My Dashcam Blocks The Gps Signal!

[Daffy D]

Some months ago we bought a new Toyota Pick-Up that came, among other things, with a GPS Navigator and 60% 3M window film.

I bought a couple of DashCams one or the rear and one for the front. Both Cams had suction thingy to fit them to the glass and all worked well though the suction things were quite bulky and and did take up quite a bit of window space.

After a while I decided to do away with the bulky plastic suction things and fit a simple metal bracket that would make the whole thing less obtrusive.

A simple metal strip bent to the right shape was all that was needed for the front Cam for it to sit neatly up by the rear view mirror.

Great, but I noticed that the GPS on the Navigator had stopped working.

Didn't worry about it too much, TIT, but when I still did not get a GPS signal the next day started to consider what could be wrong. The only thing I had done was move the DashCam a few fractions of an inch from it's suction fitting to a metal strip. How could this affect the GPS signal?

Anyway having nothing else to go on I switched off the DashCam and Lo & Behold the GPS signal came back.

Very Strange. The same Cam in almost exactly the same position before mounting it with the metal strip had no effect on the GPS signal.

I thought that maybe the metal mounting strip was radiating some kind of interference. I didn't see how this could be as the Cam case is plastic so there is no electrical connection from the Cam to the car body, but just to eliminate that possibility I made some plastic washers for the fixing bolts to eliminate any possible electrical connection between the Cam and car body.

No good the GPS was still blocked.

I then considered the possibility of it being the wire from the Cig plug that powered the Cam, but it's the same connection that worked OK when the Cam was on the suction thingy. Anyway just to eliminate that possibility I unplugged the Cam from the car so it was it working on it's own internal battery - and it still blocked the GPS signal.

Desperate action was called for. Seems like the Cam it's self was radiating some sort of interference so I wrapped the whole Cam in baking foil leaving just the lens and front of the drop down screen uncovered.

That did it got the GPS signal back.

Of course the DashCam now looked like an oven ready turkey with all that bako foil wrapped round it so I gradually removed bits of it, checking each time that the GPS was still working, till all that was left was the piece behind the drop down screen and the GPS still worked.. That was hardly noticeable so - Result.

For anyone still with me here is part two:-

As I said at the beginning the car had 3M 60% window film all round and while this was fine at night in town, out in the village with people and dogs and bikes without lights on the unlit roads it was just a little too dark. So changed the wind screen to a lighter Hi-Kool film.

OMG! the GPS was getting blocked again. This time the only thing that is working is the full oven ready Bako foil over the whole camera.

So if you see a pick up with what looks like a miniature oven ready turkey up by the rear view mirror that will be me.

I have done some Googling but I seem to be the only person in the whole world with this problem, though there was one guy where he lost the GPS signal each time he switched on the car radio.

[JoeW]

What's the brand of your camera? maybe you can email the maker for a solution?

[Ace of Pop]

Try a Quick Fix. Take the Camera power supply direct to the Battery. Just use a bit of spotlight cable through the window to the battery at first.

[VocalNeal]

I suspect the GPS antenna is in the rear view mirror. Move the camera to the right hand corner of the windscreen/windshield near the grab handle and away from the antenna. Or mount the camera lower down nearer the dash.

Just out of curiosity why does one need two cameras?

Edited March 11, 2013 by VocalNeal

[Litlos]

It sounds like with the metal bracket in place there is a undesired connection between the camera body and the car body. Placing insulating washers may not 100% insulate the bracket from the body unless there is a bit of plastic sleeving placed on the thread as well. Ideally use an ohmeter to check if the bracket is fully insulated from the body of the car. I would also insulate both ends of the metal bracket to be double sure. Or find a plastic bracket and adapt?

The film on the window may also be contributing due to the metal content of the film I know that for cars where the radio aerial is embedded in the glass a special tint film has to be used so as not to iinter ferwith the aerial. It is possible the new film has a higher metal content than the 3m film. If there is metal in the film it may be partially blocking the signal from the ssatellitesto the GPS, these are very low level signals and will not take much to iinterferewith.

Is an interesting one for sure, best of luck and keep us updated as I am looking at the dash cam option myself.

Cheers

[Mrjlh]

You are probably getting "EMI" interference from the camera. The mild signal is over ridding the GPS antenna. Need to separate them a considerable distance. Simply put your jamming the GPS with the camera. Also by your picture the GPS unit is too close to window frame. That too blocks line of sight GPS signals and interferes with reception. Lower it closer to the dash if you can. Some work well in the current position some do not. Depends were the internal antenna is in the GPS unit. How do I know this...I designed them a long time ago.

[Daffy D]

"Ace" - I disconnected the car power supply and tried the cam on its own internal battery but it still blocked the signal.

"VocalNeal" - I don't know much about these things but the the mirror is stuck to the glass of the windscreen without any wires attached so don't see how it could be the GPS antenna. The second camera is out the back window to catch any rear-enders.

"Litlos" - I agree I did think the metal bracket could be the problem, but as I said I made plastic washers and as the body of the Cam is plastic the screw holding the cam to the bracket is already insulated. Guess I could try unscrewing the Cam from the bracket to see what happens.

"Mrjlh" - The Cam is in what I thought was the best position and not much different from when it was mounted on the original suction thingy where it worked fine, though it is nearer the window than before.

Trouble is I drilled a neat hole in my brand new car to hold the Cam and don't want to make another hole to move it somewhere else leaving the old hole there for all to see.

[Ace of Pop]

Well thats my idea down the pan, you dont have a Radar Detector do you, mine buggers up the GPS.I asked my Chums with them yesterday, no idea. One said he didnt use his anymore being a Ferang. Recons the Cops would wipe it out.

[Daffy D]

On a recent rare trip to Pantip decided to treat myself to a new CarCam in the hope that this new one would not block GPS signal like the old one did.

Happily the new cam does not block the GPS so that was 1600Bt well spent.

This new cam is more compact than the old one with the suction thingy fitting neatly behind the rear view mirror with only the screen showing just below the mirror. The picture quality is better than the old cam and even at night in lit up areas the picture is acceptable. I also like that the picture is wide-screen as apposed to the square before, as this covers more of the road and less sky.

The instruction booklet was the usual useless but its all just common sense to set it up. I just can't figure out the 4 white LEDs on the front that come on when you press one of the buttons.

So happy little ducky at the moment.