SparkPNT GNSS Flex Module - LG580P

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

1PPS

One Pulse Per Second is a precise timing signal often provided by a satellite positioning receiver. It matters when a project needs very accurate time alignment, such as timestamping logged data.

B1I

A BeiDou satellite signal used for standard positioning. It matters because the receiver must support the signal bands used by a constellation to take advantage of those satellites.

B2a

A BeiDou satellite signal used by newer dual-band GNSS receivers. Support for B2a can improve accuracy and reliability when combined with other GNSS bands.

baud

Baud is the signalling rate of a serial connection, often used as the speed setting for UART communication. Matching the baud rate matters because both connected devices must use the same setting for readable data.

BDS

BeiDou, China’s satellite navigation system. Support for BDS gives the receiver access to more satellites, which can help maintain a better position fix in challenging locations.

E1

A Galileo satellite signal band used for standard positioning. Knowing which signal bands are supported helps you judge compatibility and expected performance of a GNSS receiver.

E5a

A Galileo satellite signal band used for higher-performance positioning services. Support for E5a can help dual-band GNSS receivers improve accuracy and reduce errors from atmospheric delay.

EGNOS

Europe’s SBAS service for improving GNSS positioning accuracy and reliability. It is relevant if the receiver will be used in Europe or nearby supported areas without an RTK correction link.

GAGAN

India’s SBAS service for improving GNSS positioning. It matters for projects in its coverage region because it can improve standard GNSS accuracy when RTK is not being used.

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.

Headers

Rows of metal pins used to plug a module into a breadboard or connect it with jumper wires. Pre-soldered headers make the module easier to use straight away without needing to solder the pins yourself.

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.

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.

L5

A modern GNSS signal band used by several satellite systems for more accurate and robust positioning. Dual-band receivers that include L5 can often perform better than single-band receivers, especially for RTK and areas with reflected signals.

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.

MSAS

Japan’s SBAS service for improving GNSS positioning. It is useful to know because SBAS benefits depend on whether your project is located in the service’s coverage area.

NMEA 0183

A standard text-based data format used by GPS and GNSS receivers to send position, time and satellite information. If your microcontroller or software can read NMEA 0183, it can usually parse basic location data from this kit.

pHAT

A smaller add-on board format for Raspberry Pi, similar in idea to a HAT but usually not full-sized. It matters because pHAT compatibility can affect how neatly a board stacks or fits into a Raspberry Pi project.

QZSS

Japan’s regional satellite navigation system designed to improve coverage around Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. QZSS support can improve satellite availability in supported regions when used alongside GPS.

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.

SBAS

Satellite-Based Augmentation System, a set of regional services that broadcast correction information for GNSS receivers. SBAS can improve ordinary GPS-style positioning, although it is not the same as centimetre-level RTK correction.

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.

u.FL

u.FL is a tiny snap-on antenna connector often used on compact wireless boards. A board with u.FL usually needs an external antenna, which matters if the product will be inside an enclosure or needs better antenna placement.

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.

WAAS

A North American SBAS service that provides correction data for GNSS receivers. It matters if you are using the product in a supported region and want better non-RTK positioning accuracy.