Whilst I’m waiting for my LS20031 GPS to arrive id just like to confirm i have all the components i need to get the thing working. Ill be using a 3.3v USB to serial converter for configuring the device. As for interfacing it to a Duemilanove can i just connect the tx pin of the GPS to the rx pin on the micro? I’m pretty sure the 3.3v signal will still be seen as a 5v ‘high’ but i just want to confirm that, and are there any risks in damaging the GPS by connecting it this way?
When powered at 3.3v, the LS20031 does work with 5V Arduino’s, but of course I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re only receiving. The 3.3V serial sent by this GPS is in fact enough to register as high on a 5V device, so no problem there, but it’s bad design to send 5V serial signals from the Arduino direct to the GPS (although it does seem to work).
