I got the package like this. How to connect it to arduino or any other board using jumper wires? I never soldered so I don't know how to connect them without soldering that antennae thing onto the board. Is there any other solution other than soldering? Thanks.
No. The "antenna things" are the header connectors for connecting the device.
The antenna (beige rectangle on the right) is a push-fit onto the gold socket on the blue board, bottom right.
Ah I googled it.. soldering is a must. I should get a solder kit and try it then. thanks.
Just solder in the right place. Only the 4 header pin group has to be soldered. The antenna connection does not. Choose whether to solder it on the front side of the PCB or the rear side.
Hi. GPS is great when it works, frustrating when it doesn't. Take heed of the wisdom from people on this forum and you'll save yourself much time, frustration and dollars.
With this type of module, I would do three things before soldering anything.
First, without the antenna connected, prove that the module generates correct NMEA sentences.
Second, leave it powered on for five minutes and check if there are any hot spots -- not just warm, but really hot.
If it fails either of those two tests then it will never work for you.
Third, connect the antenna (not while module is powered) and prove it can detect the satellite signals and the module can attain a positional fix.
This establishes a base line. Later on when you have trouble getting things to work (almost inevitable), you have at least established it was working when you received it.
If you don't understand the bit about NMEA sentences, then please do some research. It is essential to understand the details of the data that the GPS generates.
You can do all of this without soldering the header pins in -- just insert the pins of jumper wires and apply a slight sideways pressure to ensure contact. That's a red wire to VCC, a black to GND and any other colour to TX. You don't use the RX pin at this stage of your journey. The other ends of the jumper wires go to an Arduino board or a TTL/USB converter.
So -- how far have you gone in using Arduino? Do you have a board such as a Uno or Nano?
And this needs stressing -- never connect/disconnect an antenna with this press fit connector while the module is powered. It is very easy to create a short leading to irreparable damage. This connector type is called IPX or UFL. Reliable, but easy to damage electrically or physically.
2 Likes
Are there any cables we can connect instead of soldering?
No. There is no commercial product to connect to those kind of PCB pads. Only extremely expensive and bulky test clips.
That is why some vendors offer an option of soldered or non-soldered.
I see, thanks.
Search on "press fit header pins"
Ex:
https://microcontrollershop.com/product_info.php?products_id=6552
From my experience and hands-on with numerous GPS clocks:
You will need the antenna connected.
You will need a view of the sky, the first time you run the unit.
You may need > 30 minutes the first time the GPS locates itself.
Initializing Your GPS Receiver (what-when-how.com)
Once "sync'd" the unit may work inside for time-keeping. I have 4 here, 2 work on the living floor and 2 work in the basement! Some patch antennas are just better than others - but - always have the antenna facing up. Keep the GPS away from your WiFi router...
Depending on the Arduino library you select, you may not get any signal onto the display until after the unit synchronizes. Warm starts usually take 30 seconds to 1 minutes... average 20 seconds for Neo6.
3mm pins are way too short. Typical header pins are 5mm.
Thats a symptom of a GPS in a poor location or with a poor antenna.
In a good location, with a good working antenna, a factory fresh, never used GPS should get a first time fix in 40 seconds or so.
Respectfully, because I have known you for years, that statement is incorrect.
if a receiver has no previous almanac or ephemeris data in its memory, it will have to perform a cold start, also known as a factory start. Without previous data to guide it, the receiver in a cold start must search for all the satellites without knowledge of its own position, velocity, or the time. When it does finally manage to acquire the signal from one, it gets some help and can begin to download an almanac. That almanac data will contain information about the approximate location of all the other satellites. The period needed to receive the full information is 12.5 minutes.
Now, if you disagree with the above, maybe take the discussion to
As I'm certain the author wishes to correct the inaccuracies in this link:
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog862/node/1739
The 30+ was my personal experience with multiple Neo-6 units over 7 years ago from my home location in Atlanta, inside but at a window and this taking longer.
Ray
You do realize the image & link were to demonstrate that such products exist so Op would have an idea
- what they looked like
- what to search on/ask for.
https://wconconnector.sell.ecer.com/pz697e424-press-fit-pin-header-connector-single-row-2-54-pitch-pbt-black-rohs.html
Everyone seems to be really critical in this thread, excepting myself and Op 
Get over yourselves ... it is only January 02, there is a whole year ahead to toss around digital assaults.
Ray
I post facts. Anybody can interpret them and use them however they like. Or correct them if they're wrong.
Honestly, I thought that the OP might experience difficulties with a shorter pin using the typical Dupont female jumpers that are around, so I considered it worth mentioning. It's not a "criticism".
Correct, the full almanac would take 12.5 minutes to down load in good conditions.
But modern multi channel GPS do not need the full almanac in the first place, they can search many GPS channels at the same time, they dont need to download the almanac to work out which channels to search.
The cold fix time specified by Ublox for a Neo-6 is quoted at 26 seconds, the fastest I have had is circa 32 seconds, so it occurs to me the data sheet for the Neo 6 is about right.
Thanks!
My experience was based on antique hardware; and I still have a few in the ol' bitbox going back to PICAXE days, so I'll take note to purchase "modern" on the next AliExpress order.
Op may not achieve such great performance, however:
Op's:
Your stats:
But I can safely say that the Internet is not an authority unless all applicable parameters are consider in the search.
Ray
I have tested several 'old' Ublox 6s as well. The ones with long cold fix times have very poor antennas, which is easy to test for.
There is a grain of truth behind the myth of the long update period from cold.
The time produced by a GPS can be out by some seconds due to the leap seconds issue and it can take up to 12.5 minutes for the leap seconds update message to be received ........
I will try in this way.. btw thanks for the before suggestions
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.