My winter boat project this year is going to be installing a radar/chartplotter system. I just purchased the Raystar 120 GPS receiver and am trying to decide where to locate it on the boat. The manual says to mount the receiver horizontally, free from line-of-sight obstructions, and as low as possible. The Raystar 120 has several mounting options, such as on the end of a pole, rail mounts, or flush mounting on the deck. I think I'd prefer the flush mounting option over the pole or rail mounts simply based on the appearance. My problem is that there is no obvious location that meets all the criteria i.e. horizontal and clear line of sight. So I thought I would consult the panel of experts. Can you please share your ideas, thoughts, and experiences in mounting locations for GPS receivers? Thanks in advance! Regards, Mark
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GPS mounting
Our bulb is mounted on the port stern rail. It is forward enough such that it is not in the way of folks sitting in the stern rail seat. Although it is covered slightly by the bimini, performance has been great. Good luck. By the way, we are just completing boat repairs from Hurricane Charley and beginning our sailing season---just as folks in the rest of the world are settling in for a long winter! (Temp tonight is a brisk and cool 69.) Take care Bill Welsch s/v Escapade
Our bulb is mounted on the port stern rail. It is forward enough such that it is not in the way of folks sitting in the stern rail seat. Although it is covered slightly by the bimini, performance has been great. Good luck. By the way, we are just completing boat repairs from Hurricane Charley and beginning our sailing season---just as folks in the rest of the world are settling in for a long winter! (Temp tonight is a brisk and cool 69.) Take care Bill Welsch s/v Escapade
A little height is OK
Mark: Our 120 is mounted a bit above the radar radome, which swings on a Waltz mount just below the backstay split. So it is probably 4-6 feet above the top of the bimini. If I didn't have the radar mount, I'd probably try to mount it just above the bimini, so practically, it would only be blocked by the mast. The boom would almost be level with the antenna, so it would not be much of a signal blocker. Seven to 11 satellites locked in gives you a better fix than 3 or 4. You can borrow someone's hand-held GPS unit and try out different locations on your boat. See how long it takes to come up with a fix from a cold start, and how many satellites it has locked in after 5-7 minutes. Fair winds and gentle seas, Al Carlson Wings of Dawn C36 #2059
Mark: Our 120 is mounted a bit above the radar radome, which swings on a Waltz mount just below the backstay split. So it is probably 4-6 feet above the top of the bimini. If I didn't have the radar mount, I'd probably try to mount it just above the bimini, so practically, it would only be blocked by the mast. The boom would almost be level with the antenna, so it would not be much of a signal blocker. Seven to 11 satellites locked in gives you a better fix than 3 or 4. You can borrow someone's hand-held GPS unit and try out different locations on your boat. See how long it takes to come up with a fix from a cold start, and how many satellites it has locked in after 5-7 minutes. Fair winds and gentle seas, Al Carlson Wings of Dawn C36 #2059
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