sparkfun ZOE-M8Q User manual

SparkFun GPS Breakout (ZOE-M8Q and SAM-M8Q) Hookup
Guide
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Introduction
The SparkFun ZOE-M8Q and SAM-M8Q are two similarly powerful GPS units but with different project
applications. They both have a 2.5m horizontal accuracy!
SparkFun GPS Breakout - ZOE-M8Q (Qwiic)
 GPS-15193

Required Materials
To follow along with this tutorial, you will need the following materials. You may not need everything though
depending on what you have. Add it to your cart, read through the guide, and adjust the cart as necessary.
SparkFun GPS Breakout - Chip Antenna, SAM-M8Q
(Qwiic)
 GPS-15210
Product Showcase: SparkFun GPS & GNSS BoardsProduct Showcase: SparkFun GPS & GNSS Boards

Additional GPS Antenna Options
Below are some other GPS Antenna options. Some of the options below have an SMA connector, so make sure to
get the u.FL to SMA cable if you decide to use those. Link for that is below in the GPS accessories. If you want to
try different chip antennas, then try the GNSS Antenna Evalutation Board listed below and make sure to get the
u.FL to u.FL connector in the accessories.
SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic
 DEV-15123
Qwiic Cable - 100mm
 PRT-14427
Molex Flexible GNSS Antenna - U.FL
(Adhesive)
 GPS-15246
SparkFun GNSS Chip Antenna Evaluation
Board
 GPS-15247
GPS/GNSS Magnetic Mount Antenna - 3m
(SMA)
 GPS-14986

GPS Antenna Accessories
GPS 3V Magnetic Mount Antenna SMA - 5m
 GPS-00464
GPS/GNSS Embedded Antenna - 1m (SMA)
 GPS-14987
GPS Embedded Antenna SMA
 GPS-00177
Interface Cable SMA to U.FL
 WRL-09145
GPS Antenna Ground Plate
 GPS-15004
U.FL to U.FL Mini Coax Cable - 200mm

Other Qwiic Cable Accessories
Heads up! If you are using the RedBoard without a Qwiic connector, we recommend getting the Qwiic
Shield for Arduino.
 WRL-15114
SparkFun Qwiic Cable Kit
 KIT-15081
Qwiic Cable - 100mm
 PRT-14427
Qwiic Cable - 200mm
 PRT-14428
Qwiic Cable - 50mm
 PRT-14426
SparkFun Qwiic Shield for Arduino
 DEV-14352

Suggested Reading
If you aren't familiar with the Qwiic system, we recommend reading here for an overview.
Qwiic Connect System
We would also recommend taking a look at the following tutorials if you aren't familiar with them.
GPS Basics
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is an
engineering marvel that we all have access to for a
relatively low cost and no subscription fee. With the
correct hardware and minimal effort, you can determine
your position and time almost anywhere on the globe.
Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)
SPI is commonly used to connect microcontrollers to
peripherals such as sensors, shift registers, and SD
cards.
I2C
An introduction to I2C, one of the main embedded
communications protocols in use today.
How to Work with Jumper Pads and PCB Traces
Handling PCB jumper pads and traces is an essential
skill. Learn how to cut a PCB trace, add a solder
jumper between pads to reroute connections, and
repair a trace with the green wire method if a trace is
damaged.

SparkFun ZOE-M8Q Hardware Overview
Power
Power for this board should be 3.3V. There is a 3.3V pin on the PTH header along the side of the board, but you
can also provide power through the Qwiic connector.
Battery
The small metal disk opposite of the Qwiic connector is a small lithium battery. This battery does not provide power
to the IC like the 3.3V system does, but to relevant systems inside the IC that allow for a quick reconnection to
satellites. The time to first fix will about ~29 seconds, but after the product has a lock, that battery will allow for a
one second time to first fix. This is known as a hot start and lasts for four hours after the board is powered down.
The battery provides over a years worth of power to the backup system and charges slowly when the board is
powered.
LEDs
There's a single red power LED just above the Qwiic connector to indicate that the board is powered.
Getting Started with U-Center
Learn the tips and tricks to use the u-blox software tool
to configure your GPS receiver.
Three Quick Tips About Using U.FL
Quick tips regarding how to connect, protect, and
disconnect U.FL connectors.

Jumpers
There are three jumpers on the underside of the product, each labeled with its function. The first in the top left of
the picture is a three way jumper labeled I²C that connects two pull-up resistors to the I C data lines. If you have
many devices on your I C data lines, then you may consider cutting these. To the right of that jumper at the very
edge of the board is the LED jumper. If you cut this trace it will disconnect the Power LED on the topside of the
board. Finally, at the lower left is the SPI jumper that when closed enables SPI communication. The board
defaults to I C and Serial so close that if you'd rather get your NMEA data over SPI.
U.FL Connector
The U.FL connector on the board is where you will plug in your antenna. This is a compact connector for RF
antennas, that has the same function as the traditional SMA connector. You may be more familiar and even own
some antennas that use SMA connectors; never fear, we carry a U.FL to SMA cable adapter. Check out our
tutorial on using U.FL connectors, if this be your first.
2
2
2

FTDI Header
At the bottom of the board we have the traditional pinout for an FTDI header. Make sure that the FTDI that you use
is 3.3V and not 5V!
Qwiic and I C
Next to the FTDI header at the bottom of the board. There are two pins labeled SDA and SCL which indicates the
I C data lines. Similarly you can just use the Qwiic connector on the left side of the picture. The Qwiic ecosystem
is made for fast prototyping by removing the need for soldering. All you need to do is plug a Qwiic cable into the
Qwiic connector and voila!
The only I C address for this and all u-Blox GPS products is 0x42, though each can have their address
changed through software.
2
2
2

SPI Header
This sets the ZOE-M8Q apart from the SAM-M8Q. On the underside of the product as mentioned above, is a
jumper that can be closed to allow for SPI communication. The header is labeled for the pinout for SPI.
Broken Out Pins
There are four other pins broken out: Pulse per second PPS , Reset RST , Safeboot SAFE , and finally the interrupt
pin INT . The first pin PPS outputs pulse trains syncronized with the GPS or UTC time grid. The signal defaults to
once per second but is configurable over a wide range. Read the u-blox Receiver Protocol Specification in the
Resources tab for more information. The reset pin resets the chip. The next pin, SAFE is used to start up the IC in
safe boot mode. The final pin INT can be used to wake the chip from power save mode.

GPS Capabilities
The ZOE-M8 is able to connect to up to three different GNSS constellations at a time making it very accurate for
it's size. Below are the listed capabilities of the GPS unit.
GNSS GPS and
GLONASS
GPS GLONASS BeiDou Galileo
Horizontal Position
Accuracy
2.5m 2.5m 4m 3m ---
Max Navigation
Update Rate
ROM 10Hz 18Hz 18Hz 18Hz 18Hz
Flash 5Hz 10Hz 10Hz 10Hz 10Hz
Time-To-First-Fix Cold Start 26s 29s 30s 34s 45s
Hot Start 1s 1s 1s 1s 1s
Sensitivity Tracking and
Navigation
-167dBm -166dBm -166dBm -160dBm -159dBm
Reacquisition -160dBm -160dBm -156dBm -157dBm -153dBm
Cold Start -148dBm -148dBm -145dBm -143dBm -138dBm
Hot Start -157dBm -157dBm -156dBm -155dBm -151dBm
Velocity Accuracy 0.05m/s
Heading Accuracy 0.3 degrees
SparkFun SAM-M8Q Hardware Overview

Power
Power for this board is 3.3V. There is a 3.3V pin on the PTH header along the side of the board, but you can also
provide power through the Qwiic connector.
Battery
The small metal disk in the upper left corner is a small lithium battery. This battery does not provide power to the
IC like the 3.3V system does, but to relevant systems inside the IC that allow for a quick reconnection to satellites.
The time to first fix will about ~29 seconds, but after it has a lock, that battery will allow for a one second time to
first fix. This is known as a hot start and lasts for four hours after the board is powered down. The battery provides
over a years worth of power to the backup system and charges slowly when the board is powered.
LEDs
There's a single red power LED just above the Qwiic connector to indicate that the board is powered. There is
another LED labeled PPS that is connected to the Pulse Per Second line on the GPS chip. When connected to a
satellite, this line generates a pulse that is synchronized with a GPS or UTC time grid. By default, you'll see one
pulse a second.

Jumpers
There are three jumpers on the topside of the product, each labeled with its' function. At the bottom right of the
picture is a three way jumper labeled I²C that connects two pull-up resistors to the I C data lines. If you have
many devices on your I C data lines, then you may consider cutting these. Just above that jumper is the JP2
jumper. If you cut this trace it will disconnect the Power LED just above the Qwiic connector. Finally, on the left
side of the product is the JP1 jumper that when cut disconnects the PPS LED.
Chip Antenna
This GPS unit at the center of the PCB may look a bit funky to you. In fact you may be thinking, "Wow, that looks
suspiciously like a GNSS Antenna....". That's very astute dear hookup guide peruser. This GPS IC is actually built
into the antenna giving you an all-in-one GPS solution.
FTDI Header
At the top of the board, we have the traditional pinout for an FTDI header. Make sure that the FTDI that you use is
3.3V and not 5V!
2
2

Qwiic and I C
At the opposite side of the board. There are two pins labeled SDA and SCL which indicates the I C data lines.
Similarly, you can use either of the Qwiic connectors to provide power and utilize I C. The Qwiic ecosystem is
made for fast prototyping by removing the need for soldering. All you need to do is plug a Qwiic cable into the
Qwiic connector and voila!
The only I C address for this and all u-Blox GPS products is 0x42, though each can have their address
changed through software.
Broken Out Pins
There are four other pins broken out: Pulse per second PPS , Reset RST , Safeboot SAFE , and finally the interrupt
pin INT . The first pin PPS outputs pulse trains syncronized with the GPS or UTC time grid. The signal defaults to
once per second but is configurable over a wide range. Read the u-blox Receiver Protocol Specification in the
Resources tab for more information. The reset pin resets the chip. The next pin, SAFE is used to start up the IC in
safe boot mode. The final pin INT can be used to wake the chip from power save mode.
2
2
2
2

GPS Capabilities
The SAM-M8 is able to connect to up to three different GNSS constellations at a time making it very accurate for
its' size. Below are the listed capabilities of the GPS unit.
GNSS GPS and
GLONASS
GPS GLONASS Galileo
Horizontal Position
Accuracy
2.5m 2.5m 8m ---
Max Navigation Update
Rate
ROM 10Hz 18Hz 18Hz 18Hz
Time-To-First-Fix Cold Start 26s 29s 30s ---
Hot Start 1s 1s 1s ---
Sensitivity Tracking and
Navigation
-165dBm -164dBm -164dBm -157dBm
Reacquisition -158dBm -158dBm -154dBm -151dBm
Cold Start -146dBm -146dBm -143dBm -136dBm
Hot Start -155dBm -155dBm -154dBm -149dBm
Velocity Accuracy 0.05m/s
Heading Accuracy 0.3 degrees
Which GPS Unit Do I Pick?!
Size and GNSS Antenna

In each of the Hardware Overview sections we laid out the characteristics of the two GPS boards. Let's begin with
the more obvious differences between the boards. The SAM-M8Q is a larger board with dimensions of 1.6 x 1.6
inches. The relative larger size of the board helps to enhance the product's GNSS antenna that houses the GPS
unit inside. The ZOE-M8Q is 1 x 1 inch board that does not have an onboard GNSS antenna, and instead has a
U.FL connector to connect to an external one. This gives you the option to use something that can be attached
outside while the GPS unit is inside connected to your microcontroller. If you want to try out a number of different
antenna shapes and sizes, we have a GNSS Evaluation Board for the purpose of finding the best antenna that
works for your project.
GPS Capability Comparison
These two GPS units are so similar in their capabilities that the difference is negligible. The one difference
between the two is that the SAM-M8Q does not connect to the Chinese GNSS constellation BeiDou.
NMEA Data
Both have I C and serial capabilities to receive your NMEA data, but only the ZOE-M8Q has SPI capabilities.
Enable SPI by closing the jumper on the underside of the product labeled SPI .
Hardware Assembly
For this example, I used a Qwiic capable RedBoard and associated USB cable. With that and a Qwiic cable, the
assembly is very simple. Plug a Qwiic cable between the RedBoard and the GPS unit, and attach the antenna to
the U.FL connector. If you need tips on plugging in the U.FL connector, then check out our U.FL tutorial. If you're
2

going to be soldering to the through hole pins, then just attach lines to power, ground, and the I C data lines to the
microcontroller of you choice. Of course, if you're using the SAM-M8Q then you don't need an antenna since it
already has one.
RedBoard Qwiic and the ZOE-M8Q with attached Adhesive Antenna
RedBoard Qwiic and the SAM-M8Q
SparkFun U-Blox Library
Note: This example assumes you are using the latest version of the Arduino IDE on your desktop. If this is
your first time using Arduino, please review our tutorial on installing the Arduino IDE. If you have not
previously installed an Arduino library, please check out our installation guide.
Both the SAM-M8Q and ZOE-M8Q share the same library. These two also share a library with their other u-BLOX
higher precision cousins. The SparkFun U-blox Arduino library can be downloaded with the Arduino library
manager by searching 'SparkFun Ublox' or you can grab the zip here from the GitHub repository:
SPARKFUN U-BLOX ARDUINO LIBRARY (ZIP)
There are 13 example sketches provided to get you up and receiving messages from space.
Example Code
We're just going to look at example two (i.e. "Example2_NMEAParsing.ino") which in my opinion, makes it clear
the awesomeness of these GPS receivers. That is to say, talking to satellites and finding out where in the world
you are.
2

#include <Wire.h> //Needed for I2C to GPS
#include "SparkFun_Ublox_Arduino_Library.h" //Click here to get the library: http://librarymanag
er/All#SparkFun_Ublox_GPS
SFE_UBLOX_GPS myGPS;
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(115200);
Serial.println("SparkFun Ublox Example");
Wire.begin();
if (myGPS.begin() == false)
{
Serial.println(F("Ublox GPS not detected at default I2C address. Please check wiring. Freezi
ng."));
while (1);
}
//This will pipe all NMEA sentences to the serial port so we can see them
myGPS.setNMEAOutputPort(Serial);
}
void loop()
{
myGPS.checkUblox(); //See if new data is available. Process bytes as they come in.
delay(250); //Don't pound too hard on the I2C bus
}
When you upload this code you'll have to wait ~29s to get a lock onto any satellites. After that first lock, the backup
battery on the board will provide power to some internal systems that will allow for a hot start the next time you
turn on the board. The hot start only lasts four hours, but allows you to get a lock within one second. After you get
a lock the serial terminal will start listing longitude and latitude coordinates, as seen below. Make sure to set the
serial monitor to 115200 baud.

These are the coordinates for SparkFun HQ
Resources and Going Further
Now that you've successfully got your ZOE-M8Q/SAM-M8Q GPS receiver up and running, it's time to incorporate it
into your own project!
For more information, check out the resources below:
SparkFun u-Blox ZOE-M8Q
Schematic (PDF)
Eagle Files (ZIP)
Datasheet (PDF)
Integration Manual (PDF)
Product Summary (PDF)
u-blox Protocol Specification (PDF)
u-center Software
GitHub
Product Repo
SparkFun Ublox Arduino Library
SFE Product Showcase
SparkFun u-Blox SAM-M8Q
Schematic (PDF)
Eagle Files (ZIP)
Datasheet (PDF)
Integration Manual (PDF)
u-blox Protocol Specification (PDF)
u-center Software
GitHub
Product Repo
SparkFun Ublox Arduino Library
SFE Product Showcase
Are you looking for a GPS receiver with an insane 10mm 3D accuracy? Then check out these other u-Blox based
GPS boards by SparkFun below.

Need some inspiration for your next project? Check out some of these related tutorials:
SparkFun GPS-RTK2 Board - ZED-F9P (Qwiic)
 GPS-15136
SparkFun GPS-RTK Board - NEO-M8P-2
(Qwiic)
 GPS-15005
Mini GPS Shield Hookup Guide
A hookup guide for the SparkFun Mini GPS Shield.
Arduino Weather Shield Hookup Guide V12
Read humidity, pressure and luminosity quickly and
easily. Add wind speed, direction and rain gauge for full
weather station capabilities.
SparkFun GPS Breakout - XA1110 (Qwiic)
Hookup Guide
Figure out where in the world you are with the Qwiic
SparkFun GPS Breakout - XA1110.
Getting Started with U-Center
Learn the tips and tricks to use the u-blox software tool
to configure your GPS receiver.