Anyone know who the manuf. is for the SUP500F GPS unit, sku: GPS-09758
SFE, direct link for the product.
SkyTraq is. The unit is pretty much the same as the other Venus module sparkfun sells. The reason for this specific form factor is to be compatible with Fastrax’s UP500 gps module.
Skytraq actually sells a few more chipsets like this to be compatible with other gps modules… Speaking of which I’m in the process of trying to get Sparkfun to pick up a lower cost venus gps reciever/helical antenna combo that I made… bug them about it and cc me to those emails! They haven’t responded to the one I sent a few weeks ago… I wonder if spark@sparkfun.com goes anywhere now… hmm
Thanks, i to have ran into the same problem with it. On top of that they jack the prices up so much on these modules that is just not worth buying from them anymore. I used to enjoy getting things from them, but they are just to crazy with the price hikes lately.
Well, as I have seen the price hikes are high, especially for something they don’t manufacture… but you do have to remember to get low prices they have to order a lot… like 250 at a time at one point from SkyTraq. There is some risk involved which adds $. An example of this risk is getting gps modules with buggy firmware which has been an issue with the Venus modules. Stuff like that can be mitigated by buying flash modules which I see they have done… but that adds cost too!
On top of this, their focus seems to be hobbyists, and GPS units while easy if you know what you are doing, can be a bit daunting for beginners… some of that cost likely goes to customer support.
Finally, you have to realize that not every unit will work that they receive, and they may not be able to refund if ordering large quantities at a time (unless the whole batch is bad per se). Atop of this, not every unit sent to the customers will work which cuts into profits. If Sparkfun’s customer service is good, they may occasionally eat a customers mistake (customer fries board, but Sparkfun accepts the return and gives the person the benefit of the doubt)
I’m slowly learning all this as I go along… it’s interesting stuff.
what turned me off to SFE when it comes to GPS modules, is when i bought to of them from SFE for a project. They were great modules and cost quite a bit each. Later i did some poking around and contacted the manuf. they gave me a cost which was $57 less than what SFE was selling them for. That was in single piece quantity. The next was on a $60 dollar LCD they sell. i bought 2, then again did some looking around and can get them all day long in single piece quantities for $18 with free shipping. So at present i am not to thrilled when it comes to buying from SFE.
Jim, trust me GPS modules from SFE are totally overpriced. Sometimes like a 4x markup.
some things are reasonable, and yet some things are crazy.
That said, i do want people to know that i love SFE, and in a pinch they are at least a place to get stuff from. I just would like them to control the markup better.
As you say there us alot of other value added to the services they provide. There bob’s are hard to beat when design time is critical.
Ps I finally am using those TPS63001’s. Great little chips for li-ion projects.