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What's inside an active GPS antenna?The following views show the internal layout of a typical active GPS antenna. Note that this is another manufacturer's sample, not the Laipac model we sell. While the circuit is not complex in the traditional sense the circuit and antenna layout is critical at the 1.575GHz (190mm wavelength) frequency that these antennas operate at. Some testing with modern GPS modules that have a high internal receiver gain and sensitivity, such as the Laipac TF10, has shown that sometimes adequate satellite signals can be achieved using unlikely metal structures as an antenna. This makes some low-key covert tracking applications possible. It is also possible to mount GPS antennas under fiberglass panels and the like to obscure the antenna from view. Sometimes removing the antenna from its outer casing is also useful under circumstances where the magetic base is not desirable, such as for use on aircraft.
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