GPS fudge to extend the antenna location.
I saw GPS repeaters for cars and wondered if they would be of some use those "sky challenged" Kiwi users. In the UK they retail from about £11 on ebay, double that on Amazon.
They come with a similar GPS puck antenna to the one supplied in the kit one and another transmitter puck on a short lead with female SMA and USB A connectors (for power and connection to the antenna).
As the use of GPS repeaters in the UK requires a license I've just been using TX output and Kiwi GPS antenna in a coffee can (no RF out).
The idea being rather than buy another GPS antenna or high grade extension lead the user could place the repeater RX antenna as high and clear as possible with its 5m lead then power the TX side from almost any USB source with the Kiwi antenna then making up the last 3m.
It should be possible to feed the GPS signal to multiple Kiwi antennas in a metal enclosure, might not need an enclosure to work but I'm not going to break the rules to tests it here.
So far I've not had any overload issues and the RSSI figures are similar between my outside kit GPS (at about 6ft) and the extender setup with it's antenna at ground level and maybe 8 feet further from the house.
The antenna I'm using direct on the Kiwi is an old puck (has been outside unused for at least eight years) with the damaged lead chopped down to about 1.1m terminated with a right angle SMA, it does not seem a good antenna (from testing inside beside others) so I figured it's a fair test and not taking advantage of the shorter lead.
Where legal it might be possible to have the GPS antenna outside and the TX part above a ceiling (or outside a window pointing in) to avoid drilling holes, Kiwi GPS antenna inside the room though I am pretty sure the range is tiny so it would need to be near the TX puck.
If anyone does try it please remember to observe any local regulations and keep the repeater TX antenna well away from the repeater RX antenna, facing away from each other to avoid RF feedback (or can/waveguide the TX side like I am).
Stu
They come with a similar GPS puck antenna to the one supplied in the kit one and another transmitter puck on a short lead with female SMA and USB A connectors (for power and connection to the antenna).
As the use of GPS repeaters in the UK requires a license I've just been using TX output and Kiwi GPS antenna in a coffee can (no RF out).
The idea being rather than buy another GPS antenna or high grade extension lead the user could place the repeater RX antenna as high and clear as possible with its 5m lead then power the TX side from almost any USB source with the Kiwi antenna then making up the last 3m.
It should be possible to feed the GPS signal to multiple Kiwi antennas in a metal enclosure, might not need an enclosure to work but I'm not going to break the rules to tests it here.
So far I've not had any overload issues and the RSSI figures are similar between my outside kit GPS (at about 6ft) and the extender setup with it's antenna at ground level and maybe 8 feet further from the house.
The antenna I'm using direct on the Kiwi is an old puck (has been outside unused for at least eight years) with the damaged lead chopped down to about 1.1m terminated with a right angle SMA, it does not seem a good antenna (from testing inside beside others) so I figured it's a fair test and not taking advantage of the shorter lead.
Where legal it might be possible to have the GPS antenna outside and the TX part above a ceiling (or outside a window pointing in) to avoid drilling holes, Kiwi GPS antenna inside the room though I am pretty sure the range is tiny so it would need to be near the TX puck.
If anyone does try it please remember to observe any local regulations and keep the repeater TX antenna well away from the repeater RX antenna, facing away from each other to avoid RF feedback (or can/waveguide the TX side like I am).
Stu