SparkFun MicroMod GNSS Function Board – NEO-M9N

The SparkFun NEO-M9N GNSS Function Board is a high-quality, geospatial board with equally impressive configuration options. The NEO-M9N module that is populated on this board is a 92-channel u-blox M9 engine GNSS receiver, meaning it can receive signals from the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou constellations with ~1.5 meter accuracy. This Function Board supports concurrent reception of four GNSS. This maximizes position accuracy in challenging conditions, increasing precision and decreases lock time; and thanks to the onboard rechargeable battery, you’ll have backup power enabling the GPS to get a hot lock within seconds!

Utilizing our handy M.2 MicroMod connector, no soldering is required to connect it to your system. Simply match up the key on your processor and function board’s bevelled edge connector to their respective key on the M.2 connector, then secure them to the Main Board with screws. Once connected, you’ll have the option of choosing either the UART, SPI, or I²C (u-blox calls this Display Data Channel) port to communicate with the NEO-M9N.

The NEO-M9N module detects jamming and spoofing events and can report them to the host, so that the system can react to such events. A SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) filter combined with an LNA (Low Noise Amplifier) in the RF path is integrated into the NEO-M9N module which allows normal operation even under strong RF interferences.

U-blox based GPS products are configurable using the popular, but dense, Windows program called u-center. Plenty of different functions can be configured on the NEO-M9N: baud rates, update rates, geofencing, spoofing detection, external interrupts, SBAS/D-GPS, etc. All of this can be done within the SparkFun Arduino Library via the I²C bus!

The SparkFun GNSS Function Board – NEO-M9N includes a USB type C connector when configuring the module with u-center. Power is provided through the Function Board’s edge pins and regulated down through the 3.3V voltage regulator. Two status LEDs are also included for 3V3 and PPS, which can be disabled by cutting the jumpers on the back of the board. A 1×3 header is populated on the board and includes a 2-pin selectable jumper when selecting the communication protocol between SPI or Serial/I²C. For advanced users, there are jumpers to disable the write protection for the EEPROM (WP), disconnecting the pull-up resistors (I2C), and placing the module in safe boot mode (SAFEBOOT). A U.FL connector is provided to connect a GNSS antenna of your choice to the module. The board is equipped with an onboard rechargeable battery that provides power to the RTC on the NEO-M9N. This reduces the time-to-first fix from a cold start (~24s) to a hot start (~2s). The battery will maintain RTC and GNSS orbit data without being connected to power for plenty of time.

Note: The SparkFun MicroMod GNSS Function Board – NEO-M9N does NOT include a MicroMod Artemis Processor Board, MicroMod Main Board – Single, U.FL adapter, or GNSS antenna. These components will need to be purchased separately.

This product requires an antenna: Be sure to pick a suitable antenna for your project.

Get Started with the MicroMod GNSS Function Board (NEO-M9N)

Features

• 92-Channel GNSS Receiver
• 1.5m Horizontal Accuracy
• 25Hz Max Update Rate (four concurrent GNSS)
• Time-To-First-Fix:
  • Cold: 24s
  • Hot: 2s
• Max Altitude: 80,000m
• Max G: ≤4
• Max Velocity: 500m/s
• Velocity Accuracy: 0.05m/s
• Heading Accuracy: 0.3 degrees
• Time Pulse Accuracy: 30ns
• 3.3V VCC and I/O
  • Current Consumption (tracking, continuous mode)
    • ~36mA @ 3.0V GPS+GLONASS+GALILEO+BEIDOU
    • ~31mA @ 3.0V GPS+GLONASS
    • ~27mA @ 3.0V GPS
• Software Configurable
  • Geofencing
  • Odometer
  • Spoofing Detection
  • External Interrupt
  • Pin Control
  • Low Power Mode
  • Many others!
• Supports NMEA, UBX, and RTCM protocols over SPI, USB, UART, or I2C interfaces
• 3.3V/600mA AP2112K Voltage Regulator
• 1.5mAh battery backup for RTC
• Isolation switch for all MicroMod M.2 connections
• LEDs
  • 3V3 – 3.3v Power
  • PPS – Pulse Per Second Indicator
• Jumpers
  • 3v3 LED
  • PPS LED
  • BUS SELECT
    • SPI or Serial/I2C
  • I2C
  • SAFEBOOT
  • WP
• Connectors and Ports
  • 1x M.2 (Solderless access to NEO-M9N via SPI, UART, and I²C)
  • 1x USB Type C (Configuring NEO-M9N module)
  • 1x u.Fl (for use with GNSS antenna of your choice)

Resources

MicroMod GNSS Function Board Documentation:

• Schematic
• Eagle Files
• Board Dimensions
• Hookup Guide
• Building a GPS System
• u-blox NEO-M9N Documents & Resources
• SparkFun u-blox GNSS Arduino Library
• GitHub Hardware Repo

NEO-M9N Documentation

• Datasheet
• Product Summary
• Integration Manual
• u-blox Protocol Specification
• u-blox ECCN
• u-center Software

MicroMod Documentation

• Getting Started with MicroMod
• Designing with MicroMod
• MicroMod Info Page
• MicroMod Forums