This product description details a highly practical and compact dual-function antenna operating at the critical 1575.5 MHz GPS frequency and covering standard GSM cellular bands. Designed to provide both reliable satellite navigation and essential data communication, this antenna is an integrated solution for tracking and telematics applications. Featuring a moderate gain of 3 dBi and terminated with a convenient TS9 Male connector on a pre-attached coaxial cable, it is built for quick and flexible integration with mobile routers, modems, and portable tracking devices.
Key Technical Attributes and Dual-Band Functionality
The antenna’s engineering focuses on blending two critical communication systems—location (GPS) and data (GSM)—into a single, easy-to-deploy unit, optimized for reliable performance across both low-power and high-traffic signals.
Dedicated GPS Reception (1575.5 MHz)
The antenna is precisely tuned to the 1575.42 MHz center frequency (often rounded to 1575.5 MHz), which is the primary GPS L1 signal band. This dedicated tuning ensures:
Reliable Positioning: The antenna is optimized to receive the weak signals from orbiting GPS satellites, providing the high signal quality required for accurate and fast Time-To-First-Fix (TTFF) for navigation modules.
Dual Functionality: While primarily tuned for GPS, the antenna structure often incorporates or is complemented by an element covering the standard GSM (2G/3G/4G) cellular frequency bands (typically 850/900/1800/1900 MHz and potentially higher LTE bands). This cellular element enables the connected device to transmit the determined location coordinates and other telemetry data back to a central server.
Moderate Gain (3 dBi): The GPS element typically features an omnidirectional radiation pattern with 3dBi gain (or a combination of a low-gain passive antenna element and an internal LNA for active GPS). This gain is sufficient to maintain a clear signal lock for most mobile applications where the antenna has a clear view of the sky.
Integrated Coaxial Cable and TS9 Male Connector
The antenna utilizes an integrated coaxial cable assembly terminated with the TS9 Male connector, a key feature for specific device integration:
TS9 Connector Standard: The TS9 connector is a small, push-on connector commonly found on compact, portable devices such as cellular hotspots, USB modems, and small vehicle trackers. Its size and connection method are ideal for quick attachment and detachment, prioritizing portability and ease of use over the ruggedness of larger connectors.
Flexible Coaxial Cable: The cable is chosen for its flexibility and appropriate impedance matching, ensuring ease of routing within vehicle interiors, behind dashboards, or within compact equipment enclosures.
Compact and Versatile Design
The antenna’s physical design is typically compact (e.g., a puck, stub, or magnetic mount form factor) making it highly versatile:
Portability: The small size and lightweight design are perfect for temporary deployments or devices that are frequently moved.
Mounting Options: Often featuring an adhesive base or magnetic mount, the antenna can be easily affixed to various non-metallic or metallic surfaces (like a dashboard, window, or equipment casing).
Usage Scenarios: Mobile Tracking and Telemetry
The combination of accurate GPS and reliable cellular communication makes this antenna indispensable for applications requiring real-time location and data reporting from portable or mobile devices.
Portable Cellular Hotspots and USB Modems
This antenna is frequently used to enhance the signal reception of portable mobile broadband devices:
Signal Improvement: By attaching the antenna to the modem's external port, users can significantly improve cellular signal strength (GSM/4G/3G) in areas with poor coverage, leading to faster data speeds and more stable connections.
Location Awareness: For modems that also include a GPS receiver, the antenna provides the crucial GPS signal, allowing the hotspot or modem to report its exact location, which is useful for fleet management or geographical service monitoring.
Vehicle Tracking and Fleet Management (Temporary Use)
Due to the convenient TS9 connector and magnetic/adhesive mount, this antenna is ideal for non-permanent vehicle tracking solutions:
Quick Deployment: Rapidly attaching the antenna to a rental car, delivery vehicle, or temporary asset for short-term tracking and logistics monitoring.
Telematics Data: Ensuring that both the accurate location (GPS) and the associated vehicle diagnostic data (transmitted via GSM) are reliably sent back to the fleet management software.
Portable Asset Tracking and Security
For smaller, battery-powered tracking devices, this antenna offers a balance of size and performance:
Container/Cargo Tracking: Integrated with compact loggers to monitor the location and status of high-value cargo during transit, where the GSM link is used for intermittent reporting.
Personal Tracking Devices: Used to provide reliable location services for wearable or personal security trackers.
Test and Development Kits
Engineers use this antenna in development and testing environments due to the ease of connection via the TS9 standard, allowing them to quickly evaluate the performance of GPS and GSM radio modules on bare PCBs or prototype devices.
The 1575.5 MHz GPS / GSM Antenna with 3 dBi Gain and TS9 Male Connector is the perfect compact solution for integrating reliable location services and cellular communication into portable devices where ease of connection and size are primary constraints.
