Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
OlinkStar CC100-BG Beidou-GPS moduleDespite the absence of official published specifications for China’s Compass/Beidou-2, a number of GNSS companies have announced plans to build Compass-capable receivers — in some cases “future-proofing” their products so as to be upgradeable when a Beidou-2 Interface Control Document becomes available.
By Inside GNSS
Baseband Technologies Inc., of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, recently announced the launch of its Deep-R technology, which the company says is capable of capturing a GPS position using two milliseconds of I/Q samples.
By Inside GNSS
Passive Hydrogen Maser (PHM) flight model on GIOVE-B (ESA photo) SELEX Galileo, an Edinburgh, Scotland company, has signed a €30 million contract with with Surrey Satellite Technology LTD (SSTL) to supply PHM atomic clocks for all 14 Galileo FOC (full operational capability) satellites.
The PHM-Passive Hydrogen Maser- clock is the most stable for space
applications and has been tested successfully in GIOVE-B, the Galileo
system’s second validation satellite, which was launched in 2008.
GPS Block IIF Satellite (Boeing photo)Last week’s launch of the first GPS Block IIF illustrates the changes that have occurred not only with the pioneering U.S. GNSS program but also with the nation’s aerospace industry since the Global Positioning System initiative was launched 36 years ago.
By Inside GNSS
International CTIA Wireless, the mobile industry’s annual mega-trade show in Las Vegas, takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Tuesday, March 23 through Thursday, March 25 2010 with a pre-conference on March 22.
It covers everything – technology to retail – about wireless and converged communications, wireless broadband, applications, mobile web and data.
Educational sessions on March 23 and 24 include one aimed at engineers and designers, "Next-Gen Networks and Devices."
By Inside GNSS
PCTEL’s WAAS antennaPCTEL, Inc., of Bloomingdale, Illinois USA, announced that its high-precision Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) ground station GPS antennas will be deployed in India’s GPS-Aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system.
By Inside GNSS
PCTEL, Inc., has introduced its new Medallion GSM/WIFI/WIMAX/GPS multi-band antenna featuring a rugged low profile housing that allows omnidirectional reception.
NavCom SF-3050
NavCom Technology, Inc., has announced the release of the SF-3050 multi-frequency GNSS receiver that incorporates the company’s new Sapphire GNSS OEM board.
Offering integrated StarFire/RTK GNSS capabilities, the SF-3050 and Sapphire feature 66-channel tracking, including multi-constellation support for GPS, GLONASS and Galileo.
By Inside GNSS
GPS Networking, of Pueblo, Colorado, has launched the VGLCDLA30RPDC, a variable gain GPS in-line amplifier with LCD display and push button control.
Featuring a range of 0–30 dB, the VGLCDLA30RPDC’s push button control can increase or decrease gain in increments of 1 dB, enabling operators to make precise adjustments quickly and view the output power at any given time for more efficient testing.
The unit operates on 110VAC or 220 VAC transformer (wall mount) and 240 VAC (United Kingdom). Connector options include types N, SMA, TNC, and BNC.
By Inside GNSS
Trimble and the China Aerospace Science & Industry Academy of Information Technology (CASIC-IT) have announced plans to form a 50/50 joint venture in China to develop manufacture, and distribute Compass GNSS receivers and systems in China.
RF Micro Devices (RFMD), which last year announced plans to exit the GPS solutions business in order to focus on core semiconductor component opportunities, hasn’t abandoned the GNSS marketplace completely.
By Glen Gibbons
Wi-Sys Communications Inc., based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, has launched the WS1551QF L-band + GPS (L1) Quadrifilar Helical Antenna.
An active right-hand circularly polarized, quadrifilar helical antenna, the WS1551QF provides an omni-directional, cardoid radiation pattern, with peak gain optimized at elevation angles between 0° and 40°. The wideband antenna covers both the L-band downlink frequency band (1525 to 1560 MHz) and the GPS (L1) frequency band (1574 to 1576 MHz).
By Glen Gibbons
u-blox Holding AG has announced that Microsoft Corporation selected its latest positioning engine, u-blox 5, for a new “GPS Locator” USB stick.
The “GPS Locator” USB stick will be bundled with the next release of MapPoint 2009, Microsoft’s business travel and map software package, expected to be on the shelves in August 2008.
By Glen Gibbons
