02 Installing VBOX LapTimer in Your Vehicle

Obtaining the Best GPS Quality

Correct placement of the GPS antenna is crucial to the quality of the data recorded by your VBOX LapTimer. Any metal close to a GPS antenna can disturb the signal in an unpredictable way due to interference from reflections of weak GPS signals.

To get the best possible results, you should place the antenna in the centre of a metal roof at least 5 cm away from any metal objects, such as roof bars or radio antennas. Do not mount the antenna close to the sides of the roof as reflections from the ground may interfere with the signals. Avoid the front and rear of the roof as reflections from the A-pillars will cause problems.

Mount the antenna as high up as possible and keep it above any roll bars. Pieces of metal close to and above an antenna will badly disrupt the GPS signal.

If the vehicle you use does not have a metal roof, you should place the GPS antenna on a flat piece of metal (at least 10 cm in diameter). If this is not possible, you can use copper or aluminium foil to create a shaped ground plane underneath the antenna. For example, on a fibreglass roof, mount the antenna on top of the roof and place some adhesive-backed metal foil underneath (on the inside of the roof).

Acquiring satellite lock

Tall buildings or trees can block GPS signals, causing a reduction in the number and quality of satellites being tracked, leading to inaccurate position measurements and a noisy velocity signal.

GPS works best in open areas/ Avoid tree-lined roads

GPS Coldstart

If your VBOX LapTimer is struggling to acquire a satellite lock, you may have to perform a GPS coldstart. This may be necessary if the unit has not been in use for a number of days or it has moved location dramatically since its last use. You can perform a coldstart by selecting MENU > GNSS OPTIONS > COLDSTART.

 

Note: You cannot access the GPS Options menu when you use the LapTimer in OLED mode. In this instance, you must perform the coldstart on the connected device.  

Hardware Connections

Standalone

With VBOX Video HD2

With Video VBOX Pro

With Video VBOX Lite