Multiband Satellite Receiver Suits Industrial, Consumer Apps

By Rich Nass

Executive Vice President

Embedded Computing Design

March 05, 2019

Multiband Satellite Receiver Suits Industrial, Consumer Apps

Maxim recently developed its MAX2769C, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver that covers L1/E1, B1, G1 bands for GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, and GLONASS satellite systems.

For me at least, GPS, or whatever system is used in your country of choice, is something I rarely think about. It just works. And that’s probably not fair, because there is a lot of work that goes on in the background to make the technology so seamless.

To that end, Maxim recently developed its MAX2769C, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver that covers L1/E1, B1, G1 bands for GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, and GLONASS satellite systems. Putting all that in one 5 X 5-mm, 28-pin thin QFN package is quite a feat. It’s aimed at both industrial and consumer applications, including mobile handsets.

Designed using the company’s low-power SiGe BiCMOS process technology, the part offers high performance and integration at a low cost. The chip incorporates the complete receiver chain, including a dual-input LNA and mixer, an image-rejection filter, programmable gain amplifier, and a multibit ADC. The total cascaded noise figure can be as low as 1.4 dB. Other features include an integrated VCO, a crystal oscillator, and a fractional-N frequency synthesizer to program the LO frequency using different reference frequencies. The integrated delta-sigma fractional-N frequency synthesizer allows programming of the IF frequency within ±30 Hz while operating with any reference or crystal frequencies available in the host system.

Richard Nass’ key responsibilities include setting the direction for all aspects of OSM’s ECD portfolio, including digital, print, and live events. Previously, Nass was the Brand Director for Design News. Prior, he led the content team for UBM’s Medical Devices Group, and all custom properties and events. Nass has been in the engineering OEM industry for more than 30 years. In prior stints, he led the Content Team at EE Times, Embedded.com, and TechOnLine. Nass holds a BSEE degree from NJIT.

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