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jpalamaro
May 25th, 2006, 7:36 pm
The cable/puck/receiver that accompanies the various Garmin GPS units that have integrated XM/Sat. radio, etc. is TOO F*ng long. Seems no matter what, there is this UGLY coiled cable especially when the puck is only a foot or less from the Garmin unit. Anyone come up with a neat, aesthetically pleasing solution?
danbrew
May 25th, 2006, 7:55 pm
first, I didn't use the 3m extension. i got that around here somewhere. i put the puck on an RCU shelf and then wired it down along the fairing on the GS and up the fork to the handlebar mount. doesn't look bad at all.

there's a picture of it in here somewhere...

www.titleii.com/images/376c

:)
jpalamaro
May 25th, 2006, 8:09 pm
first, I didn't use the 3m extension. i got that around here somewhere. i put the puck on an RCU shelf and then wired it down along the fairing on the GS and up the fork to the handlebar mount. doesn't look bad at all.

there's a picture of it in here somewhere...

www.titleii.com/images/376c (http://www.titleii.com/images/376c)

:)

I move the Garmin from bike to bike as I have cradle on a RAM mount. As such, I have to move the puck around. On all of the bikes the Garmin GPS is always within a foot of the puck along with the coiled cable. I don't know of anyone who has cut into the cable. I may cut into the extension to see what's there. If it's just a variant of coax, i.e. braide sheath and multi-strand center/or solid center, a coax connector should do the trick.

I was hoping to find someone who did it.
andy
May 25th, 2006, 8:45 pm
It's some a USB cable. That said, there are MULTIPLE strands in there (At least it is in my 2730)
danbrew
May 25th, 2006, 9:28 pm
yeah, it's absolutely a simple USB cable. The real question, though, is how it's wired up inside the puck. You could probably take apart the puck to see how complicated it would be to wire a shorter cable.

I've perm. mounted my puck on the GS - it would be nice to move from bike to bike, car to car. Would also be nice if XM would just permit two pucks on an account for one charge...!
yaklt
May 25th, 2006, 9:31 pm
I "solved" this on my 2730 by... not solving it! I move the GPS from bike to truck ... so I put the puck (and coiled cable) neatly in the tankbag :-) the little exposed wire I "put down" with some art-tacky stuff.
jpalamaro
May 25th, 2006, 10:13 pm
Of course you are correct. I upgrade my firmware on my computer to the unit with a simple USB cable. I knew that.http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon7.gif

Thanks for waking me up!!!
jpalamaro
May 25th, 2006, 10:15 pm
I haven't tried this but do you get reception thru the tank bag; but, you now have me thinking about alternatives as I do have tank bags on all my bikes.
JPSpen
May 25th, 2006, 11:01 pm
I just coiled mine up and ty wrapped it and it's no trouble at all

It's only about 8" long with the cable coiled up and ty wrapped...works on the bike and in the car just fine...

John
yaklt
May 26th, 2006, 6:22 pm
So far, w/ my puck in the tank bag reception has never been a problem.

I've got the BMW tank bag - and full of stuff (tire guages, etc. - pretty well stuffed w/ the puck).

I get reception inside my garage (which surprises me - but I'm sure has to do w/ the way my garage opening is pointing w.r.t. the satellites).

I'm in the Chicago metro area, and have ridden w/ the puck (XM and weather checks) around Northern Illinois, southern 1/2 of Wisconsin.