After purchasing the Samsung BlackJack I’ve been in search of a “good” GPS receiver. The requirements were as follows:
- BlueTooth for use with the BlackJack
- RS-232/USB interface for use with a laptop/desktop
- Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery pack
I was unable to locate a receiver on the open market that met all of those requirements. So, I turned to developing my own. Looking around I located several components that seemed to offer some promise. First, there is the GPS module that I found at SparkFun Electronics. This is a receiver capable of providing updates at 5Hz, versus the typical 1Hz. While that isn’t a necessity in most applications it is nice have. What makes this module particularly handy is that it features 2 serial ports, which makes hooking it up to both bluetooth and usb very easy. Additionally it appears that both ports can have independent configurations. Then, there is the BlueTooth module also from SparkFun Electronics. This module supports a serial link as well as all sorts of configurable goodies. It is probably over-kill as well as it supports 250k baud communications, stereo audio and a whole host of other features. The design will be topped off with a 2000mAH battery pack, charging circuitry, and an FTDI based USB-to-Serial interface. I’ll post updates as the project progresses and components arrive.