where you want it.

i have one for both of mine i have a x27 on the front and the puck is 7" back from the trolling motor on the bow and then i have one for my hds10 and the puck is mounted right behind the unit for nav.

The one for the trolling motor should be as close to transducer as you can get. The one for the console unit depends on how you're gonna use it the most. If you use the console sonar for marking structure or finding structure you've already marked, put the antenna close to the transducer. If you use it for navigation without regard to what's below, put it close to the receiver.

i went through this same thing way back when i had put 2 lowrance units on my boat one on the console and one on the bow....Civilian GPS isnt as accurate as say Military GPS(within 3') where civilian GPS has a accuracy of 20' or so give or take a few...a friend of mine who is retired from the military as an electronics specialist and now works for Boeing as an electronics specialist...he is the one who told me this...ever since then i just use one antenna hook both units to it...i havent ever seen anytime when its been a problem

I'm not sure that it matters where you mount it as long as you don't move it. Here's why - if you fish from the front and your GPS antenna is mounted near the console, you will always be, say 8 feet from it. Yes, your exact grid will always be 8 feet from where you are. Your relative position doesn't change.

If you are trying to find a grid coordinate and not a waypoint, then being 8 feet away may matter but as stated above, your accuracy is at best + or minus 3 feet.

Yea I guess I was a little vague in what I exactly want to do.

I realize that civilian GPS is only good to within 3-20 ft., but I am hoping that the new 50 channel is a little better than that more like the 3' not the 20'. I want to be able to mark with the SI and then just jump up front on the troller and get into that 5-10' radius of structure and fish.

Just thought I would probe to see if it were worth 130 ofr another reciever to save some time in searching since in theory you could be off as much as 35-40 feet if you have the Antenna that far from your unit plus the error of the unit.

Adam