Ublox SAM-M8Q

Hi everyone,
I want to use the Ublox SAM-M8Q in my high altitude balloon project and I was wondering if it works with Arduino. Here is the datasheet. I am a beginner in custom PCB/electronics design so I'm not sure after just looking into the datasheet. It seems to me that this module already has some electronics in it and that it does work with UART. I want to use this module with a 3.3V microcontroller (Arduino Pro Mini or Adafruit Feather). And, just to make sure, I want to use the barebone SMD component. So, what do you think, will it work? Thanks.

Yes it should work, I beleive its just a MAXM8Q Ublox device with added ceramic patch.

The MAXM8Q is a popular GPS for high altitude ballooning, at least it is in the UK.

Most GPS will work only up to 18,000M, the MAXM8Q is one of the few that can be configured to operate up to 50,000M.

Thanks.

Well, let me correct myself, it isn't a high altitude balloon but rather a picoballoon. They generally fly at around 15 000M so 18 000M should be enough.

Jakub_Nagy:
Well, let me correct myself, it isn't a high altitude balloon but rather a picoballoon. They generally fly at around 15 000M so 18 000M should be enough.

A MAX M8Q with a simple wire antenna would be a lot lighter.

And can I still connect it to the Adafruit Feather directly?

With a MAX M8Q you have the option of connecting the GPS over serial UART or I2C.

I am in progress of writing a review of GPSs and their performance, there is a section on high altitude balloon GPSs, see here;

GPS performance

Thanks so much. Also I see that you're an expert so, do you think that the Adafruit Feather with 868MHz LoRa is good choice or do you reccomend something else for reading and sending the data from the GPS and the sensors? I want to keep it simple (as little number of components as possible) for it to be easy to build.

I guess the Adafruit will work.

However, it rather depends on the rest of the setup, weight might be critical and the weight is the sum total of processor\radio board, battery, GPS and PCB. Battery size (weight) depends on how long the tracker needs to last, up\down or floater flight.

Weight might also be limited by the actual balloon in use.

There is a lot of 'it depends' to consider.