NTG1 GPS Antenna

AMGeed

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I lost the navigation last week whilst in London and my sat nav now shows a map of West London despite the car being parked on my driveway in Poole.
I assume, correctly or not that the GPS antenna is faulty and needs replacing so ,being hasty, I ordered one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253336981676 which I believe is correct for my DVD based APS NTG1 Comand.

Thinking about it afterwards, I really don't have much idea where this plugs in. Will it have a connection in the back of the DVD drive in the boot and the magnetic box in the photo sticks to the inside of the boot? Or, does the comand unit in the dash have to come out and have this new unit plugged into the back of the Comand?

I really didn't think this through and probably should have held out and got an OEM antenna from comandonline, but for the cost £9 + postage its not a deal breaker.

Any thoughts would be appreciated to get the nav working again.
 

Westheath

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Are you allowed to only fully answer once on either forum,
if "t'other side" equates to MBUK ?
 
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AMGeed

AMGeed

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Are you allowed to only fully answer once on either forum,
if "t'other side" equates to MBUK ?

For anyone interested, Mark from Comandonline has confirmed the new unit is plugged into the back of the DVD nav drive in the boot. The cable is carefully routed to underneath the rear parcel shelf where the unit should pick up satellites through the plastic and glass.
Once that has been done, I was advised to drive slowly (around 20mph) whilst the map located the cars correct position.
 

Westheath

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For anyone interested, Mark from Comandonline has confirmed the new unit is plugged into the back of the DVD nav drive in the boot. The cable is carefully routed to underneath the rear parcel shelf where the unit should pick up satellites through the plastic and glass.
Once that has been done, I was advised to drive slowly (around 20mph) whilst the map located the cars correct position.

Not sure the GPS will be sensitive enough under the shelf and rear window.
I usually route them up to the shark fin and fit it inside the casing.

Not my method but shows the early cable routing.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/330898-guide-installing-factory-comand-navigation-pics.html
 
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AMGeed

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^ That is very useful, especially the photos.
How does the shark fin detach and re-attach to the rear window should I route the GPS antenna to the roof?
 

Westheath

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I heat gun the whole antennae off the rear screen gently,
there's some screws 4 or 5 when you lift it up,
remove them and the cover comes off.
Be careful of the Tele-aid not sure if that's in there as well.
If small enough fit new inside complete or remove from casing,
replace screws,
and reheat the antennae back on,
if the adhesive has had it or you damaged it removing the antennae,
use new mirror pad from Autoglass (green one), mildly warm the glass and then stick on pad then apply heat to warm the pad and apply antennae.

This is all from memory 10 or so years ago when we were upgrading newish W211's
 
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Alfie

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Not sure the GPS will be sensitive enough under the shelf and rear window.
I usually route them up to the shark fin and fit it inside the casing.

Not my method but shows the early cable routing.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/330898-guide-installing-factory-comand-navigation-pics.html

Ive fitted dozens under the parcel shelf and the real benefit of doing so is that the water ingress issues that cause the original failure in the roof ones, doesnt occur again.

Satellite signals travel through pretty much anything quite happily. All except for any metallic substance including cars with the heat insulating glass (mainly S classes) which have metal in the glass.
 

Westheath

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I agree with the fact some GPS units will receive the signal ok under there,
but they are usually the more expensive ones as not all quad helix units are the same quality.

The test is when on the move and in built up areas cities etc, around London there's little chance it will work that why we moved them up on the roof.

This company does a mini GPS that works fine in the roof unit .

https://www.rfsolutions.co.uk/antennas-c8/application-c109/gps-c111
 

Alfie

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I agree with the fact some GPS units will receive the signal ok under there,
but they are usually the more expensive ones as not all quad helix units are the same quality.

The test is when on the move and in built up areas cities etc, around London there's little chance it will work that why we moved them up on the roof.

This company does a mini GPS that works fine in the roof unit .

https://www.rfsolutions.co.uk/antennas-c8/application-c109/gps-c111

The genuine Mercedes ones are fine under the parcel shelf.
 

Westheath

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Yes but they don't cost £9.99 as the OP's purchase was.

:eek:
 
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AMGeed

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Yes but they don't cost £9.99 as the OP's purchase was.

:eek:

I was probably a bit quick off the mark going for almost the first antenna I found instead of researching what was best.
If this one, when it arrives,doesn't work I'll contact Commandonline and order an OEM one.

Thanks to you both for the info supplied.
 


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