2.4GHz (802.11b) gets through window where GPS signal cannot!

[sharkeeper]

This is rather frustrating! :|

Now I know the signal from the WAP (WAS) considerably stronger than the GPS signal but still.

The window is 18mm thick tempered fire rated glass. Why would the glass interfere with the GPS signal?

Cheers!

 

[PottedMeat]

isnt GPS ~1.5 GHz?

i guess that glass/what ever its coated with attenuates 1.5Ghz

 

[Bootprint]

What kind of window, house, car?

And any sort of metal on it, like a windshield.

 

[sharkeeper]

It's strange because I always get no less than three satellites in some rather undesirable areas. I let the receiver sit on the sill for two hours and did not have lock.

The window is the only path for RF to the outside world. Ships are very good Faraday cages!

I really need to have it now since I cannot rely on the stupid nav channel that's broadcast through the ship. Apparently, every time a chart is loaded the program tanks. Stupid computers. I saw two GPF's at airports in the past month too! This is intolerable!

I would love to record our journey. About an hour ago, there was a loud bang and shutter through the entire ship. It was pronounced enough that drawers opened and my flashlight rolled off a shelf. The main propulsion engines came to a full stop immediately. They started again at a lower speed and ramped up to full service speed and stopped again this time without any bang. Now they are running but perhaps at 70% speed. I verified the decrease in forward speed by going outside and using my own equipment.

Anyways, my apologies for rambling on here. It's kind of frustrating to say the least.

Cheers!

 

[Bootprint]

Now I see why you only might get a signal through a window. Think they would get upset if you got out the blow torch and made your own window.

What kind of ship is it?

 

[sharkeeper]

Now I see why you only might get a signal through a window. Think they would get upset if you got out the blow torch and made your own window.

Oh that window isn't going anywhere. I'm very familiar with the company that makes the glass and its ratings. You could swing a bat at it all day and it would laugh at you! All a torch would do is darken the laminate. An oxyactylene rig would probably cause enough stress to release the pent up energy in the temper and make the window explode. Wouldn't want that right now, the friggin bow wave collisions with swells running 12 feet right now are splashing on the glass! Granted I'm down pretty low but the sea is a little mad tonight.

Well I found a 802.11b network with fast access at San Juan and St. Thomas. Had no problem and good signal strength (-58 dBM) for the most part. Just couldn't put anything in front of the window or everything would be 404'd!


At sea and everywhere else access is limited through Inmarsat-B. The latency is horrible and speed is slow. However, without it, I would be 10-7. Most people use the service directly through http and pay $0.75 a MINUTE! I have a special arrangement where I connect to our server farms onshore and use my remote desktop so I have exclusive access to everything at the office. It's neat however it's far from perfect. Still beats no access at all.

Cheers!