Compact GPS receivers

With a form factor of 10.4 x 14.0 x 2.6 mm, the Fastrax IT321 is claimed to be one of the smallest complete 20-channel GPS receivers available. The receiver is designed for devices that require a combination of small size, low power consumption and good navigation performance.

Key features include an SiRFstarIII LT chipset with ROM-based firmware, with the receiver being a complete OEM GPS device including a TCXO oscillator, real-time clock and low-noise amplifier.

The device is designed for navigation applications such as car navigators, asset tracking devices, sports accessories and handheld battery operating devices like mobile phones, PDAs and PNDs. The receivers have high sensitivity of -159 dBm and fast time to first fix and re-acquisition.

The device’s module provides complete signal processing from embedded GPS antenna to serial data output in NMEA (or SiRF binary) messages. The embedded chip antenna has good radiation gain, which leads to solid GPS signal levels. The antenna operation is optimised for 50-110 mm ground plane width.

The company has also released a revised product naming system. The previous iTrax receivers will now be called Fastrax ITxx, with ‘xx’ standing for the specific model number of the receiver. Similarly, the uPatch product line of OEM GPS receivers with integrated patch antenna will be renamed the Fastrax UPxx receivers.