specialized in the design and manufacture of systems for demanding mobile, industrial, military and aerospace applications, today announced a fully integrated GPRS modem and GPS receiver on a single PC/104 board.

The new telematics interface board is targeted towards mobile and vehicle telematics applications and fleet management, and is well suited in distributed communication systems and remote data logging nodes.

It combines a Siemens dual band GPRS/GSM modem with the Fastrax iTrax02/8 GPS receiver, a programmable 12-channel module with the lowest power consumption on the market. The unit works in the 900 and 1800 MHz bands with up to 85,6 kbps GPRS data connection speed.

The versatile device provides programmability via SMS communication, configurable using the enclosed software package. It is operational once a standard GPS and GPRS/GSM antenna is connected and a SIM card is put in place.

"Low power consumption and fast fix technology are key enablers for reliable positioning in moving devices, and these features make Fastrax iTrax02/8 a perfect receiver for integration with a GPRS modem. This device enables several new functionalities such as remote system locating, I/O control as well as system configuration via SMS script language messages", said Tomi H�nninen, Managing Director, RTD Finland.

"GPRS technology provides a welcome improvement to the data connection and speed, enabling both reliable delivery of relevant positioning data and user-friendly over-the-air control. This fully integrated telematics device with versatile functionalities and extremely low power drain opens up a wide array of opportunities for innovative positioning systems", said Kim Kaisti, VP Business Development, Fastrax Ltd.

The iTrax02/8 GPS module provides reliable and accurate information of its position, velocity, direction and time, along with an embedded Flash memory to store the latest data, replacing the need for a separate back-up battery.

The average total power consumption of only 2,4W makes the device ideal for battery-operated wireless appliances.

Designed for demanding applications and conditions, the navigation sensitivity of the RTD COM17035 unit is as low as -150 dBm and the operating temperature monitored with an onboard temperature sensor ranges from -20 to +70 C.

Fastrax's product family of iTrax02 Series GPS receiver modules offers key benefits in performance, size, power consumption and versatility. The iTrax02 Series modules are ideally suited for both industrial tracking systems and battery-operated consumer products like mobile phones, asset tracking devices, handheld computers and sports accessories. Fastrax receivers are globally available via a network of qualified distributors.

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