[Gta04-owner] GPS fix?

[Christoph Mair]

On Wed, Nov 23, 2011 at 3:15 PM, Neil Jerram <neil at ossau.homelinux.net> wrote:
> On 22.11.2011 08:07, Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller wrote:
>
>> A first estimate means that the traces must be cut. Or the chip must
>> be
>> removed, two pins must be bent upwards, and the chip resoldered.
>>
>> Then a 2mm and a 5mm long tiny wire must be soldered. IMHO quite
>> difficile if you don't have a stereo microscope.
>
> I wonder if there could be a simpler fix, if one assumes that one will never
> want to use an external antenna?
>
> (Even though I won my ebay auction, and now have an external antenna ready
> to try out, I don't really want to use one as part of my normal Phoenux
> usage, if we can get GPS working without it.)
>
> Even better if the fix could be a reversible one - so that I could try it
> and then reverse it if not successful.

I added the crossing wires after the coupling caps C1205 and C1206. If
you bend one side of them side- or upwards (with your soldering iron
of course, everything else might destroy the caps and the traces on
the board) you have a free pad (where the cap was sitting before) and
a free end of the cap. Both are are a good place to connect wires to
them. It is _much_ easier that reworking the IC. You can do it without
microscope but a magnifying glass can be useful.
I might post pictures when I'm at home again.

Christoph