GPS-RTK Board - NEO-M8P-2 (Qwiic)

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

3.3V TTL

3.3V TTL means the serial logic signals use 3.3 volt levels rather than 5 volts. This matters because connecting it directly to a 5V-only signal can damage the module or cause unreliable communication unless level shifting is used.

breakout

A breakout is a small circuit board that makes a tiny or hard-to-solder component easier to connect to with standard pins. It matters because this OLED module can be wired into a microcontroller project without needing to solder directly to the display’s fine contacts.

COM port

A COM port is the way many computers present a USB-connected serial device to software. It matters because it lets you configure or read the board from a computer using serial terminal tools or navigation software.

GNSS

GNSS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, covering positioning systems such as GPS and similar satellite networks. It matters here because high-precision GNSS modules can output lots of serial position data that this product can send wirelessly to a computer or phone.

GPS

The US satellite navigation system used by GNSS receivers to calculate position and time. Support for GPS is important because it is widely available and often used together with other constellations for more reliable positioning.

I2C

I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.

I2C address

An I2C address is the number a device uses so a microcontroller can tell it apart from other devices on the same I2C bus. It matters because two devices with the same fixed address may conflict if used together.

multiplexer

A multiplexer is a chip or board that lets one controller switch between several devices that would otherwise conflict on the same bus. It matters here because multiple modules with the same I2C address cannot normally share one I2C bus without extra hardware.

NEO-M8P-2

A u-blox GNSS receiver module that supports high-precision RTK positioning. The exact module matters because it determines the board’s accuracy, update rates, supported interfaces, and whether it can work as a rover or base station.

PVT

Position, velocity and time data reported by a GNSS receiver. Knowing the PVT update rate helps you judge how often the board can provide basic navigation information to your project.

Qwiic

Qwiic is a plug-in connector system for I2C devices that uses small 4-pin cables, so you can connect compatible sensors without soldering. It matters because your controller or adapter also needs Qwiic, or you will need a cable or breakout to wire it up.

RTCM 3.x

RTCM 3.x is a standard data format used to send GNSS correction information from a base station to a rover. It matters because both ends of an RTK setup need to understand the correction format to achieve high-accuracy positioning.

RTK

Real-Time Kinematic positioning is a GNSS technique that uses correction data from a base station to greatly improve location accuracy. It matters if you need centimetre-level positioning for robotics, mapping, surveying, or tracking rather than ordinary metre-level GPS accuracy.

SPI

A fast serial communication bus often used for displays, memory cards, and sensors. It matters because SPI devices need specific pins for clock and data, plus a separate chip-select line for each device.

Survey-in mode

A GNSS base-station setup process where the receiver averages its position over time to establish a fixed reference location. It matters when you want this board to generate correction data for an RTK rover.

UART

UART is a simple serial connection that sends data over separate transmit and receive wires, often labelled TX and RX. It matters because this module is designed to replace a wired UART cable with a wireless link while keeping the same serial data format.

UBX binary protocol

UBX is u-blox’s binary communication protocol for sending configuration commands and receiving detailed navigation data. It matters when you want faster, more compact, or more complete data than standard text-based GPS messages can provide.