I know this question has been asked before (not by me), but since some
time has passed and the question did not receive many different answers I
ask it again.

I need a GPS receiver and antenna. For my application size is important.
Do any of you have any recomendations?

And another question. Can GPS give direction?

Jardar Start a New Thread

Furuno has a good selection of very small GPS units, with or without
integrated antenna.

http://www.furunogps.com

And yes, you will get direction from it, as long as you are moving
enough for it to determine direction.

Brian

--
-----------------
Brian C. Lane (W7BCL) Programmer
www.shinemicro.com RF, DSP & Microcontroller Design Start a New Thread

At 04:48 16/03/2004, you wrote:
>I need a GPS receiver and antenna. For my application size is important.
>Do any of you have any recomendations?

The uBlox TIM modules seem to work ok. www.u-blox.ch

>And another question. Can GPS give direction?

They can tell you "heading" - ie the bearing from where you were to where
you are. Once you stop and rotate yourself on the spot they can't tell
which way you are facing.

regards
peter Start a New Thread

--- In msp430@msp4..., Peter McConaghy <pmcconaghy@c...>
wrote:
> At 04:48 16/03/2004, you wrote:
> They can tell you "heading" - ie the bearing from where you were to where
> you are. Once you stop and rotate yourself on the spot they can't tell
> which way you are facing.

Actually, plenty of them can -- they typically use a fluxgate compass
and they know the local offset between magnetic north and true north
and hence can provide reasonably accurate indications of direction
even when stopped.

I wouldn't be surprised if high-end industrial units meant for
aircraft include backup systems including fancy stuff like optical
gyroscopes...

---Joel Kolstad Start a New Thread

At 16:05 16/03/2004, Joel Kolstad wrote:
>- Peter McConaghy wrote:
> > At 04:48 16/03/2004, you wrote:
> > They can tell you "heading" - ie the bearing from where you were to where
> > you are. Once you stop and rotate yourself on the spot they can't tell
> > which way you are facing.
>
>Actually, plenty of them can -- they typically use a fluxgate compass
>and they know the local offset between magnetic north and true north
>and hence can provide reasonably accurate indications of direction
>even when stopped.

True, I guess. But that's more than "just" a GPS receiver - its a GPS
receiver + fluxgate compass. The GPS receiver bit by itself cannot tell
which way you are facing. None of the "cheap" GPS receiver modules I've
seen have included a compass - including u-blox, Motorola, etc

peter Start a New Thread

Hi Jardar,

Motorola just released a new very small, high sensitive GPS receiver try
this link:
http://www.bfioptilas.avnet.com/php_files/index.php?view=product&num_pro
duct21&group=1&targetr&line77&supplierh&sidrd4b127dfeb3e20189
a4f687caa0a99&sidrd4b127dfeb3e20189a4f687caa0a99
and look for the FS Oncore

As afar as compass yes any gps receiver wil give you its heading but if
this is all you need try looking for the CMPS03 Robot Compass Module

thanks Martijn. Start a New Thread

u-blox (http://www.u-blox.com) make a GPS unit called
the TIM module. The original version, based on the
SiRF SiRFStarII chipset is available either from them
or as a lower power second source from Falcom
(http://www.falcom.de) - the Falcom part uses the
newer LP chipset from SiRF.

u-blox also have a new version of the module based on
the Antares chipset from Altera.

I have only used the SiRF based units but they are all
supposed to be pin compatible anthough the Antares
based part uses a different serial protocol for
control.

These are all surface mount modules about 1 inch
square and are RF in->asynchronous serial data out.

Ian Start a New Thread

A complete low cost kit can be obtained from these guys too.
http://www.synergy-gps.com/minimodule.html Start a New Thread

$750US for a dev kit ain't low cost in my book. I sure wish they would get
the cost down on those units - they look nice.

If you are concerned about size/weight, check out Sarantel's "smart antenna"
integrated antenna and receiver. It is one of the smallest and lightest, but
costs around $200US for a single module.
http://www.sarantel.com/diohelix-f.shtml

Here's another source of low cost (<=$100US) GPS modules:
http://www.lemosint.com/scripts/cirocomm.asp

And another
http://www.sparkfun.com/shop/index.php?shop=1&cartH074&catc&

I am using a Laipac Tech UV-40 module from the latter source. It works fine,
although the tech specs are a bit sketchy.

John Start a New Thread

Well, it's one of those things. If you're a business $750 is not a
problem, but if you're a hobbyist..
Anyway, it looks like the GPS unit is in a small MLF package. Thus one
could get just the chip, and come up with a smart antenna connector and
a few external parts and your in business with making up a PCB for it.
The other stuff on the board is for the RS232 interface, etc.
Of course I could be wrong. Start a New Thread