RF/digital signal-separating GNSS receiver and manufacturing method

A method of reducing internally generated digital noise in an RF/digital directional receiver, which method comprises the steps of physically:

• providing first and second antennas positioned in spaced relation in said receiver;
• providing first and second RF downconverters each located directly adjacent and connected via a common printed circuit board (PCB) to a respective antenna;
• providing first and second analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) each connected via a common PCB to a respective downconverter;
• locating said first and second downconverters and said first and second ADCs in a first analog signal area under said first antenna and a second analog signal area under said second antenna respectively;
• providing a digital signal area, adjacent to said first and second analog signal areas, located centrally relative to said first and second antennas;
• providing first and second correlators in said digital signal central location and connected to said first and second ADCs respectively;
• providing a microprocessor in said digital signal central location and connected to and receiving input from said first and second correlators using low voltage differential signal (LVDS) lines;
• processing analog signals in said first and second analog signal areas under said first and second antennas, respectively;
• processing digital signals in said digital signal central location;
• providing first and second low noise amplifiers (LNAs) connected to said first and second antennas and to said first and second downconverters respectively;
• providing first and second shielded LVDS lines between said first and second ADCs in said first and second analog signal areas under said antennas and said first and second correlators in said digital signal central location respectively;
• and
• communicating digital signals from said first and second ADCs to said first and second correlators over said first and second LVDS lines respectively;
• wherein the physical arrangement of the antennas, LNAs, downconverters and ADCs in said first and second analog signal areas, the correlators and microprocessor in said digital signal area, and the use of the LVDS lines to connect the ADCs with the correlators on the common PCB reduces the internally generated digital noise in the RF/digital directional receiver.