Hi everyone, I wanted to share my experience with the nRF9160 DK and its GPS functionality. I’ve been working on getting the GPS to function properly in standalone mode, and it’s been a bit of a journey. Let me walk you through what I’ve learned.
Initially, I followed the standard approach of enabling LTE, NB-IoT, and GNSS simultaneously. I set up the system mode with the appropriate AT commands and powered on the modem. Everything seemed to be in order—I could see multiple satellites being tracked. However, despite having enough satellites, the GPS fix just wouldn’t lock in. It was frustrating because the logs showed that the satellites were being detected, but there was no position data.
After some research and trial and error, I stumbled upon a different approach. Instead of enabling LTE and GNSS together, I decided to isolate the GNSS functionality. I powered off the modem, set the system mode to only enable GNSS, and then powered it back on in a reduced functionality mode. To my delight, the GPS fix locked in within just a couple of minutes! It was a relief to finally see the coordinates stabilize.
This experience taught me the importance of isolating system components when troubleshooting. Sometimes, enabling multiple functionalities can introduce unexpected conflicts or resource limitations. By simplifying the setup and focusing solely on GNSS, I was able to achieve the desired result.
I’d love to hear from others who might have encountered similar issues or have insights into optimizing GPS performance on the nRF9160. Whether you’re working on a project or just exploring the capabilities of this hardware, sharing experiences can really help us all learn and improve.
Happy coding and tinkering! 