I own both HTs, and the VX-8DE with external GPS module takes a much longer time to fix the GPS satellites than the VX-8GE that has internal GPS (about 4-5 min. vs. 1-2 min.), I expected the opposite:
- does anyone have the same experience?
- could it be a matter of cleaning the electrical contacts between the external GPS module and the VX-8DE HT?
- is it possible to connect a Garmin GPS to the VX-8DE instead of the GPS module? in this case is it possible to see APRS objects positions on the Garmin maps?
Also I made some interesting APRS experiences with different antennas transmitting and receiving my GPS position (144,800 Mhz): I am located at the moment in Palinuro (see IZ0JFI-7 and IZ0JFI-9), near the sea and about 90mt. high, and connecting with a digipeater near Messina, 130 nautical miles distance at full 5W power I could receive back my callsign from Palermo, 145 nautical miles. I tried different antennas, and the signal strength measured with the s-meter, starting from 7 out of 9, was as follows, in decreasing signal strength order:
1. Watson WSMA 881 Super Gainer (7)
2. Watson WSMA 801 Tele Gainer (7)
3. Diamond SRH771 (6)
4. Comet SMA3 (5)
5. Diamond SRH320A (4)
6. Diamond HC100S
The last one didn't pass through the digipeater.
Do you have similar or different experiences?
- does anyone have the same experience?
- could it be a matter of cleaning the electrical contacts between the external GPS module and the VX-8DE HT?
- is it possible to connect a Garmin GPS to the VX-8DE instead of the GPS module? in this case is it possible to see APRS objects positions on the Garmin maps?
Also I made some interesting APRS experiences with different antennas transmitting and receiving my GPS position (144,800 Mhz): I am located at the moment in Palinuro (see IZ0JFI-7 and IZ0JFI-9), near the sea and about 90mt. high, and connecting with a digipeater near Messina, 130 nautical miles distance at full 5W power I could receive back my callsign from Palermo, 145 nautical miles. I tried different antennas, and the signal strength measured with the s-meter, starting from 7 out of 9, was as follows, in decreasing signal strength order:
1. Watson WSMA 881 Super Gainer (7)
2. Watson WSMA 801 Tele Gainer (7)
3. Diamond SRH771 (6)
4. Comet SMA3 (5)
5. Diamond SRH320A (4)
6. Diamond HC100S
The last one didn't pass through the digipeater.
Do you have similar or different experiences?
