Pegasus High Altitude Balloon Project

GPStix Active Antenna Hack

WARNING - At your own risk - I take no responsibility

This is how I did mine! Basically the GPS module on the GPStix has pin 19 attached to GND which is fine for a passive antenna. However if you want to use an active antenna you need to provide power. Firstly make sure that your antenna requires 3.3v (check the data-sheet - google for it if you don't have it). Now pin 18 on the module is actually a power supply which could in theory be used but its far to close to solder to!

• Firstly you have to disconnect 19 from GND, identify it from the diagram (if looking at the module on the GPStix its the 5th from the edge of the group that are adjacent to the SMA antenna connector pins). GND is the outside pins of the antenna connector so first identify the actual connection and then its just a matter of taking a sharp knife and scratching away at the board to remove the "trace"
• Next find a 10 ohm resistor (Brown Black Black (i think :-) )) and solder it to pin 19.
• Solder the other end to the VCC hole of NSSP - the reason for choosing this one is that its an good distance away from the module so the resistor fits nicely and gives you enough space to solder in
• Done! - you should now power on your gumstix and see if you get a lock. (oh ignore all the other wires in the picture thats other parts of my project
• Picture here