Since the Mobile Mapper is touted to use an external antenna, is there an "L" type antenna plug - cable to use in this side mount device????? I can see breaking off the pin plug with the cable sticking so far out the side of the unit.

Also, since the MM is rated for such highly accurate positions when post procesed (again I would assume the intent to use an external antenna), does Thales have a pole/tripod mount cradle to secure the MM to a fixed and stable device????

And.... is there a cradle that has the pin connectors attached so that the MM can be snapped in, similar to the PM2?

Will I need to order the "bicycle cradle" and attach a set of handlebars to a 2 meter pole/bipod in order to use the MM with an external antenna?????

Should I just cut some nice willow sticks and whittle out my own pole and tripod mounting device????

It's on the UPS truck....time to sharpen up the old pocket knife and get out the duct tape (we graduated from blunt scissors and paste).......

JD

The antenna jack that goes into the MM is something I would want to change very quickly. It needs a 90 elbow.

The way it is now is unsupported ,so I can see the cable breaking at the point of stress because of the weight dangling from it.

It has what looks like a hex head on the gold part. I'm not going to much with your antenna, but I wonder if screws out and you could just change the connector to a 90, if available from some source.

Deral

Tread carefully, I would assume that the MM is much like the ProMark II. So much is crammed in there that if you take it apart you can never get all the parts back in again. When you send in a ProMark II for repairs you get a new one returned, because even Thales cannot get Humpty-Dumpty together again.

Third party antenna cable copmanies can fix you up with 90° connections.

JD, the MM is probably only one more upgrade away from becoming the ProMark II replacement. Not that it would be a MM, but they would use the MM case to keep costs down as they used the Magellan 310-330 case for the PM2. When that happens, the brackets, download cradles and extra power supplies will start flowing. I may or may not buy one as the MM is already more pricey than a ProMark. Thales, pay attention!

Paul in PA

DP,
Yeah, I'm thinking about a custom connection. It looks like the cable connector on the GPS end is what is known as an "SMB jack" or "SMB Female" connector. We'd need to know the necessary ohm rating (from what I've seen). On the ProAntenna, a standard TNC Female (jack) should cover it. I Googled quite a bit and found that there are right angle SMB jacks available, but all this cable stuff is still kind of new to me. It's a shame Thales doesn't already have this stuff worked out.

Paul,
You may be closer to the truth than you think about the MM being the "promark 3" we've always talked about. The price is only slightly more, and it appears to have a lot more functionality.

There are many places with accessories of various kinds. If the folks at sales cannot find what you are looking for just find an answer as close as the internet. I know somebody who can go looking for you if you don't have the time and want to hire it done.

Snap in download cradles are available. I have one at home that I bought from Thales Navigation.

Sources of GPS accessories and doo-dads have been posted on this message board.

If you want to make an official request for a new product from Thales Navigation state it plainly in an email to

professionalsupport@thalesnavigation.com

I don't mind asking for new products on your behalf but prefer to use your words and not my interpretation of what you intended to say.

From my perspective, some things, like pole brackets, are already done.

Has anybody looked at the pictures of my MobileMapper setup from the stuff in the training folder? It is a little like what Deral did with his old tools. I have some things purchased over the years and used what I had to make a MobileMapper rover setup.

Those things are all still available to purchase brand new. I know several Thales Navigation dealers who would be glad to help you get the parts you need to put it all together.

If you want a custom made GPS cable there are people who want to make them for you. All you have to do is say what you want and spend your money.

This part of it is not rocket science.

If the sales people you talk to do not understand what you want ask them to visit with me. I know where to get the things you have described in this message thread.

Modified By Phil Stevenson on 8/17/2004 at 3:49 PM

Phil

Is there a cradle made to be attached to a pole or tripod bracket, with the electronic connections mounted for power and data-in/data-out db9? One that does not require the user to snap the MM into the cradle and then screw the electronics connector to the back?
If so, we haven't seen it and would like to find one.

Also, as for the "L" plug antenna cable, I thought there may actually be one available, although we have not seen it in any literature either. I suppose I could have some made, or make them myself, not a difficult thing to do.

Either way, I just remembered the actual "recommended procedures" for the use of the MM, and use of external antenna. I believe the external antenna was for mag mounting to a vehicle, and the power supply cable was for a dash mount cradle. And, the MM was intended to be used without external antenna while "on foot", and not marketed to be pole mounted with external antenna.

Actually, I let myself get too far out of the box with some ideas here, so I think I might ought to withdraw my requests for the time being, and stay within the stated specifications.

still smiling though

JD

The L plug is a simple engineering/design fix. They made the PM2 antenna to work with the MM, so they should have considered that the cable is not supported and is at risk of failure because of the stress that is going to be put on it.

The PM2 antenna offered as an accesory should be made with the 90 degree plug.

still smiling also..

Deral

Deral

I'm really not sure that the PM2 antenna recommendation is from specifications, i.e. Thales hardware development people, or suggested as an alternative. Isn't there a hockey puck antenna recommended as a "mobile" antenna??? I really don't know. I waited for you to beta test the MM anyway, so I haven't done much homework, yet.

I made a whole lot of antenna cable configurations for cb radios back in the '70s, and I'd doubt that a coaxial cable for gps would be much of a challenge. We found sources for parts Monday night, including the "L" plug. I would want to see the plug up close and personal before I considered it to be "the one", but assembly shouldn't be a problem.

The hot-wired cradle on a bi-pod pole mount can be fashioned from spare parts. I think we (at least me) were conjuring up the appearance of a rigid braced system that could be stable for several minutes if desired. I don't know if the concept designers considered the possible need to have the device stationary, above the ground, for more time than the average person would like to hold still.

Looking forward to tomorrow :-)

JD

What did the designers expect to be standard practice of using one MM to be a 'reference station'? Is one to turn it on and set in on the control point on the ground? I wouldn't think so. So what would be the SOP of using a MM for a base for a MM rover?

that's a lame question

you hire another employee to stand real still, holding it over the control point

duh