Expanding to non-parallax serial devices

Aaron Wall

So I've been playing around with Parallax products for some time now. I love how user friendly everything is. I have a moderate skill level with programing and electronics, so there isn't much that Parallax offers that i can figure out how to use. The only drawback is the limited options for additions.

I have been on Sparkfun.com and found some very cool devices on there. Specifically the more sensitive GPS sensors and the cell phone modules. I would like to incorporate the following GPS into one of my designs, but I don't know how to go about connecting and communicating with it from a Stamp.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8889

The data sheet shows it to have a basic serial in and serial out, but how do I know what baud to connect at or what the protocol would be to get the information I need from the sensor?

I know I'm in over my head, but I'm willing to learn. I would like to expand my options out of the comfy bubble that Parallax provides.

-Aaron

Mike Green

You'll have to get the documentation from SparkFun or the manufacturer of the module. The datasheet should say what Baud is needed. There's really no standard for most of this stuff. Sometimes looking at sample code from SparkFun or the manufacturer will give you some hints.

Page 1 of the manufacturer's datasheet for the GPS receiver·from SparkFun says the Baud is 9600.· That's pretty fast for a Stamp.· You may need a faster Stamp like a BS2px.· A lot depends on the amount of data involved.· Stamps don't have a lot of variable space, particularly the BS2.· The other Stamp models have some scratchpad ram that you can use to hold GPS strings while you decode them.


Post Edited (Mike Green) : 1/14/2009 2:00:32 AM GMT