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DGP000814AAA
GSS6100 and SimCHAN user manual
© Spirent Communications Plc 2005 - 2007
C-1
Connecting a GPS receiver
Appendix C: Connecting a GPS receiver
This Appendix has been included to offer the user, new to both GPS Signal
generators and/or Receivers, basic guidance on how to set up and track GPS
signals.
The signal input on a GPS receiver typically falls into one of three types.
An input socket for a passive antenna.
An input socket for an active antenna/pre-amplifier combination.
A built in antenna only with no input connector (some handheld
receivers).
Determine which category your receiver fits and proceed as follows:
Type 1) Connect the receiver directly to the front panel RF OUTPUT connector
using a suitable cable.
Type 2) Use an AC coupled amplifier with equivalent gain and noise figure to
that used by the active antenna. This amplifier can be powered either
from an external power supply or from the receiver supply intended for
the active antenna. A bias tee/DC block may be required as shown
below.
Receiver
antenna port
DC & RF
Bias Tee
DC
ST R4500
If this is not available an alternative is to use the high power MON CAL
port at the rear of the signal generator. As the signal is approximately
60dB larger than the front panel signal, attenuation may need to be
added.
As the noise floor for both the front and rear panel outputs is governed
by the thermal noise of a coaxial attenuator the S/N ratio for the rear
panel is artificially high. For this reason the above arrangement may not
yield an identical receiver performance.