Datasheet

This is the raw GPS "NMEA sentence" output from the GPS module. There are a few different kinds of NMEA

sentences, the most common ones people use are the $GPRMC (Global Positioning Recommended

Minimum Coordinates or something like that) and the $GPGGA sentences. These two provide the time, date, latitude,

longitude, altitude, estimated land speed, and fix type. Fix type indicates whether the GPS has locked onto the satellite

data and received enough data to determine the location (2D fix) or location+altitude (3D fix).

For more details about NMEA sentences and what data they contain, check out this site (https://adafru.it/aMk)

If your data looks like this, with a lot of commas, with no data in between them. That's because this module is does not

have a 'fix'. DONT FORGET To get a fix, we need to put the module or antenna outside or have it able to see the sky!

OK lets look at a good NMEA sentence with 'fix'

Something that starts with $GPRMC like:

GPS modules will always send data EVEN IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX! In order to get 'valid' (not-blank)

data you must have the GPS module directly outside, with the square ceramic antenna pointing up with a

clear sky view. In ideal conditions, the module can get a fix in under 45 seconds. however depending on your

location, satellite configuration, solar flares, tall buildings nearby, RF noise, etc it may take up to half an hour

(or more) to get a fix! This does not mean your GPS module is broken, the GPS module will always work as

fast as it can to get a fix.

$GPRMC,194509.000,A,4042.6142,N,07400.4168,W,2.03,221.11,160412,,,A*77