Garmin 750 works from inside console

Does your car have a sunroof, so it was getting a more direct exposure through the sunroof while in the console? And/or maybe a coated windshield that interferes with GPS signals?

I have laid my 265 in a small tray by the console and gotten directions.No sun roof but large windshield.

The satellites are always moving. When several are high in the sky you get a good signal. When they are low, nearer to the horizon, the signal is weaker, and surrounding objects like trees and buildings become more of a factor.

dobs108

The car is a Ford Edge (wife's car - I only get to use when it needs gas.. ) and yes it does have a huge "sunroof". Maybe that does have something to do with this. However, I was just a bit shocked that my 750 which was in the console, under the coil tray, with the console lid closed was able to receive a signal. I understand how that can happen, but was suprised that it did.
Thanks for the reply.

From 12,000 miles, the GPS satellites transmit signals using only 50 watts or less of power. The signal received by the Garmin units is the L1 low power radio signal. The L1 frequency is 1575.42 MHz in the UHF band. At http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/ , Garmin notes "The signals travel by line of sight, meaning they will pass through clouds, glass and plastic but will not go through most solid objects such as buildings and mountains."

The console seems out of the line of sight. It obviously lacks the soild details of a building or mountain. It still seems a mystery as to how your GPS can work closed up in the console. Any engineers out there that can shed some light on this?

It would be interesting to learn how out of sight a GPS unit can be and still pick up signals. Apparently, something called GPS III is coming with a target date is 2013 with incentives offered to the contractors if they can complete it by 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_modernization It will be interesting to see what that offers.

From personal experience, I've had my 750 and 755T show accuracy down to 18 feet while setting at my desk in my second story home office. This is in the corner of the room with no windows nearby. When we travel I've found I can place the GPS on the console by the shift lever, using the bean bag mount, and it works great. I've never tried it in the console but it might be a good experiment.

My older C530 as well as my 765T work perfectly in the center console of my Toyota Camry.

My 1390T often works inside buildings. My 765T does not, however.

The lid of the console is plastic and the entire roof of the Edge is glass. The console sits between the front seats, and the only thing above the plastic console lid is a glass roof. So, maybe line if sight is possible here if, "The signals travel by line of sight, meaning they will pass through clouds, glass and plastic......".
Maybe we're on to something here...

The console lid is plastic with some foam and leather,pleather or material as long as you don't have a metal oxide film laminate windshield* most GPSr's should work just fine being in the center console. After all it still looking through the window.

* metal oxide film coated windshield a thin (1-2 microns) film of metal laminated into the windshield to provide an electrical de-icing option in the winter or a heat reflecting capability for cooling in the summer. This film can block radio signals for accessories like EZ-Pass and GPS receivers.

My 780 seems to have a much better ability to recieve than my old Legend.

I can tuck the 780 pretty much anywhere in my car and have it stay in touch. It works in my shirt pocket walking too.

My old Legend seems to lose connection with pretty much any sort of cover...from glass to my body.

My Garmin gets signals inside the center console of my 328 Bimmer too!

it must be magic - all this crazy talk about 'signals traveling through the air'. I can't see anything!!? or maybe your 750 got displaced from the secret manufacturing line that Garmin has for all the spy stuff.....