Arduino GPS Shield

GPS/GNSS Development Boards
1

Hi all,

I did some brief searching and could not find an answer, so figured I would ask here.

I am interested in using GPS coords for a project, but don’t need to log, etc.

I can’t see the purpose of buying the arduino GPS shield (that doesn’t log).

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/produc … ts_id=9487

If I already have a EM-406, can I just interface with the 6 pins on the device directly to pins on my arduino?

Or is a shield for some reason necessary?

Thanks in advance :smiley:

2

It should work OK. Arduino shields are just PCBs that connect to the main Arduino board.

3

Righto - so what is the purpose of the gps shield I linked?

To clean up the ‘interface’ and have a location for the GPS module to sit?

I don’t get it!

Thanks though :slight_smile:

4

That’s basically it. Many GPS modules aren’t 5V compatible, and will require level conversion on the I/Os.

5

Ah, that makes even more sense.

I am currently using a BU-353 module ripped-apart from us global sat.

http://www.usglobalsat.com/p-62-bu-353-w.aspx

I was using the usb-gps ‘puck’ with a netbook for GPS. Since it is driven directly by the usb line, I shouldn’t likely need to worry about any conversions. Is this correct?

It seems to have very similar spec to the EM-406.

(Based on the datasheet:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http … _ds_ug.pdf)

I am surprised people have not been ripping apart BU-353’s more often… Here is a picture of mine for kicks:

http://atk.me/pic/f1c869bf08a8403afd8c852ba0ce6a76.png

http://wiring.org.co/learning/libraries … oning.html

That page describes my indended layout - interfacing directly with a breadboard, and arduino (minus shield)

Seems reasonable?

6

Hello!

Does anyone have any feedback on this?

Would the Tx and Rx line be readable by the arduino when this was initially purposed for USB?

7

I’m not really understanding what you are saying… is the communication from the module USB? if it is you can’t just plug it to a serial port (arduino)… you need a USB Host MCU to be able to communicate with it…

if it’s only power what you GPS gets from the USB and the comm is regular serial TTL then you shouldn’t have a problem… but just in this case, and it seems unlikely…