MicroMod GNSS RTK Carrier Board - ZED-F9P

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

AP7361C

A specific 3.3 V voltage regulator chip used to provide a stable lower voltage from the board’s input power. The regulator’s current rating matters because it limits how much 3.3 V power is available for the module and connected parts.

Galileo

Europe’s satellite navigation system. Galileo support can improve satellite availability and accuracy, especially when combined with GPS and other constellations.

GLONASS

Russia’s satellite navigation system. A receiver that can also use GLONASS has more satellites to choose from, which can improve positioning reliability when the sky view is partly blocked.

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.

L1C/A

A GPS signal band used by many GNSS receivers for standard positioning. Support for this band helps determine which satellite signals the receiver can use and how well it can maintain a location fix.

L2C

A second GPS signal band used by dual-band GNSS receivers to improve precision and reduce errors caused by the atmosphere. It matters for RTK and high-accuracy applications because using two bands can produce faster and more reliable centimetre-level fixes.

LED

A light-emitting diode is a small electronic component that lights up when current flows through it in the correct direction. In this kit, LEDs create the flashing effect, so polarity and correct soldering matter for the project to work.

M.2

A compact edge-connector format commonly used to plug small modules into a carrier board without soldering. On this product it is the physical connector used by the MicroMod system, so compatibility with the matching processor board is important.

MicroMod

A modular board system where a small processor board plugs into a separate carrier board that provides connectors, power, and peripherals. It matters because this carrier board needs a compatible MicroMod processor board before it can run your project code.

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.

PTC fuse

A resettable fuse that increases its resistance when too much current flows, helping protect the board from short circuits or overloads. It matters because it can recover after a fault instead of needing replacement like a traditional fuse.

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.

RTC

A Real-Time Clock keeps track of time even when the main processor is asleep or powered down, usually with a small backup battery. It matters for data logging and tracking projects that need accurate timestamps.

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.

SMA

A threaded coaxial connector commonly used for antennas. It matters because you need antennas with matching SMA connectors, or suitable adapters, for the LTE and GNSS antenna ports.

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.

SWD

Serial Wire Debug is a two-wire programming and debugging interface used with many microcontrollers. It matters if you need low-level access to program, recover or debug the processor board connected to this carrier.

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.

USB-C

A modern reversible USB connector used for power and data connections. On this product it matters because it can connect directly to a computer as well as to a microcontroller project.

ZED-F9P

A u-blox GNSS receiver module designed for high-precision positioning, including RTK rover and base-station use. The exact module matters because it determines the supported satellite bands, update rates, correction formats and achievable accuracy.