GPS & cloud cover

[Thunderboy]

I asked this last week in one of the threads I think go lost so here it is again

I have a Garmin 196 mounted on my T-Bird dash,
Last Saturday there was high cloud cover and it did no seem to be able to pick up a signal with an external power source plugged in.
Later in the afternoon it did pick up a signal and cloud cover was less.

My question: does cloud cover reduce the signal
Funny thing is I have a small street pilot for the car and that worked fine in the morning

[Morph]

I've had 2 GPS V's one Magellen 315 and a Garmin eTrex. I have never had problems with the Garmin products. The Magellan however would loose signal with any cloud, human, roof etc between it and the sky.

Even in heavy overcast days I get decent signal strength. Where is the GPS antenna mounted, does it have a clear view of the sky or do you have motor, wing etc above it.

[Thunderboy]

here it is on the dash, there is the wing above it though, you can see the little antenna which would be straight up

[Thunderboy]

here it is on the dash, there is the wing above it,

[Morph]

Does the GPS suffer out of the plane in the same cloudy conditions, i.e. away from the wing etc. If so, install the antenna on top of the wing.

[Thunderboy]

good point, Ill check that out thanks

[IFLYHI]

After 1 or 2 signal losses I started to use the supplied external antenna on the unit, much better

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Never lost signal in RV since I got it last year 200+hrs. Both KLX135A and Garmin 196 with antenna stuck on canopy. C182 if mounted on Dash tends to loose the signal when bank angle bigger than 45 deg? Position of antenna and solids above it will affect it. (Am told even angled perspex can deflect signal?)

Check the location of the aerial and possibly some ali in they way. External aeries work very well and are well worth it. Have flown in 8/8 cloud (as pax on IF flight) with 196 and had signal all the way - no problem....

[Thunderboy]

Thanks I have that external antenna that came with it which I'll use if I have any more problems. On saturday I tilted it slightly and I had no problem although there was not much cloud cover either when I was flying.