[Gta04-owner] GPS fix? Fixed.

[Michele Brocco]

On 11/23/11, Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller <hns at goldelico.com> wrote:
>
> Am 23.11.2011 um 15:53 schrieb 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.
>
> So what Christoph is indicating is that we may have a solution: crossing
> over the signals by wires. It is a little tricky to remove and rotate the
> capacitors and solder two tiny wires. But it is possible.
>
> Here is a photo (through a microscope - bottom is the SD card reader, top is
> the GPS module):
>
>
>
Well done guys! I admire how the identification and solution of this
problem was achieved. Only possible through this chosen open
development process. Kudos to all of you!