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clock kit gps
dirk Posted: 18 Jul 2020, 08:19 AM
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Hi guys,

My clock is only getting the time when i hold the antenna on the sides. Ive got the active antenna, but that is the same.

Bigger antenna needed? Ore is the module not right?

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mit Posted: 18 Jul 2020, 12:03 PM
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yeah whatever

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That's interesting, I've not encountered that before. Normally, if I touch the antenna, it loses its GPS fix.

It's possible the module has a problem, over the last few months I've been buying them from all kinds of different places, and I've not been able to verify all of them. I usually test one GPS module from each batch, but that might not be representative.

Some GPS modules have the older firmware on them (version 5 instead of 6) but in my tests, that didn't affect their ability to get a GPS fix and read out the time. On my window sill, the modules running the older firmware still completed their cold start and got a GPS fix in about 20 minutes. The only problem I've really encountered is the antennas being damaged in some way, but if you've replaced the antenna then it's unlikely to be that.

Just to check, have you tried powering it from a USB battery pack and taking it outdoors? Some buildings have aluminium-lined insulation which can mask the signal.

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dirk Posted: 18 Jul 2020, 01:44 PM
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I power it from the beginning from an powerbank.
Outside, inside, and i tried it in the car

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mit Posted: 19 Jul 2020, 01:44 PM
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yeah whatever

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How long are you waiting for it to find the time? For the first power up, it can take quite a while, maybe a few hours. If you leave it on a windowsill without touching it does it ever get the time?

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dirk Posted: 20 Jul 2020, 06:48 PM
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With alot of fiddeling around, I get the time. I`m now waiting for an external antenna

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dirk Posted: 3 Aug 2020, 01:22 PM
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Got an another GPS module. And with an external antenna it works perfect. Had to make an pps signal because the GPS module had none.

Even with the stock antenna it works.

This is the external antenna i used
(User posted image)


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mit Posted: 3 Aug 2020, 01:56 PM
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yeah whatever

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Thanks for the update, glad you got it working. Apologies if it was the GPS module at fault.

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