alan smith wrote:
> Have a client who is interested in putting a GPS module on his product.  I haven't really kept up with them, so I am looking for anyone with experiance using them and can provide me with some info or pointers.
>   
I would hazard a guess and say that I probably use in quantity more GPS 
modules than most, if not all of the active posters on the list.
> What I need is something that is readily available for 100 pc purchases, even if its 3 weeks out thats fine.  I also need it very price competitive as well.  So easy to get and cheap, not asking for too much am I?
>   
The last one I arranged for I put a listing on alibaba and/or global 
sources and ended up with a whole bunch of responses.   The one I am 
currently using is under $25 each, has an integrated patch panel, 
awesome sensitivity (typically locks on with a 3d lock within 30-60 
seconds INDOORS), and - required for my application - 1PPS output 
accurate to less than 100ns.  Email me offlist if you are interested in 
the vendor, or perhaps would be interested in sharing an order (I 
typically buy 300pcs every couple of months).     You can get them for 
significantly less if you are not picky about the 1pps output, and to a 
smaller extent, the sensitivity.    I got quotes down in the $10-15/each 
price range, but they wouldn't work for my application - typically no 
1pps output.  
> On the interface. I am thinking that they are all pretty similar in the serial link and there is some sort of standards (NMEA?) for both query and getting data back. Is this correct?
>   
Pretty much every gps module outputs nmea serial, except those which are 
USB only.   The one I am using has 3.3V TTL-level nmea serial in and 
out, and I use a 16f886 PIC to actually further process the data into a 
different (proprietary) format which is needed for my application.

-forrest
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