ATR0610-EK1 - GPS 1575.42MHz LNA Evaluation Board | Microchip
MPN: ATR0610-EK1 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
ATR0610-EK1 Overview
A GPS low noise amplifier is a radio-frequency (RF) component placed directly after the passive GPS antenna in a GNSS receiver signal chain. Its role in the receiver hierarchy (antenna -> LNA -> SAW filter -> GPS RF front-end -> baseband) is to amplify the extremely weak satellite signals - roughly -130 dBm at the antenna - while adding as little noise as possible, because the noise figure of the first amplifier stage dominates the total cascade noise figure of the entire receiver.
Key characteristics of the evaluation platform include operation at the 1575.42 MHz GPS L1 frequency, a nominal 2.7 V supply rail for the LNA, and demonstration of the ATR0610 gain and noise performance defined in the manufacturer datasheet. The board allows engineers to quickly connect an active or passive GPS antenna, apply supply, and verify signal acquisition behavior with an ANTARIS4 GPS receiver before committing to a custom PCB layout.
Technically, the ATR0610 LNA is optimized for battery-powered portable GNSS devices: the low 2.7 V operating voltage aligns with single-cell Li-ion and 3.0 V coin-cell derived rails, and the device provides the gain required to overcome downstream filter and trace losses. The evaluation board exposes the RF input and output through standard coaxial or antenna connectors so that noise figure, gain, and current consumption can be measured with standard RF test equipment.
Typical applications for the ATR0610-EK1 include GPS handheld receivers, automotive navigation modules, asset-tracking trackers, and any portable GNSS design where antenna-to-receiver link budget is critical. It is also useful as a reference for antenna matching network design at 1575.42 MHz.
Design consideration: when evaluating, keep the LNA as close to the antenna as possible in the final design, since every dB of loss before the LNA degrades system noise figure one-for-one; the 2.7 V supply should be well decoupled to avoid supply-borne spurs.
This page adds value beyond the manufacturer datasheet by consolidating distributor sourcing links, evaluation-board usage guidance, and drop-in-replacement analysis in one place.
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Request AlternativesATR0610-EK1 Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | GPS LNA Evaluation Board |
| Supported Device | ATR0610 GPS Low Noise Amplifier |
| Frequency | 1575.42 MHz (GPS L1) |
| LNA Supply Voltage | 2.7 V |
| Supplied Contents | Board |
| For Use With/Related Products | ATR0610 |
| Utilized IC Part | ANTARIS4 GPS front-end family (ATR0610) |
| Lead Free Status | Lead Free |
| RoHS Status | RoHS Compliant |
| Category | GNSS (GPS) Navigation / Development Tools |
| Board Function | Demonstration of GPS LNA performance |
ATR0610-EK1 Interfaces & Connectors
ATR0610-EK1 exposes the following interfaces and connectors as published by the manufacturer: Power Input. Expansion header pinout, connector pin numbering, and electrical limits are defined in the manufacturer documentation.
| Power Input | 2.7 V |
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Power & Thermal Characteristics
| Power Input | 2.7 V |
Power input and thermal parameters for ATR0610-EK1 as published by the manufacturer.
Typical Applications
ATR0610-EK1 is suitable for 6 applications: GPS Receiver Front-End Evaluation, Handheld GPS Device Development, Automotive Navigation Modules, Asset Tracking and Fleet Management, RF Test and Measurement Reference, Antenna Matching Network Design.
GPS Receiver Front-End Evaluation
The primary purpose of the ATR0610-EK1 is evaluating the ATR0610 2.7 V low noise amplifier at 1575.42 MHz before it is designed into a custom GPS receiver front end. Because the first amplifier in a GNSS chain dominates the cascade noise figure, engineers use this board to measure realized gain, noise figure, and current consumption with standard RF test equipment before committing to a PCB layout. The board accepts a GPS antenna and allows direct comparison of active versus passive antenna configurations, and its results feed directly into link-budget calculations for the final product. Using the evaluation board avoids costly respins caused by poor input matching at GPS L1.
Recommended
Handheld GPS Device Development
Portable GPS handhelds, fitness trackers, and outdoor navigation devices benefit from the ATR0610-EK1 evaluation flow because the ATR0610 LNA operates from a 2.7 V rail that aligns with single-cell battery systems. Engineers characterize the LNA's current draw on the evaluation board to estimate battery life impact in the final product, and verify that sensitivity with a small embedded antenna meets acquisition requirements. The 1575.42 MHz matching network demonstrated on the board serves as the starting point for the compact antenna-to-LNA trace layout required in space-constrained portable enclosures, where every dB of pre-LNA loss degrades positioning performance one-for-one.
Recommended
Automotive Navigation Modules
Automotive navigation and telematics units require a robust GPS L1 front end with good out-of-band rejection and stable gain over temperature. The ATR0610-EK1 lets automotive engineers bench-validate the 2.7 V LNA against roof-antenna signal levels and long coaxial cable runs before integrating it into the production module. Because the first-stage gain offsets downstream SAW filter and PCB trace losses, the measured gain and noise figure on this evaluation board directly determine whether the module meets cold-start time-to-first-fix targets in tunnels, urban canyons, and parking garages. The RoHS-compliant, lead-free board status also aligns with automotive supply requirements.
Recommended
Asset Tracking and Fleet Management
Battery-powered asset trackers depend on maximizing GNSS sensitivity per milliwatt, making first-stage LNA selection critical. The ATR0610-EK1 enables tracker designers to measure the ATR0610's gain-to-current ratio at 1575.42 MHz and confirm that periodic-fix duty-cycled operation acquires satellites quickly from the 2.7 V rail. Evaluation results determine the link budget for trackers mounted inside metal enclosures, dashboards, or trailer bodies where antenna placement is compromised. By validating the LNA on the evaluation board first, engineers avoid field failures caused by insufficient margin, such as prolonged time-to-first-fix in low-signal logistics environments like warehouses and container yards.
Recommended
RF Test and Measurement Reference
RF laboratories use the ATR0610-EK1 as a known reference device for noise-figure measurement setups and antenna matching experiments at GPS L1 (1575.42 MHz). The board provides a repeatable 2.7 V-biased LNA stage that can be inserted between a signal source and a spectrum analyzer to verify measurement chain calibration, or used to test GPS antenna performance in anechoic conditions. Because the evaluated device is documented in the manufacturer datasheet, measured results on the EK1 can be traced to published specifications, making the board useful for training, supplier qualification, and comparison of candidate GPS antennas in realistic amplified-receiver conditions.
Recommended
Antenna Matching Network Design
Designing the 1575.42 MHz input matching network for a GPS LNA is a common source of performance loss, and the ATR0610-EK1 provides a hands-on platform for optimizing it. Engineers experiment with shunt and series inductive/capacitive matching configurations, measuring return loss and realized gain on the board before transferring the network to the production PCB. Since the ATR0610 operates at 2.7 V and GPS L1 only, the matching task is narrowband and the evaluation board demonstrates the manufacturer's reference implementation. Validating the match on the EK1 reduces the risk of detuning caused by enclosure plastics, battery proximity, or ground-plane variations in the final GPS product design.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATR0610-EK1 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product |
|---|---|
| Package | Evaluation board (no IC package) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology |
| Product Type | GPS LNA Evaluation Board |
| Frequency | 1575.42 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 2.7 V (LNA rail) |
| Supplied Contents | Board |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Design-In Usage | Evaluation/demonstration only - not for production |
Key Differentiators
- Dedicated ANTARIS4 LNA demonstration platform (vs Generic RF eval boards)
- Battery-friendly operating voltage (vs Higher-voltage LNA evaluation kits)
- Compliance-ready evaluation hardware (vs Gray-market evaluation boards)
Design Notes
When translating evaluation-board results to your own layout, place the ATR0610 LNA as close to the GPS antenna as physically possible. Every 1 dB of trace, filter, or switch loss ahead of the LNA raises the system noise figure by approximately 1 dB, directly reducing carrier-to-noise density and extending time-to-first-fix. Copy the 1575.42 MHz input matching network topology from the evaluation board and re-optimize for your board's ground plane and enclosure. Estimated: a 0.5 dB pre-LNA loss on a -130 dBm GPS signal reduces C/N0 by roughly 0.5 dB-Hz.
The ATR0610 runs from a nominal 2.7 V supply on the evaluation board. Decouple the supply with a combination of a bulk capacitor (for example 1 uF) and a 100 pF/1 nF RF capacitor placed within a few millimeters of the LNA supply pin to prevent supply-borne spurs from folding into the GPS L1 band. Avoid sharing the LNA supply rail with digital switching loads on the receiver board; DC-biased LNA supplies are sensitive to ripple that can modulate the RF output.
Do not treat the ATR0610-EK1 as a production component: it is an evaluation platform with 'For Use With/Related Products: ATR0610' per the manufacturer listing, and its board contents consist of the demonstration board only. Also note the device is single-band (1575.42 MHz GPS L1 only); if your product must receive GLONASS, Galileo, or BeiDou, validate a multi-constellation LNA instead. Finally, verify live stock before scheduling - Octopart lists only 1 distributor for this board.
Compliance Information
Per DigChip specification listing: Lead Free Status: Lead Free; RoHS Status: RoHS Compliant. REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status not stated in provided data.