AXIOM Sandpiper GPS reciever

nigwhyrito · 06-27-2005, 08:34 PM

Well I am new to posting not new to reading. Just wanted to know what the experts thought about this reciver Axiom GPS reciever It has NMEA out, Serial out, and external antenna SMA connection. I think the price is good just wondering if anyone used it yet. I'm thinking about ordering one. Im a use it with Iguidance 2.1. yes I dont have the updated 2.1.1 yet.

KB5WID · 07-06-2005, 07:04 PM

I am looking at this also. It looks like it could be incorporated in to the Car PC case. I will purchase it and let you know.

antimatter · 07-06-2005, 07:24 PM

man i just bought the deluo one for 68 dollars. I wish i would have seen this a couple of days ago. Please post on your guys experiences with this

KB5WID · 07-08-2005, 11:23 PM

Got the unit in today. Now I am waiting on the antenna to get in. The connector looks like the spacing is similar to a Laptop Hard drive. I am going to go through my parts drawer and see what I can do to match it up. According to an article I found the Mouser connector is part number 538-511102050. THe unit it's self looks verry good. The operating temps look good also. -40C to 85C

I have been trying to research Axiom Navigation and it looks as if they went out of business or were bought out.

It looks like some other HAM radio operators have been looking at it too.
http://www.eham.net/forums/APRS/937

The unit also looks like the PG-11 GPS Receiver from Laipac. So we might have an inexpensive GPS solution that could be mounted inside the PC case easily.
http://www.laipac.com/gps_tf10_eng.htm

IF it works out I might get the PG-11 also as a test. (Unless Ziplock wants to try one as a sample to resell)

As soon as I have the antenna and get it working I will post more comments.

KB5WID · 07-13-2005, 10:18 PM

I have figured out that the pin spacing on the unit is the same as the 2.5" hard drives. I have cut a Laptop Hard drive to Desktop adapter to hook the unit up. I will be getting the pictures and the test results completed by this weekend.

I also noticed that the unit is the same size as the Ublox that others are working on. The unit has most of the features but not all that the Ublox has.
You could use the board that others have designed for the ublox to work with this one with minimum modifications. I.E. no MAX233 to 232 needed

More to come.

KB5WID · 07-17-2005, 06:41 PM

I have it installed now. It worked like a dream.

Here is the Connections to the PC:

PC > GPS

+5 > Pin 1
+5 > Pin 2
GND > Pin 10

Com2:
Pin2 > Pin 11
Pin3 > Pin 12
Pin5 > Pin 13

Thats it.
The board is small enought to fit in most cases without issue. I connected to the Com2 header on the VIA MII10000

The only thing that poped up when I booted the PC was the GPS coming up as a serial mouse.

The board is a great buy. If you want a GPS and don't need to move it from PC to PC this is what I feel would be a great solution at a cheep price.

THe UBLOX or PC-11 are also great choices.

BTW: I got the Active antenna from www.mobilegpsonline.com

fromplanetbob · 07-17-2005, 10:09 PM

I have seen antennas for GPSs at http://www.sparkfun.com as well.

I'd be interested in the performance of these devices. Specifically the time it takes for the reciever to first lock a position after a cold start up.

antimatter · 07-18-2005, 12:55 AM

i had no doubt it would work but just how well it would work

KB5WID · 07-18-2005, 08:25 AM

The startup for this device is quick. From a cold boot on the PC it is ready as soon as I get in to iGuidance. Since I have it tied to the internal 5V on the PC on standby it is ready to go also. The only time I have to wait about 15 - seconds is for Hibernation boot.

This morning I got 10/12 sats

I placed a thermal probe on the board to monitor the temp. This morning it was 74F when I did my tests.

Afternoon Temp was 130F

Still had 7/9 to 10/11 sats

KB5WID · 07-18-2005, 08:32 AM

The one on sparkfun at the moment is http://www.laipac.com/gps_tf30_eng.htm

The one I am using has the following startup specs:
Cold Start
< 50 seconds (average)

Warm Start
< 40 seconds (current position, time, and almanac)

Hot Start
< 8 seconds (current position, time, almanac, and ephemeris)

Snap Start
3.5 seconds (average)

Reacquisition
100 milliseconds

edikp · 07-27-2005, 12:42 PM

@KB5WID: have ever used both serial 1 & 2 on the Axiom SandPiper? Do they both work well?

KB5WID · 07-27-2005, 10:12 PM

I am not using the second port. I only needed the first port. From what I have read the second port will need the MAX232 to convert the levels for it to work.

edikp · 07-28-2005, 12:10 AM

Thanks for your reply. The 2nd serial port on my Garmin GPS25 just quit. Contemplating if I should buy the Axiom of eBay. Thanks again.

QFCK2001 · 08-04-2005, 03:06 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by KB5WID

I have it installed now. It worked like a dream.

Here is the Connections to the PC:

PC > GPS

+5 > Pin 1
+5 > Pin 2
GND > Pin 10

Com2:
Pin2 > Pin 11
Pin3 > Pin 12
Pin5 > Pin 13

Thats it.
The board is small enought to fit in most cases without issue. I connected to the Com2 header on the VIA MII10000

The only thing that poped up when I booted the PC was the GPS coming up as a serial mouse.

The board is a great buy. If you want a GPS and don't need to move it from PC to PC this is what I feel would be a great solution at a cheep price.

THe UBLOX or PC-11 are also great choices.

BTW: I got the Active antenna from www.mobilegpsonline.com

I also bought this GPS, can you tell me how to identify which is pin 1, and which is pin 2, ect??

KB5WID · 10-04-2005, 08:22 AM

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. Pin one is the pin with the white square painted on the board.

All the info on this reciever can be found at http://www.allsurplus.net/Axiom/

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