Why the difference? GPS antenna in one car and not another

[JetFuelOnly]

Tom, I think you are definitely on to something. In another forum I found this link of a developer video from Apple saying what you said - highly recommended.

Here it is at 12:50 mark:
https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2016/722

[ReidMcT]

Carplay -> GPS antenna
Porsche Connect -> GPS antenna
Navigation -> GPS antenna
Sport Chrono -> GPS Antenna

[J-Dub]

@ReidMcT In your analysis above when you say GPS antenna you are meaning the GPS antenna in the car and not the one in the phone correct?

[Leader]

It’s my understanding that all modern Porsches come with GPS antennas and the Navigation module installed. However, only those cars in which the Navigation has been activated will have the GPS antennas working. Is this incorrect?

My 2022 Cayman was ordered without Navigation, purposely, because I didn’t want it, nor did I want to pay for something I wasn’t going to use. When I got my car and realized its GPS antenna wasn’t working (no compass, no altimeter, no automatic clock adjustment), I reached out to a smart Porsche friend who came over and “activated” my car’s Nav module, which turned on the GPS antenna.

[JetFuelOnly]

In the 718 GT4, we identified that a GPS antenna in the mirror mount assembly was present in my car equipped with CarPlay and no Navigation. Without CarPlay there is no antenna there - but maybe when there’s nav.

The one on my roof is Sirius XM I believe.

[ReidMcT]

@ReidMcT In your analysis above when you say GPS antenna you are meaning the GPS antenna in the car and not the one in the phone correct?

those factory options call for factory antenna

[Arne2]

It’s my understanding that all modern Porsches come with GPS antennas and the Navigation module installed. However, only those cars in which the Navigation has been activated will have the GPS antennas working. Is this incorrect?

My 2022 Cayman was ordered without Navigation, purposely, because I didn’t want it, nor did I want to pay for something I wasn’t going to use. When I got my car and realized its GPS antenna wasn’t working (no compass, no altimeter, no automatic clock adjustment), I reached out to a smart Porsche friend who came over and “activated” my car’s Nav module, which turned on the GPS antenna.

While all recent PCMs are capable of having Nav 'activated', the cars only get a factory installed GPS antenna if one of the 4 options listed above by @ReidMcT are part of the build spec. It is possible that this is only true for the earlier 718s, perhaps the newest cars all got the antenna. I do know that there are plenty of cars that did not get one at build. My 2018 had one, but it was spec'd with Porsche Connect.

But with regard to your car, generally if an antenna is included, it is restricted to only the function(s) that the factory installed. In your case, the compass, altimeter and satellite clock sync are all part of the Nav system, and were not available until your Nav was enabled. Same with my car.

[Tom]

You'd think they could install one antenna that feeds multiple devices. Pretty sure that's how my GMC truck is... Hard to imagine that's not a cheaper solution for the mfg...

[Arne2]

I'm pretty sure there is only one GPS antenna, but only connected or activated for services as needed.

It occurs to me now that all 718s built since CarPlay became standard (2019? Maybe 2020?) should have the antenna factory installed.