Gadgeteer GPS Module failure

galvesribeiro · April 5, 2012, 9:53am

Hello Everyone!

I recently ordered a GPS Module for Gadgeteer so I can prototype my device based on location.

Unfortunatelly, it seems not work. It keeps receiving NMEA strings with empty values like this:



GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

GPS last position NO POSITION FIX age 10675199.02:48:05.4775807
gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
GPS last position NO POSITION FIX age 10675199.02:48:05.4775807
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

gps_NMEA: $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53

GPS : $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
gps_NMEA: $GPVTG,,,,,,,,,N*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGGA,,,,,,0,00,99.99,,,,,,*48

gps_NMEA: $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,99.99,99.99,99.99*30

gps_NMEA: $GPGSV,1,1,00*79

gps_NMEA: $GPGLL,,,,,,V,N*64

I left the device whole night at outdoors at clear open sky and it still cant get a fix position. The event PositionReceived was never fired. I tested this code/module in both Hydra and Spider boards, both with latest firmware for NETMF 4.1 and still same behavior.

I found this post on Seeed’s forum and this is exactly what is happening to me: PROBLEM WITH HYDRA AND GPS Module -.NET Gadgeteer Compatible - #8 by gutemberg - Bee series & WSN - Seeed Forum

Tried get help from there but seems that no one answer. We started to think that this is a defect on the Module itself and we are without options since the neither GHI neither Seeed team are answering/giving support to this case.

So, does anyone have any clue on how can we workout this problem and get this Module to work?

Thanks very much the help, we really appreciate it.

Best regards…

Gutemberg

Gus_Issa · April 5, 2012, 10:02am

This is an unfair comment as we answered both your emails. We offered to test it for you or get a replacement. If that doesn’t help, please let us know what we can do to help!

galvesribeiro · April 5, 2012, 10:54am

Hey Gus sorry, maybe I have not expressed myself correctly.

Yes you answered my email. Both of them. What I’m trying to say is that we have a very urgent problem that wasn’t only us that is having this. As you can see, the other guy on Seeed forum has the same problem and no one has a fix for it. Is it software? Is it a driver? Is it a hardware problem? We don’t know.

The point is, send it to you to test will costs a lot of money since we are based in Brazil and time that we don’t have.

Order another Module as a second option to test it? Maybe it is not what should fix the problem.

I was thinking that all those modules that GHI or Seeed produce was tested before be sold or shipped to customers. Maybe I’m wrong.

If you have absolutely sure, by testing a new module, that this new module is working as expected, I would buy one right now. Otherwise, it will be a new waste of money and time.

Thanks!

Gus_Issa · April 5, 2012, 11:06am

[quote]if you have absolutely sure, by testing a new module, that this new module is working as expected, I would buy one right now. Otherwise, it will be a new waste of money and time.
[/quote]

Put a link in your order comments to this post and we will open the module and test before we ship. We are always ready to go the extra mile to help. You just have to tell us how

We surly hope so. Seeed’s quality effects our image and we always try our best to serve you best.

galvesribeiro · April 5, 2012, 11:11am

Ok, I’m making the order right now, and will paste the link to this post on comments as you requested.

Thanks!

galvesribeiro · April 5, 2012, 11:40am

Done! Let’s hope this time it comes good!

Mike · April 5, 2012, 11:43am

The antenna has two sides; a side is orange with a metal plate, and the other side is green with a chip. The orange side is the antenna, and the green side is a an amplifier. The orange side should be facing the sky.

The data provided is saying that the receiver is seeing one satellite.

The gps receiver can take several minutes to get a lock on enough satellites to determine positions. The delay can be long than one would expect, but overnight should be long enough.

galvesribeiro · April 5, 2012, 12:23pm

Thanks for the reply Mike.

What seems wrong to me is, for example, my Cell phone, gets fix position in a matter of seconds(even inside my office). My laptop also, my car also. Leave it all night long powered and seeking for a satellite in open sky, as you said, seems long enough.

Thanks!

Gus_Issa · April 5, 2012, 3:40pm

We removed the modules from stock till we investigate this further, so you guys know.

Gus_Issa · April 5, 2012, 11:26pm

We think we found the problem and we are waiting for seeed to post publicly about it.

galvesribeiro · April 6, 2012, 2:00am

Hopefully it be a driver/software problem that we can fix without exchange the Module. Thanks Gus!

Duke_Nukem · April 6, 2012, 3:12pm

Thanks for looking out for us Gus. As soon as the problem is fixed I’ll be ordering one as then I’ll know it has the Gus seal of approval

Thanks

HughB · April 6, 2012, 3:41pm

@ gus
Any hints as to what the problem is or is it for seeed to confirm?

Gus_Issa · April 6, 2012, 3:42pm

You have to hear this from the manufacture but maybe we need to replace what you have. Agian, this is maybe.

We will take care of you like we always do so no worries.

galvesribeiro · April 6, 2012, 3:47pm

Dont forgot to take care of me! Hehehhehehe Thanks for the support Gus!

John_Writers · April 7, 2012, 2:00pm

I galvesribeiro, I bought the same module me too from seeedstudio and I resolve the problem buying another active antenna from rs.
With new antenna I resolve the problem.

I hope that this help you.

Buy

galvesribeiro · April 7, 2012, 2:09pm

Thank U John. Hut U have to agree with me that there is something wrong with this module and that we don need order a new antena to get it working…

MiRo · May 23, 2012, 4:41pm

Hello,

I just recoverd the same problem with the gps mdule. I bought it from watterott germany and after my first try I sent it back to them. Today i received it back tested, but I still get no gps fix with the hydra board.

$GPGSA,A,1,99.99,99.99,99.9930
$GPGSV,1,1,03,05,32,06,27,16,3079
$GPGLL,V,N*64.

The module sees sattelites GSV message in my case up to 7 or 8. After 5 minutes I get time and date information, but no gps log.

I will ask watterott how they have tested the module.

at seedstudio they mentined there are problems with some moduls!

Is there a solution for it???

User_12 · May 23, 2012, 5:39pm

If your GPS is as described in Seeed’s announcement then you need to contact your distributor for a replacement.

MiRo · May 23, 2012, 6:11pm

Hi Joe,

i just connected the gps modul to an serial port of my computer and used the ublock gps test software. The module is working fine, all messages are complete i got a fix after 30 seconds! The gps modul is ok, no damage and its still working on my desk 2 m avay from my window!

There must be a problem in gps dll or hydra firmware!

Mikel