Pulse, a Technitrol Company, an electronic component and subassembly designer and manufacturer, introduces the W3011 surface-mount ceramic GPS antenna, a small GPS antenna and high-performing antenna. This antenna has the ideal size and efficiency requirements for use in mobile phones, navigation systems, small portable GPS receivers like PDAs and PNDs, and surveillance, timing, and other devices that need to access satellite GPS signals.
The size of the W3011 is only 3.2 (w) x 1.6 (l) x 1.1 (h) millimeters (mm), and it weighs just 0.033 grams, yet has an efficiency of 80 percent with an operating temperature of -40° to +85° C. Ground clearance area is 4 x 4.25 mm. The antenna can handle frequencies of 1575.42 ±10 MHz. It has linear polarization and is immune to the detuning effect caused by a user’s hand or body. Return loss is a minimum of minus 12 decibels (dB) on band edges. The antennas have an impedance of 50 Ohms, unbalanced. Although small, the footprint is designed using standard SMD compatible mechanics in order to meet electrical and mechanical installation requirements.
”Pulse’s new ceramic antenna is smaller than any similar products on the market today,” said Kimmo Koskiniemi, R&D manager, Pulse Antenna Division. “For example, a standard patch antenna is 440 times bigger in volume (cubic mm) than the new Pulse antenna, but the Pulse antenna is 20 percent more efficient than the patch antenna. It really provides a solution for designers who want to incorporate GPS signal capability into their products, but have limited room for an antenna.”
The W3011 is the newest member of Pulse’s GPS chip antenna family. It is RoHS compliant and compatible with lead-free, surface-mount processes. All products are field tested to ensure quality and reliability. The antenna is available in tape-and-reel format. Lead times for Pulse’s ceramic GPS antennas are six to eight weeks. Prices start at $0.44 per unit for quantities of 100,000. Individual part pricing may vary due to order configuration and shipping destination.