First hardware! (Attaching GPS module)

I just received this: http://www.esawdust....gps-fsa03-bkob/ It will be the first hardware I manually connect. I would like to try and start programming it tonight, before my other hardware shows up. So placing temporary wires (soldering iron hasn't shown up anyway). The issue is I don't know, exactly, how to attach it to the netduino. Can someone walk an idiot through what needs to be connected where? I know, i've ordered a basic engineering book, but it hasn't arrived yet either The prongs on the right are in this order (top to bottom): 3.3v, ground, pps, tx, rx, reset. Thanks in advance!

The issue is I don't know, exactly, how to attach it to the netduino. Can someone walk an idiot through what needs to be connected where?

Hi Johnny Five, nice...

The 3.3V pin goes to the 3.3V pin on the Netduino. The Ground pin goes to any of the three GND pins on the Netduino. The TX/RX go to pins D0/D1 respectively. That's COM1 on your Netduino.

The communication/peripheral features for the Netduino pins are also listed in the right column on the tech specs page. Here's the link for your convenience:
http://www.netduino....duino/specs.htm

Any plans for projects to build with the GPS module? Maybe match it up with an Ethernet shield?

Chris

Hi Johnny Five, nice...

The 3.3V pin goes to the 3.3V pin on the Netduino. The Ground pin goes to any of the three GND pins on the Netduino. The TX/RX go to pins D0/D1 respectively. That's COM1 on your Netduino.

The communication/peripheral features for the Netduino pins are also listed in the right column on the tech specs page. Here's the link for your convenience:
http://www.netduino....duino/specs.htm

Any plans for projects to build with the GPS module? Maybe match it up with an Ethernet shield?

Chris

And ignore the PPS?

The plans are for a High-Altitude Balloon project. Lots of hardware coming in.. and lots of learning to do! Is there any way to attach the reset to the netduino as well?


And thanks!

And ignore the PPS?

The PPS is a signal that indicates that the GPS is locked, correct? Are you wanting to get this signal on the Netduino (so your software will know when it has a lock)? I think that the data stream from the TX/RX lines of the GPS will also give you this data...

[You can hook up digital inputs to the digital pins and read them via InputPorts...just be careful with voltages, etc.]

The plans are for a High-Altitude Balloon project. Lots of hardware coming in.. and lots of learning to do! Is there any way to attach the reset to the netduino as well?

Oh, very nice. Any plan to take photos from the balloon (or of the balloon while it's launching)?

If you need to reset the GPS via a reset line, just plug that reset pin into one of the digital pins on your Netduino. Then you can use OutputPort.Write(false) to reset it for a moment and then OutputPort.Write(true) to bring it back from reset (or vice-versa if it resets when high).

But for most GPS receivers, just power and RX/TX will do nicely.

Chris

And ignore the PPS?

The plans are for a High-Altitude Balloon project. Lots of hardware coming in.. and lots of learning to do! Is there any way to attach the reset to the netduino as well?


And thanks!

Johnny - just remember that civilian GPS receivers have a hard limit - 18k feet and ~515m/s -- they can exceed either of those thresholds but not both. Most limit on both those.

The PPS is a signal that indicates that the GPS is locked, correct? Are you wanting to get this signal on the Netduino (so your software will know when it has a lock)? I think that the data stream from the TX/RX lines of the GPS will also give you this data...

[You can hook up digital inputs to the digital pins and read them via InputPorts...just be careful with voltages, etc.]



Oh, very nice. Any plan to take photos from the balloon (or of the balloon while it's launching)?

If you need to reset the GPS via a reset line, just plug that reset pin into one of the digital pins on your Netduino. Then you can use OutputPort.Write(false) to reset it for a moment and then OutputPort.Write(true) to bring it back from reset (or vice-versa if it resets when high).

But for most GPS receivers, just power and RX/TX will do nicely.

Chris

I wish I was able to get to this point! Maybe next Netduino.

Johnny - just remember that civilian GPS receivers have a hard limit - 18k feet and ~515m/s -- they can exceed either of those thresholds but not both. Most limit on both those.

The GPS I ordered works up to 50,000 meters. Thanks though!

I wish I was able to get to this point! Maybe next Netduino.

The GPS I ordered works up to 50,000 meters. Thanks though!

Coolio - a lot of people don't realize that there are limits on those things so I try to point it out so they don't make an incorrect purchasing decision.