An innovative active GPS antenna that operates from any voltage in the range 1.8VDC to 6VDC has been announced by CTi. The GPS-UNI antenna is believed to be the first in the industry capable of operating from such a low voltage - most competitive products on the market require at least 3.3 V, says the company.
The antenna is particularly suitable for automatic vehicle location and tracking applications; its very low voltage requirements mean that a vehicle can continue to find and report its location until its battery is virtually exhausted - significantly extending the time available to recover the vehicle in the event of it having been stolen.
The GPS-UNI antenna is suitable for use with any standard 1575.42MHz GPS receiver capable of supplying 1.8VDC to 6VDC antenna power. Its built-in low noise amplifier has a very low power consumption of just 100mw and provides a forward gain of 26dBi, which is held essentially constant for all operating voltages. The antenna has a nominal 50ohm output impedance and an output VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) of better than 2:1.
As standard, the GPS-UNI antenna is equipped with 3 metres of RG174 cable, terminated with an SMA male RF connector. It can also be supplied with different cable lengths and connectors, including blue Type C FAKRA. The antenna is housed in a robust ABS enclosure designed for everyday environmental protection - though it is not intended for total immersion - and is available in magnetic mount and adhesive dash-mount versions.
Forming the latest addition to CTi's comprehensive portfolio of GPS antennae, the new GPS-UNI model is derived from the company's well established range of fixed 3.3VDc and 5VDC supply versions, and is available with a number of different gain levels, says the company.
