Maduino GPRS GPS A7

Introduction

Maduino GPRS GPS A7 is a main board based on the ATmega328 and GPRS/GSM GPS module A7. Which onboard with Lipo battery charge circuit and a micro SD card holder. We use the Arduino pro mini 3.3V 8MHz bootloader in this board and use the CP2104 as USB to serial to upload the code by Arduino IDE.
A7 supports quad-band 850/900/1800/1900MHz that covers any GSM network in the world. Simply insert a 2G Micro SIM card, then you are able to enchant things with cellular connectivity.
With this board, you will easy to add text, SMS, and data to your project. It is good for your smart home project or GPS tracker and so on.

Model: OAC000MA7

Features

• BAT Input Voltage: 3.4-4.2V
• ATmega328: 8MHz, 32KB flash, 2KB SRAM
• Micro SIM connector
• Integrated Power Control System
• Support AT Command
• Quad-band: 850/900/1800/1900Mz
• Support GPS
• Support GPRS data traffic, the maximum data rate, download 85.6Kbps, upload 42.8Kbps
• Support SMS text messaging
• Interface: I2C/SPI/UART/18*GPIO
• Arduino compatible
• Working Temperature: -40 – 85℃
• Default baud rate: 115200
• Size: 40*55mm

Interface Function

①PWR: Power indicate
② CHG: Charge indicate
③GPS: GPS Antenna IPX Interface
④ GSM: GPRS/GSM Antenna IPX Interface
⑤VBAT: 3.7V Lipo battery connector
⑥CHG: 5V power input, can connect the solar panel to charge the lipo battery.
⑦ STA: A7 status indicate
⑧Micro USB: 5V power input, USB to serial communication
⑨A7 serial port for firmware update
⑩RESET: Reset button for ATmega328
⑪ Serial port select：

 D0&D1  hardware serial port;
 D7&D8  Software serial port;

①Micro SIM Card Holder
②Micro SD Card Holder

Pins usage on Arduino

• D0 – RX from A7 (Hardware Serial Communication Selected)
• D1 – TX to A7 (Hardware Serial Communication Selected)
• D2 - Unused
• D3 - Unused
• D4 - SD Card CS PIN
• D5 - Low-Power Mode Control of A6 (Low active)
• D6 - Power OFF Control of A7 (High active)
• D7 - RX From A7 (Software Serial Communication Selected)
• D8 - TX to A7 (Software Serial Communication Selected)
• D9 - Power ON Control of A7 (High active)
• D10 - Unused
• D11 - Unused
• D12 - Unused
• D13 - Unused
• D14(A0) - Unused
• D15(A1) - Unused
• D16(A2) - Unused
• D17(A3) - Unused
• D18(A4) - Unused
• D19(A5) – Unused

Usage

Get GPS INFO

A7 is a GPRS/GSM+ GPS Quad-band module, with this board, we can use it as a GPS tracker, data acquisition, remote control and a lot of IOT project or smart home project.
A7 add the GPS function compare with A6, so about the GSM/GPRS demo example can refer the Maduino GPRS A7.
1.Insert a Micro SIM card
The Maduino GPRS A7 board uses the micro SIM card that is widely used in Android phone, install the Micro SIM card to the holder as below picture.

Note that some fee maybe needed for each SMS depends on your local GSM Operator, make sure that the SIM Card is active and enough money left for this application.
2.Connect the GSM,GPS Antenna and the 3.7V battery

3.Programming and Download The Codes for this application is very simple, firstly, define the Softwareserial communication port and A7 Power control pins:

//define the software serial port
SoftwareSerial mySerial(7,8);   //D7: Software serial RX   D8: Software serial TX
//define the power control pin of A7:
int pon=9;  //power on
int poff=6;  //power off
int lowp=5;   //lower power control

GPS power control

sendData("AT+GPS=1 ",1000,DEBUG);

Get current Location information

sendData("AT+GPSRD=1",1000,DEBUG);
delay(1000);
sendData("AT+GPSRD=0",1000,DEBUG);

Select the right port and Arduino board: Arduino pro mini 3.3V 8MHz to upload the firmware to Maduino GPRS GPS boards

4.Test Result
Open the monitor, it will auto print the GPS Location information, show as below:

Note: AT Command:

AT+GPS=1   //open GPS  (NEMA information output from GPS_TXD PIN, but in this board not breakout this pin, please set GPS info output from AT Command serial port)
AT+GPS=0   //close GPS
AT+GPSRD=N  //NEMA information output N	second form serial port
AT+GPSRD=0   // Close the GPS information output form serial port

GPRS Connectivity

The Maduino GPRS GPS A7 can be capable of the GPRS connectivity for Internet, to upload/download data with internet. The following simple example shows the starters how to access a website on the internet (Users need check the AT commands for how to access an website):

     sendData("AT+CCID",3000,DEBUG); 
     sendData("AT+CREG?",3000,DEBUG);     
     sendData("AT+CGATT=1",1000,DEBUG);
     sendData("AT+CGDCONT=1,\"IP\",\"CMNET\"",1000,DEBUG);
     sendData("AT+CGACT=1,1",1000,DEBUG);
     sendData("AT+CIPSTART=\"TCP\",\"gtech.co\",80",3000,DEBUG);
     sendData("AT+CIPSEND=80",1000,DEBUG);
     sendData("GET http://gtech.co/gtech.php?hello HTTP/1.0\r\n HOST:gtech.co\r\n\r\n",100,DEBUG);
     delay(10000);
     sendData("AT+CIPCLOSE ",1000,DEBUG);

If the GPRS service accessible, the Maduino board get data from the site, you can check the serial output debug info as:

[Case two]: GPRS Connectivity

Of course the Maduino GPRS A6 can be capable of the GPRS connectivity for Internet, to upload/download data with internet. The following simple example shows the starters how to access a website on the internet (Users need check the AT commands for how to access an website):

     sendData("AT+CCID",3000,DEBUG); 
     sendData("AT+CREG?",3000,DEBUG);     
     sendData("AT+CGATT=1",1000,DEBUG);
     sendData("AT+CGDCONT=1,\"IP\",\"CMNET\"",1000,DEBUG);
     sendData("AT+CGACT=1,1",1000,DEBUG);
     sendData("AT+CIPSTART=\"TCP\",\"gtech.co\",80",3000,DEBUG);
     sendData("AT+CIPSEND=80",1000,DEBUG);
     sendData("GET http://gtech.co/gtech.php?hello HTTP/1.0\r\n HOST:gtech.co\r\n\r\n",100,DEBUG);
     delay(10000);
     sendData("AT+CIPCLOSE ",1000,DEBUG);

If the GPRS service accessible, the Maduino board get data from the site, you can check the serial output debug info as:

Then you can upload/download related data from the site to create remote data acquisition or remote controlling.

FAQ

You can list you question here or contact with support@makerfabs.com for technology support.

Resources

• Demo code