Communication Technology

Product Description

SL1206 (GeoHelix®–S) Active GPS Antenna Product Specifi cation


Built on patented PowerHelix
®
 fi ltering
antenna technology, the SL1206 surface-mount
high-gain GPS antenna is the smallest active quadrifi lar helix
antenna available, providing high performance in diffi cult GPS
applications.  The SL1206 integrates a high-performance, high-gain,
low-noise amplifi er with Sarantel’s GeoHelix
®
-P2 antenna for receivers requiring
an active input. The SL1206 active antenna is ideal in applications where:
•     the device is handheld, body-worn, or otherwise surrounded by high-dielectric
      materials that would de-tune conventional antennas;
•     the antenna is tightly integrated with other antennas, e.g., Bluetooth®/GPS receivers or
      GPS/GSM mobile phones;
•     there are tight constraints on the size of the device or the amount of space allocated to ground
      planes;
•     the GPS receiver requires 20dB or more of input pre-amplifi cation;
•     the orientation of the device is random; or
•     the antenna will be embedded in the device.
The SL1206 antenna is balanced, which isolates it from the device and enables the antenna to reject
common mode noise resident on the device ground plane.  The construction and materials of the antenna
constrain its near-fi eld to a very small volume, therefore materials near the antenna have negligible de-tuning
effects and the antenna maintains its pattern and effi ciency in the presence of dielectric loading.  As a dielectrically
-loaded antenna with a high-performance SAW fi lter, the SL1206 antenna effectively attenuates signals from
common GSM and ISM frequencies by as much as 30dB, minimizing the need for additional fi ltering.
The SL1206 antenna may be deployed in an external, “stub-style” confi guration, but it is also a simple antenna to
embed due to its isolation properties.  The antenna is deployed with either a black radome or an ABS plastic sleeve.

Product Description
Built on patented PowerHelix
®
 fi ltering
antenna technology, the SL1206 surface-mount
high-gain GPS antenna is the smallest active quadrifi lar helix
antenna available, providing high performance in diffi cult GPS
applications.  The SL1206 integrates a high-performance, high-gain,
low-noise amplifi er with Sarantel’s GeoHelix
®

-P2 antenna for receivers requiring
an active input. The SL1206 active antenna is ideal in applications where:
•     the device is handheld, body-worn, or otherwise surrounded by high-dielectric
      materials that would de-tune conventional antennas;
•     the antenna is tightly integrated with other antennas, e.g., Bluetooth®/GPS receivers or
      GPS/GSM mobile phones;
•     there are tight constraints on the size of the device or the amount of space allocated to ground
      planes;
•     the GPS receiver requires 20dB or more of input pre-amplifi cation;
•     the orientation of the device is random; or
•     the antenna will be embedded in the device.
The SL1206 antenna is balanced, which isolates it from the device and enables the antenna to reject
common mode noise resident on the device ground plane.  The construction and materials of the antenna
constrain its near-fi eld to a very small volume, therefore materials near the antenna have negligible de-tuning
effects and the antenna maintains its pattern and effi ciency in the presence of dielectric loading.  As a dielectrically
-loaded antenna with a high-performance SAW fi lter, the SL1206 antenna effectively attenuates signals from
common GSM and ISM frequencies by as much as 30dB, minimizing the need for additional fi ltering.
The SL1206 antenna may be deployed in an external, “stub-style” confi guration, but it is also a simple antenna to
embed due to its isolation properties.  The antenna is deployed with either a black radome or an ABS plastic sleeve.
Specifi cations
Minimum Typical Maximum Unit
Part Number SL1206(see page 4 for detailed part numbers) Each
Type Quadrifi lar Helix
Frequency 1573.42 1575.42 1577.42 MHz
Polarization Right-hand circular polarized
Voltage 2.8 3.3 3.6 V
Current 13 15 mA
Gain +24 +25 dBic
Beamwidth 135 Degrees
Bandwidth (3dB) 20 MHz
Axial Ratio <2.0 @Zenith
VSWR <2.0:1 2.3:1
Impedance 50
Noise Figure 1.2 1.3 dB
Input 3rd Order Intercept Point -10 dBm
Operating Temperature -40 +20 +85 °C
Element Dimensions 10 (diameter) x 17 (length) mm
Overall Dimensions (w/radome) 13 (dia) x 14.6 (width) x 44 (length) mm
Weight (excl radome or sleeve)  8.4 grams
Mounting SMT

Specifi cations
Minimum Typical Maximum Unit
Part Number SL1206(see page 4 for detailed part numbers) Each
Type Quadrifi lar Helix
Frequency 1573.42 1575.42 1577.42 MHz
Polarization Right-hand circular polarized
Voltage 2.8 3.3 3.6 V
Current 13 15 mA
Gain +24 +25 dBic
Beamwidth 135 Degrees
Bandwidth (3dB) 20 MHz
Axial Ratio <2.0 @Zenith
VSWR <2.0:1 2.3:1
Impedance 50
Noise Figure 1.2 1.3 dB
Input 3rd Order Intercept Point -10 dBm
Operating Temperature -40 +20 +85 °C
Element Dimensions 10 (diameter) x 17 (length) mm
Overall Dimensions (w/radome) 13 (dia) x 14.6 (width) x 44 (length) mm
Weight (excl radome or sleeve)  8.4 grams
Mounting SMT