Problem Reading Data From Mediatek GPS

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

Hi,

I'm trying to build a GPS datalogger, so am currently testing a Mediatek GPS (from an Arducopter Quadcopter) with my Arduino Uno.

I am testing it with the TinyGPS library example "test_with_gps_device", which prints the GPS data to the serial monitor. However, I am only getting lines of stars printed, rather than lines of data giving me latitude, longitude, etc. I have the TX pin on the GPS connected to Arduino pin 4 and the RX pin on the GPS connected to Arduino pin 3 (as instructed by the TinyGPS example). I know I am receiving data from the GPS as the "Chars RX" count increases. Furthermore, the "Checksum Fail" count also increases. The LED on the GPS glows solidly, indicating a GPS fix, but the serial monitor can't read the data from the fix properly.

The serial monitor looks like this:

Testing TinyGPS library v. 12
by Mikal Hart

Sizeof(gpsobject) = 115

Sats HDOP Latitude Longitude Fix Date Time Date Alt Course Speed Card Distance Course Card Chars Sentences Checksum
(deg) (deg) Age Age (m) --- from GPS ---- ---- to London ---- RX RX Fail

**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 33 0 0
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 66 0 0
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 158 0 0
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 191 0 0
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 224 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 257 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 316 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 349 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 382 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 415 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 448 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 508 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 541 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 574 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 607 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 640 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 733 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 766 0 1
**** **** ******* ******* **** ******* ******* **** ******* ****** ***** *** 0 0.00 *** 799 0 1

And so on...

I'd really appreciate it if someone could tell me where I'm going wrong.

Thanks in advance,

Ali

2

Looks like your GPS doesn't have a fix yet. Was it outdoors with a clear view of the sky?

3

Despite the LED glowing solidly, indicating a fix, I got the lines of stars. But after a while, lines of data started coming through. I had it on my window sill.

I think it's all sorted now.