[time-nuts] Inexpensive modular gps with 1pps

[james machado]

On Thu, Nov 15, 2012 at 4:30 AM, David J Taylor
<david-taylor at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
> i just used this to with a raspberry pi with good success.
>
> https://www.adafruit.com/products/746
>
> james
> ===============================================
>
> It looks idea, James, but ... with the 15 mm square patch antenna it seems
> deaf compared to similar devices with 25 mm antennas.  Perhaps
> understandable, but I just bought one and it's been sitting for well over an
> hour and not yet acquired lock.  The device I bought from China, sitting
> next to it, has been happily locked for that whole period.  (As I'm running
> a test I don't want to unlock the other device).  Just a caveat for someone
> considering using these devices indoors - size matters!
>
> 25 mm antenna device:
>  http://www.satsignal.eu/ntp/NEO-6M-under-initial-test.jpg
>  http://www.satsignal.eu/ntp/Raspberry-Pi-NTP.html
>
> Cheers,
> David
> --
> SatSignal Software - Quality software written to your requirements
> Web: http://www.satsignal.eu
> Email: david-taylor at blueyonder.co.uk
>

all good points David.  I originally had place mine close to a window
to get a lock as it could not acquire any satellites in my home office
otherwise.  I don't have a south facing window and my office is on the
first floor of a two story house.  That may or may not have played a
part but just placing it near the window and facing outside worked
fine.

I added the antenna (https://www.adafruit.com/products/960) and the
connector (https://www.adafruit.com/products/851)  and now I don't
have to keep my RPi and gps near the window.

What I liked about this one was it would interface with the RPi GPIO
pins without having to use a converter from RS232 to 3.3v and  I never
considered a USB gps due to the inherent issues with USB and timing.

Thanks,
James