Trimble Acutime Gold

Introduction

Trimble's Acutime™ Gold GPS smart antenna marks the integration of the latest DSP based software GPS technology into a rugged self-contained unit that enables easy integration into any system. The Acutime Gold is a pole-mounted GPS receiver and antenna in a single environmentally sealed enclosure.

The Acutime Gold GPS smart antenna design continues Trimble's line of GPS smart antennas, which have been in production since 1991. This antenna is the perfect solution for precise timing and network synchronization needs, including broadband wireless applications. It provides an extremely cost-effective and independent (within the firewall) timing source for any application, such as fault detection systems and synchronization of wireless networks.

Once power is applied, the Acutime Gold automatically tracks satellites and surveys its position to within meters. It then switches to overdetermined time mode and generates a pulse-per-second (PPS) output synchronized to UTC within 15 nanoseconds (one sigma), outputting a time tag for each pulse. The Acutime Gold GPS smart antenna's T-RAIM (Time- Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitor) algorithm ensures PPS integrity.

Designed for long-term reliability, the Acutime Gold GPS smart antenna is corrosion-resistant and waterproof, and has a rounded top that facilitates runoff from the elements.

Acutime 2000 Compatibility

The Acutime Gold is 100% backwards compatible with the RS-422 Acutime 2000 - it has the same mount, shares a common connector type & pinout and supports the same GPS protocols. Even the Trimble utilities haven't changed - TR_MON, used on the Acutime 2000 is still to be used with the Acutime Gold. The only thing to consider is that Trimble are not producing a RS-232 version of the Acutime Gold - if a customer requires a RS-232 connection then a RS-422 to RS-232 converter is required.

Physical Interface

The RS-422 interface is ideal for long cable runs required by buildings or towers. Standard cables are available in lengths up to 400 feet. Custom lengths up to 1800 feet may be ordered.

Getting Started

The Acutime Gold Starter Kit makes it easy to evaluate the exceptional performance of this GPS smart antenna and integrate state-of-the-art technology into your system. The Starter Kit includes the Acutime Gold GPS smart antenna (RS-422), a 100' interface cable, user guide, RS-422 to USB converter, and a Windows software tool for monitoring and communication.

Note that the Acutime Gold is not USB based - its RS-422. The starter kit contains a USB to RS-422 converter, so you can connect it to your PC (via the USB port) conveniently. The unit will appear as two additional COM ports to application software (i.e. on a PC with only COM1 onboard, the unit will appear as COM2 and COM3).

Mounting

The Acutime Gold has a 1”-14 thread.

We offer a range of third party mounts which lets you easily mount the Acutime Gold to any surface.