GPS Signal Radiator

[Corkscrew]

A “GPS Signal Radiator” solved my problem with the S windscreen. Recently I bought a Garmin Street Pilot loaded with Thailand maps for use in Bangkok. The machine worked beautifully with my SLK but it couldn’t capture any of the orbiting satellites through the windscreen of our S Mercedes.

Yesterday I went over to Pantip Plaza in search of an external antenna and I found something that may be even better: a signal radiator. It is a small (5 cm x 5 cm or 2’ by 2’) magnet based external antenna that sends its GPS signals by an attached wire NOT directly to the Garmin but to a small rebroadcast antenna located inside the car. Thus there are no extra wires connected to the Garmin.

I want to find a more elegant way of connecting the external antenna to the internal rebroadcaster. Today to test it I ran the wire through the rear window. Perhaps I can feed the wire into the boot (trunk) via the space occupied by the refrigerator…if there is enough wiggle room. Then I could set the external antenna on the lid. I am not sure how tightly the lid closes to the chassis; I don’t want to damage the wire.