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Tips and questions relating to the GPS modules from SFE
By Sam
#35387
Hello,

I have been running my EM-406A for about three hours now and it refuses to get a fix. The LED remains solid red. The data output works perfectly and confirms there is no fix. I have moved the board outside, down the street, across the street.... and no fix, just a solid red light! This is extremely frustrating. I was planning to use this on Sunday!

Using the SiRFDemo I get errors including Target SW: Unknown. If I try to switch to SiRF protocol, I get Comm: CE_BREAK repeated endlessly in the error window, and the baud rate tries to move to 38K. If I try to synchronize, I get a warning that the SetupComm() failed.

berni posting on Feb. 16 '07 and RancidWannaRiot posting on Aug. 10 '06 seem to have had the same problem. It is not clear they found a solution.

Did I mention how frustrating this is? Is this thing broken? I would appreciate any support.

Sam
By busonerd
#35389
It could be broken, but first off, how are you powering it? A cleanly regulated power supply is the first thing to check.

Cheers,

--David Carne
By Sam
#35418
Hello,

The power supply is a 7.5V battery going through a LM340T5 5 Volt regualtor with capacitors on both the input and output. The regulated voltage looks pretty clean.

This morning the EM-406A finally fixed a position and the LED began to flash. This worked mostly during the morning and now it is no longer able to fix a position this evening again -- solid red LED.

Any other thoughts? I would really like to get something working. Unfortunately, it looks like I have got nothing for tomorrow.

Sam
By busonerd
#35419
Huh... Well, if the output is solid at 5V, the best we can do is take it back and test it, and if its broken, we'll get you a new one.

Cheers,

--David Carne
By Sam
#35434
Again, I am getting nothing but a solid red light. I will ship it back to Sparkfun today. I will not include the connector since I have modified one end to a .1" header. Can I get another complete 6-pin micro header? How long will it take to get another unit?

Sam