I have done the same thing with an amplified patch antenna facing out the window.
I wonder in this case if making a rough 1/4 wave antenna out of a very short feedline would be enough for a cheap outdoor sanity check. On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 14:21:09 +0000, shali...@gmail.com wrote: >I test all my GPS receivers with a hockey puck type antenna attached to the >wall in my hamshack, which is upstairs, but under the ceiling and the roof and >I have never had one fail to lock within reasonable time. With this setup, >Thunderbolts occasionally go on holdover, but never for very long. > >Of course, when I plug them in the external Symmetricom antenna, they >typically see more satellites and don't go into holdover. > >I am in Northwest Florida, so probably at a lower latitude than most of you, >so the same setup farther north may not work as well. > >Didier KO4BB > >Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless thingy while I do other things... > >-----Original Message----- >From: Azelio Boriani <azelio.bori...@screen.it> >Sender: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com >Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 02:00:21 >To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement<time-nuts@febo.com> >Reply-To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement > <time-nuts@febo.com> >Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Getting my Rockwell D200 GPS to work > >Absolutely yes, the antenna must see the sky, not the ceiling. Even very >sensitive GPS receivers must have a good view of the sky for the first fix, >then you can bring the antenna indoor. You can try positioning the antenna >very near a window for just a test but better a good view. The car roof is >okay but you must wait several minutes (12 minutes at most) to let the >receiver download the almanac. > >On Sat, Jan 7, 2012 at 1:54 AM, Don Lewis <dlewis6...@austin.rr.com> wrote: > >> Maybe I didn't take positioning seriously. >> >> The antenna is currently on a shelf above my workbench, ....there is a >> ceiling and an upstairs above it. Then the roof. >> >> Is it very critical to be outside in order to 'see' the sky? >> >> I did take it out once and set the antenna on my car roof, ....but still no >> satellites. >> >> >> -Don >> >> From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On >> Behalf Of bownes >> Sent: Friday, January 06, 2012 6:49 PM >> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement >> Cc: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement >> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Getting my Rockwell D200 GPS to work >> >> Step one...is the antenna in a location where it can see they sky? >> >> Sorry if it is a stupid question but you already said it was plugged in. :) >> >> On Jan 6, 2012, at 19:24, "Don Lewis" <dlewis6...@austin.rr.com> wrote: >> >> > Can someone please give me some pointers (my first time with a GPS >> module). >> > >> > A little hand-holding, pls. >> > >> > I bought three of these Rockwell D200 GPS receivers. (It's little GPS PWB >> > with an antenna connector and pins for connecting to the RS232- PC) >> > >> > All three 'appear' to work the same way (no apparent capture of >> satellites). >> > >> > Here's what I have: >> > >> > 1. VisualGPS installed and running. >> > 2. A small USB-RS232 card installed and appears to be operational. >> > 3. Small GPS active antenna plugged in. >> > 4. VisualGPS monitor just repeatedly displays: >> > $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,,,,,,,*66 >> > 5. I think I understand this to be NMEA code to mean no satellites >> have >> > been acquired. >> > 6. The Rockwell D200 draws ~180ma (5V) with no antenna and ~190ma with >> > the small active antenna plugged in. >> > >> > What am I doing wrong? Other than maybe cheap china gps' and antenna??? >> > But it is what I could afford and thought it would be cheap to learn on. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.