I decided to research the remote antenna solution and came up with an alternate brand that had very good reviews including technical evaluation of the performance as superior to the Garmin unit at less cost. Go figure. I give the Gilsson antenna a big thumbs up! The magnets were removable with a couple of screws and the satellite lock up is quicker than ever with stronger signal strength reported by the 696. My only complaint is the black finish is a bit glossy and the white lettering adds to the reflection off of the windshield. I have a plan to scuff the finish, remove the white lettering, and paint it with some flat black but it is wired and tied up nice and neat so I have ignored it. Works great though!
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| Garmin XM and Gilsson GPS puck on the dash |
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| rapid lock up of satellites with the Gilsson GPS puck |
