Sats The Way To Do It

Our Diamond Dave repairs motorhomes for a living, which makes him the technical guru to consult when things go wrong

- Diamond Dave

Satellite-navigation systems are one aid that has transformed travelling by motor vehicle. When they first became available, they were almost all expensive, built-in units.

Portable systems were limited by their battery and memory capacity. Nowadays they are available at ever lower prices, with longer battery life and bigger memory. But there are still good reasons to opt for a built-in unit. They’re powered by the vehicle’s 12V circuits, so there’s no limit to the operating time and you don’t have to plug them in.

They also generally have a connection to a road speed signal, allowing accurate tracking once calibrated, even without GPS signals.

I’ve just fitted a new entertainment head unit in the Duchess (our home converted camper). I opted for a Pioneer double DIN head unit with 6.5” fixed screen, FM/DAB radio/CD/ DVD player/Bluetooth (for hands-free mobile use and audio playback from compatible devices)/USB for media playback, and a built-in sat-nav system.

This is not a cheap option, but it does provide everything we need in one neat unit, plus excellent sound quality and digital radio reception.

Know the limit and stick to it