RNS-E Satellites reception problem

[andyt]

My RNS-E seems to get lost quite a lot. Some days it simply thinks I'm driving across fields (I'm not BTW). When I press Nav-Info, it says 0 satellites found. Even when it appears to be working, I get 3 or at the most 4 satellites found. Is the aerial a bit knackered? This is an RNS-E retroft that <cough> I did myself and AFAIK it's always only got 3 or 4 sats but the 0 sat seems to be happening more lately. What's the likely problem? What can I look for? If I VAG-COM it, I do get an error:

00858 - Connection; Radio ZF Output to Antenna Amplifier
011 - Open Circuit

But I'm led to believe that's not relevant.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[Virdee Autos]

AFAIK that fault code is for the radio antenna itself

Could be a dodgy GPS antenna or it has gone tits up

[craigyb]

Where is it located, it may simply have come loose and slipped down somewhere, I have seen that a lot.

[andyt]

Er.. when I fitted the RNS-E, I connected the GPS aerial to the existing one that the RNS-D used, which I believe uses the sharkfin on the roof. The car is an RS6 (sorry, I was forgetting I wasn't in the RS6 bit of the forum!). Do you think it would work better if I just used a standard aerial?

[craigyb]

Ok, that makes more sense, should be rock solid, but the GPS antennas on A6/RS6/S6's are known for problems. Mine failed at 18 months old.

Pop one behind the clocks with a proper FAKRA connector.

[andyt]

OK cheers Craig. I'll look into trying a different aerial and see if it improves. I guess it should be easy enough to do a before/after test.

[johnny11]

mine started doing this a few months before the sat nav unit failed.