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Amplified car aerial splitter
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RichDem
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Joined: 12/12/2002 11:57:47
Posts: 259
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replys guys, as ever this site is a great resource. I saw in Halfords yesterday an FM amplifier for £14. The guy in Halfords pulled my radio out for me (I have a 54 plate Mondeo) So I know what the fitting looks like.

Does this setup with the Y splitter & amplifier make a big difference ? I have also been reading in another post about people who have had good success using a miniscan mag mount ariel from maplins just for the traffic.

It would not be totaly impossible to route the coax from a seperate ariel inside the car so I guess this could be an option too.

I now have to return my Nuvi within 28 days (That is if I cannot improve things!!!)

Richard
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mwfox
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Joined: Jun 18, 2006
Posts: 149
Location: Buckingham. UK

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

For me it did make quite a difference using the amplifier and splitter, but I haven't tested it all around the country so results may vary.
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kelvin66
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Joined: Jun 02, 2006
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can report that after tiding up the install (eyelet under car aerial and wire routed under door seals to end of TMC aerial) ) and taking a longer test drive I can report that the cheap and cheerful hooking up the car aerial to the Garmin 66o Nuvi aerial wire seems to work well...

Cost was only £2.27 from Maplins;
1 x JH63 Eyelet 6.7mm + 1 x FA 16/0.2 Wire 10M Black

Here is a couple of pictures…


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RichDem
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Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Kelvin,

glad to hear you setup now works, how did you connect the tmc ariel to the cable from the car ariel

Riichard
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kelvin66
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Joined: Jun 02, 2006
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Riichard,

From the photo you can see the nuvi and the black aerail cable running inside the door trim, This goes up to the top of the middle of the door. I stripped back about 10mm and just connected (twisted the wires together) it to the extension black cable. This runs along the trim and out through the middle of the hatchback to the car aerail.

I'm looking to use a Winchester pin and socket to replace the twisted connection (probably closer to the nuvi) so that when I go travelling I can connect a new piece of cable the correct lenght and with the rubber suckers that can be used in hire cars.

To be honest I've always found the TMC works well in Germany, France & Italy. They problably use a stronger radio signal. It's a shame we don't use the BBC as I think that would solve our problems...
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RichDem
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Joined: 12/12/2002 11:57:47
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Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was thinking last night, rather than get a splitter just yet, as I never listen to the radio (I have a 20gb mp3 player) I could make up a lead straight from the car ariel lead and connect it to the tmc ariel on the Nuvi. This would hopefully let me know if using the car's ariel would make a difference or not.

Does anybody know if there would be any problems doing this, I know I can get traffic where I live as it keeps coming on & off in different places depending on where I place the tmc ariel in the car.

Richard
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mikealder
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Joined: Jan 14, 2005
Posts: 19638
Location: Blackpool , Lancs

PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Richard, the single aerial feeding a single device is what I have done and it makes quite a big difference to reception. You can check the signal strength using the diagnostic page to see what difference is actually on the device.
The only problem is the question of warranty, as you will be stripping part of the existing insulation off the cable. I would suggest you fit a socket to the end of the TMC aerial that mates with your car FM aerial, try Maplins they stock them - Mike
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RichDem
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Joined: 12/12/2002 11:57:47
Posts: 259
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the reply, I understand about the warranty issue, it is quite a hard call to make, I like the Nuvi and would like to keep it but obviously the traffic function is quite an important one.

I have called Garmin's support line on several occaisons and not one person has suggested anything like I have read here.

As I said in an earlier post I have 28 days in which to return the Nuvi for a refund. I had a look ant a Navman N60i as an alternative this morning and first impressions were the screen is no where near as good as the nuvi, that could be quite a problem so maybe I should bite the bullet and strip the TMC wire.

I have just been out to Selby and as soon as I got out of our village I had a full signal, I only really loose it when I turn into my road so I know that there is reception in this area.

thanks for all of your help guys, it is really appreciated.

Richard
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torchie
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Joined: Mar 04, 2006
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Help please, this does not seem to work for me in fact if I touch or extend the wire it reduces the signal strength, same thing with the Y splitter even with the car radio disconnected, any suggestions welcome-Ron
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kelvin66
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Joined: Jun 02, 2006
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Latest update... I’ve now had a better chance to test the TMC aerial connected to the car aerial mentioned on page 4 of this topic.

Before I only had a signal from Stroud to Ryeford A419 when travelling to the M5. Then if I went North on the M5 I would pick up signal around at J12 that would last until around J10. If I travelled South I wouldn’t get a signal until I was close to the M4/M5 junction.

After the change I have a signal 99% of the time from Stroud to North M4 above J10 (haven’t been further yet) and South all the way to Bristol (M5) and across to Newport to M4 J18 (haven’t been further yet).

Over Christmas, I will make some longer journeys and see how it performs around London but with the current performance I’m well impressed!

All I need know is the traffic data to be up to date and reliable…
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n4nick
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Joined: Jun 30, 2006
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
All I need know is the traffic data to be up to date and reliable…

Yes, unfortunately this is out of our hands and Trafficmaster have responded but never answered my previous queries! Good luck guys!

Nick
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swing
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Joined: Nov 04, 2003
Posts: 2225
Location: Bedfordshire, UK

PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kelvin66 wrote:
To be honest I've always found the TMC works well in Germany, France & Italy. They problably use a stronger radio signal.
They do indeed have a much stronger signal in all other European countries - for example, whereas my Nuvi struggles to record a signal level of 7 or 8, values of over 110 have been reported by others on the mainland.
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swing
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Joined: Nov 04, 2003
Posts: 2225
Location: Bedfordshire, UK

PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

n4nick wrote:
Trafficmaster have responded but never answered my previous queries!
I normally get some response from them whenever I speak to them - what are your queries (maybe better in a new thread)?
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chrislang
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Joined: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:37 pm    Post subject: TMC Aerial Connections Reply with quote

I've just installed a GNS Splitter and put a four way 3.5m jack plug on it to match the original supplied aerial one to connect to my Navigon 6 GPS unit. As yet I can't receive any signal, this may be as I'm in Dorset at Lyme Regis or because the aerial is connected wrongly ! The original single wire aerial was connected to the segment furthest from the tip of the 3.5 jack and I have done the same on the splitter.

Any ideas on this please, otherwise I'll update you as I travel further into the big world, I'm up the M5 to Walsall and across to Derby at Christmas.

Regards & seasons greetings
Chris
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mwfox
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Joined: Jun 18, 2006
Posts: 149
Location: Buckingham. UK

PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry only just read your message.

Have you connected the earth/braiding part of the aerial connection as well - I found with my Garmin Nuvi 660 that unless you did that reception was poor.
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