bytepoet

using hardware:
Netduino Plus (SolutionReleaseInfo.solutionVersion: 4.1.0.6)
Adafruit GPS Shield
EM-406A GPS Module

using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Threading;
using Microsoft.SPOT;
using Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware;
using SecretLabs.NETMF.Hardware;
using SecretLabs.NETMF.Hardware.NetduinoPlus;

namespace GpsLogger
{
    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main()
        {
            // write your code here
            SerialPort serialPort = new SerialPort("COM1", 4800, Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
            serialPort.Open();

            // pin D2 off = gps module turned on
            Debug.Print("Turning on the GPS");
            Thread.Sleep(1000);
            OutputPort powerPin = new OutputPort(Pins.GPIO_PIN_D2, false);

            while (true)
            {
                int bytesToRead = serialPort.BytesToRead;
                if (bytesToRead > 0)
                {   
                    // get the waiting data
                    byte[] buffer = new byte[bytesToRead];
                    //serialPort.Read(buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
                    serialPort.Read(buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
                    // print out our received data
                    Debug.Print("bytestoread is " + bytesToRead.ToString());
                      Debug.Print(new string(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetChars(buffer)));

                }

                Thread.Sleep(500); // wait a bit so we get a few bytes at a time...
            }
        }
    }
}

As soon as i turn on the Netduino Plus, i get a red light on the actual GPS module itsself, along with a white light near the micro gps unit.


When i read the output of the above code, i get the following:

Turning on the GPS
bytestoread is 24
<null>
bytestoread is 11
<null>
bytestoread is 13
<null>
bytestoread is 7
<null>
bytestoread is 13
<null>
bytestoread is 3
<null>
bytestoread is 7
<null>
etc....

so there's characters in there, and i'm not sure how to get them to display.

I have three wires D0(tx), D1(rx), D2(power-on/off) connected.


questions:
1. Is the code proper for an adafruit GPS shield?
2. Is there a reason i get <null> but i can see there's bytes to read?
3. Is there a 100% complete schematic to show all of the wires that should be soldered in the digital IO area?