SIM868 GPS Functionality Setup

Owned by Hanqi Zhao
May 19, 2020
2 min read

As discussed, the RPI module should support GPS functionality as stated on its seller’s page. However, after inspection of the module’s datasheet, there is no mention of any GPS functionality. Further inspection into the IC (SIM868) revealed some GPS functionality. However, the following documentation is minimal and cannot be guaranteed to work.

Here is a PDF of the mentioned datasheet for the IC.

The first step is to connect the GSM and GNSS via UART. Refer to the pin-out labels to find the appropriate ports.

Next, follow the sample command sequence:

The following snapshots are taken from pages 6-8 of the PDF attached above.

 

Conclusion: Despite the listed GPS functionality, it is recommended that the GSM HAT Testing and Startup be set up first to determine whether it is accurate enough. There is not a lot of documentation for the GPS which can lead to a lot of issues during set up.