Thread: What happened to your D3/D4 today?

Originally Posted by BMKal

I have a HEMA unit in my D4. It was originally mounted via a suction cup & bracket to the windscreen and, in this position, always found satellites pretty quickly. However, it was getting very hot in this position, so I bought a "Kuda" mount and re-located the HEMA to just above the standard in-dash screen.

Attachment 181331

In this position, the HEMA took ridiculously long time to find and link to satellite signals - I often arrived at my destination before the HEMA could find it.

All good when you found yourself happy with a good solution. But it sounds like the Hema was not in normal working condition by itself because the relocation is still right under the front windscreen which should bring better signal as it would be cooler than before.

Originally Posted by maxperformance

All good when you found yourself happy with a good solution. But it sounds like the Hema was not in normal working condition by itself because the relocation is still right under the front windscreen which should bring better signal as it would be cooler than before.

I have two HEMA units - both had exactly the same issues when re-located to the mount above the OEM dash screen display. I sent the newer unit back to HEMA in Queensland (through the local dealer) for checking and re-calibration etc. Other than updating maps (which the local distributor had difficulty in achieving), HEMA reported the unit to be in perfect working order.

Since installing the external GPS signal antenna and repeater, both units function perfectly in any position inside the vehicle - as do the phones / iPad etc running Apple or Google mapping programs.

I have also tried the Garmin unit I bought for the wife's car in different positions inside the Disco with very similar results. I'm pretty sure that there is nothing wrong with the HEMA (though I was highly critical of it before I installed the external antenna and repeater).

Originally Posted by BMKal

I have two HEMA units - both had exactly the same issues when re-located to the mount above the OEM dash screen display. I sent the newer unit back to HEMA in Queensland (through the local dealer) for checking and re-calibration etc. Other than updating maps (which the local distributor had difficulty in achieving), HEMA reported the unit to be in perfect working order.

Since installing the external GPS signal antenna and repeater, both units function perfectly in any position inside the vehicle - as do the phones / iPad etc running Apple or Google mapping programs.

I have also tried the Garmin unit I bought for the wife's car in different positions inside the Disco with very similar results. I'm pretty sure that there is nothing wrong with the HEMA (though I was highly critical of it before I installed the external antenna and repeater).

I'm wondering if it was because the Hema was too close to the phone and the GPS signals interfere with each other, as when I bought my current Hema I just plonked it on top of the old Hema and it wouldn't work, I almost took it back to the shop but when I removed the old one it started working?

Originally Posted by BradC

Noice! My wife isn't/wasn't much of a camper. After Christmas we were staying in a house in Witchcliffe with friends, and I had about 3 hours work to do in Albany. I got her to agree to take "the long way home", and we wound our way from Augusta to Albany to spend a couple of days looking around. Cue booking 2 weeks in Albany in January and a "we need to come down here more often". Chalk one up for the D3 driving through Karri Valley.

Oh, happy anniversary! Can't think of a nicer way to spend it than pottering through the South West in a Disco. I love Caves Rd, but **** me there are some dangerous/stupid bastards on that bit of tarmac.

Thanks Brad, yes I know exactly what you mean about the clowns on Caves road. Was glad we were in the Disco but I would have been happier in my work vehicle...
Last year we did a trip to Perth with just a trailer when the thought of moving started to get serious and we travelled all down thru pemberton, Walpole, Albany and absolutely loved it. Can't wait to do it again actually.
Happy to say the D3 got us home without issue and the van without the cross winds behaved itself as well.
Cheers Bulletman

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

I'm wondering if it was because the Hema was too close to the phone and the GPS signals interfere with each other, as when I bought my current Hema I just plonked it on top of the old Hema and it wouldn't work, I almost took it back to the shop but when I removed the old one it started working?

The phone is very rarely mounted in that bracket. I only use that mainly on long trips, when the phone needs charging or if I want it connected to the external phone aerial on the bullbar to improve range. Usually, the phone is either in my shirt pocket or in the pouch in the driver's door with my reading glasses. The problems being experienced with the Hema were there all the time, regardless of proximity to the phone. My Disco also does not have a factory GPS installed, so there can't be any interference coming from that.

Is the front windscreen heated?

Originally Posted by Graeme

Is the front windscreen heated?

No. It's not the original, but is still a genuine Land Rover Pilkington screen. Mine never was heated from new.

Originally Posted by BMKal

The phone is very rarely mounted in that bracket. I only use that mainly on long trips, when the phone needs charging or if I want it connected to the external phone aerial on the bullbar to improve range. Usually, the phone is either in my shirt pocket or in the pouch in the driver's door with my reading glasses. The problems being experienced with the Hema were there all the time, regardless of proximity to the phone. My Disco also does not have a factory GPS installed, so there can't be any interference coming from that.

A car is effectively a faraday cage which doesn't help radio reception.
GPS antennas need a clear view of the sky to work well - maybe the Hema unit has a poor antenna and/or location on the unit.
Hence the work around by the external antenna mentioned above.
A phone wont interfere - why else would we have GPS built into all our phones?