Timeout with GPS-RTK2 Sparkfun GPS Dead Reckoning ZED-F9R PHAT

I just received a GPS-RTK2 for Raspberry Pi. I set ‘Serial Port’ to Enabled in Raspberry Pi Configuration and installed everything from the Hookup Guide including python and the pip packages. I stacked the PHAT on my Raspberry Pi 3 B+ with Raspian, and powered up.

The cgps utility errors with a timeout:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cgps

cgps: GPS timeout

Using the Qwicc_Ublox_Gps_Py package returns nothing from the ZED-F9R:

pi@raspberrypi:~/GPS/Qwiic_Ublox_Gps_Py/examples $ ./geo_coords_ex1.py

Listening for UBX Messages

Longitude: 0.0

Latitude: 0.0

Heading of Motion: 0.0

Longitude: 0.0

Latitude: 0.0

Heading of Motion: 0.0

If I cat the serial device, there is some kind of output:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cat /dev/ttyS0

㥥嬠�

������1

H��

!����!�B�5�N㥥%�॥

����J�1�

�������1H���H�<�A�5�g�5�N㥥%����

������1�

�A�5�f�5�U��%����

�%��5�@������q�@�ƥ��1�

!�5�B�5�c��%����

����ť��1�

����w��1�H�!�p�!,��!!��B�G�I㥥ά�ƥ

������1

A�5�b�5�Q㥥ͬ�ť

�����1

^C

Any ideas as to what I can try to get the expected GPS-like output from the PHAT? Do I have a bad board? :?:

Thank you!

UPDATE: This is in regards to Order #6402205. It might be that the “Interface Cable RP-TNC to RP-UMA”, CAB-14132, is not male to male as advertised, but is female-female. As a result, I believe I have no connection from my L1/L2 GNSS antenna to the PHAT.

The “Interface Cable SMA to U.FL”, WRL-09145 which connects to the PHAT, seems to be correct, but looks to have a female SMA connector, which doesn’t merge well with the female CAB-14132 that I have.

I require an expert at SparkFun to verify which interface cables are required to connect the L1/L2 GNSS Antenna to the PHAT, and to get the correct cables shipped out as soon as possible with an RMA for whatever I need to return.

Thank you!

I tried calling, but apparently SparkFun no longer answers support calls.

CAB-14132 is indeed a male-male cable, with reverse polarity connectors. WRL-09145 has a standard SMA female connector. You didn’t specify what antenna you are using, but you will need a cable (or an antenna like GPS-15192 which has an integral cable) with an SMA male (not RP-SMA male)to mate with the WRL-09145, and whatever your antenna needs on the other end.

Alternatively, you could use WRL-00662 with your CAB-14132 if the antenna does have a reverse-polarity TNC connector.

In this case, male refers to the configuration of the connector if it had the normal pins; reverse polarity means that the pin (but not the rest of the connector) has been swapped. Thank the FCC for this; it was originally done to make it so you couldn’t put better antennas on wifi gear… http://support.jefatech.com/?ht_kb=expl … connectors )

/mike

Thanks for the tip on reverse polarity radio connectors. I mentioned the “L1/L2 GNSS antenna,” but more specifically it is https://www.sparkfun.com/products/17382. A good website will correctly cross-sell the proper products/cables/accessories and make sure your order will work as a whole when filling the order.

As to this forum, there hasn’t been a response from a SparkFun TS on this Forum since December 22, 2020; more than a week ago. The website only claims to be closed December 31st, and offers a phone number they proudly refuse to answer.

I will research cross gender connectors, and order what I need elsewhere.

bubbajoelouis, thanks for the post.

TS was active on the forums yesterday(see posts from TS-Chris) and we are here today, though, we are short staffed. These things tend to happen during the holidays and I apologize for the delay here.

I am happy N1ist could steer you in the right direction regarding the SMA connector confusion. Hopefully you can make progress on your project soon.

If you run into any other issues feel free to post on the forums and we will try our best to reply in a timely manner. In the meantime, we wish you a happy New Year!

CAB-14132 will not work with that antenna - the cable has an RP-TNC on it while the antenna has a TNC connector.

/mike