# GPS module for SparkCore

**URL:** <https://community.particle.io/t/gps-module-for-sparkcore/558>\
**Category:** Hardware\
**Created:** [November 24, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/gps-module-for-sparkcore/558 "2013-11-24T19:46:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![omarojo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/community.particle.io/omarojo/32/690_2.png) [@omarojo](https://community.particle.io/u/omarojo)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/gps-module-for-sparkcore/558/1 "2013-11-24T19:46:14Z")

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Hi, I would like to know how to integrate a GPS module to SparkCore,  
I need to create a device that sends realtime GPS location to a central server or for mobile app to ask for location on demand via Rested API (SparkCore already do this, thats why I need it). I have vehicles with Wifi hotspot already integrated so I will connect SparkCore to vehicle wifihotspot and expect it to start sending location.

The question here is… what GPS module do I need and how to integrate it with SparkCore. I know theres the Arduino shield for sparkcore where I can plugin another Arduino GPS shield or something like that… but I think this is too complicated for what I want to achieve.

Thanks for your advice.

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**Author:** ![contractorwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@contractorwolf](https://community.particle.io/u/contractorwolf)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/gps-module-for-sparkcore/558/2 "2013-12-02T16:20:16Z")

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Hey, nice project idea. I have been playing with this one:

> **[Adafruit Ultimate GPS Breakout - 66 channel w/10 Hz updates](https://www.adafruit.com/product/746)**
>
> We carry a few different GPS modules here in the Adafruit shop, but none that satisfied our every desire - that's why we designed this little GPS breakout board. We believe this is the ...

  
with a few of my arduino projects. Adafruit wrote a nice GPS library for decoding the data, but I believe that you can just connect to it via SPI (or standard serial, tx/rx) and it should just spit out all the GPS senstences. It may require some AT commands to change what it outputs but you should be able to see and parse them yourself.

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**Author:** ![omarojo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/community.particle.io/omarojo/32/690_2.png) [@omarojo](https://community.particle.io/u/omarojo)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/gps-module-for-sparkcore/558/3 "2013-12-02T18:55:24Z")

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Some one suggested this GPS module in the sparkcore irc channel.

> **[GPS Receiver - GP-735 (56 Channel) - GPS-13670 - SparkFun Electronics](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11571)**
>
> The GP-735 is a slim, ultra-high performance, easy to use GPS smart antenna receiver. With -162dBm tracking sensitivity and only 29 second cold start time,

Im really not quite sure if this module could be integrated DIRECTLY to the sparkcore.  
I see it uses TTL serial, im not much of an electrician, **I really would like to know how that module should be connected to sparkcore terminals.**

Also I found this arduino library affirming its made for that same gps module: [https://github.com/WiFau/WiGPS](https://github.com/WiFau/WiGPS)

Im told sparkcore supports arduino code, so I guess I could use that one.

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**Author:** ![nigle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dec6dc/32.png) [@nigle](https://community.particle.io/u/nigle)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.particle.io/t/gps-module-for-sparkcore/558/4 "2013-12-03T23:10:10Z")

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> Im really not quite sure if this module could be integrated DIRECTLY to the sparkcore.  
> I see it uses TTL serial

TTL serial is exactly what the SparkCore needs. An additional complication is that TTL serial can operate at several different voltages, most commonly 5V and 3.3V. The SparkCore requires 3.3V, which is the same as the GPS module. I haven't had a chance to look at the software side yet, I completely forgot I had signed up to the Kickstarter project until I got the shipping notification yesterday!