GPS is unable to enable in nRF9160 Custom PCB

[Jishnu K J]

We are trying to incorporate nRF9160 to our project. In which we need both GNSS and LTE features. The solution is a tracking device so we need the GPS functionality. We have developed a CUSTOM PCB with the nRF9160. while prototyping we have used nRF9160 devkits of nordic, we were able to get GPS fix after a couple of minutes. We are using the same firmware for the custom PCB but it wasn't getting GPS fix as expected even after waiting for couple of hours. So after browsing we could find that there is a pin called COEX0 that has to be enabled using some AT commands inorder to enable the GPS module.  https://www.zephyrproject.org/how-to-use-the-nrf9160-feather/.

Tried to add the configuration in mentioned in the attached link. But on building it was showing build error because these configurations are deprecated. Desperately tried issuing AT command directly, but didn't got any response back. Please guide us on this issue.

Thanks & Regards,

Jishnu 

[Kazi Afroza Sultana]

Hello jishnu,

It seems issue with your custom board as GPS worked on our DK. You need to ensure that COEX0 pin connection is correct on the board and not interrupted by other components. Is the customer board properly powered and the power is flowed to the other components along with GPS module and the LNA.

''Tried to add the configuration in mentioned in the attached link. But on building it was showing build error because these configurations are deprecated. ''

Can you show us the details error log?

Thanks.

BR

Kazi

[Jishnu K J]

Fullscreen 7418.ErrorLog.txt Download

 *  Executing task: nRF Connect: Generate config nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns for nRF9160Master 

Building nRF9160Master
C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /d /s /c "west build --build-dir c:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/build c:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master --pristine --board nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns -- -DNCS_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=NONE"

-- west build: generating a build system
Loading Zephyr default modules (Zephyr base).
-- Application: C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master
-- CMake version: 3.20.5
-- Found Python3: C:/ncs/toolchains/31f4403e35/opt/bin/python.exe (found suitable exact version "3.8.2") found components: Interpreter 
-- Cache files will be written to: C:/ncs/v2.4.2/zephyr/.cache
-- Zephyr version: 3.3.99 (C:/ncs/v2.4.2/zephyr)
-- Found west (found suitable version "1.0.0", minimum required is "0.7.1")
-- Board: nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns, Revision: 0.7.0
-- Found host-tools: zephyr 0.16.0 (C:/ncs/toolchains/31f4403e35/opt/zephyr-sdk)
-- Found toolchain: zephyr 0.16.0 (C:/ncs/toolchains/31f4403e35/opt/zephyr-sdk)
-- Found Dtc: C:/ncs/toolchains/31f4403e35/opt/bin/dtc.exe (found suitable version "1.4.7", minimum required is "1.4.6") 
-- Found BOARD.dts: C:/ncs/v2.4.2/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160dk_nrf9160/nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns.dts
-- Found devicetree overlay: C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/boards/nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns.overlay
-- Generated zephyr.dts: C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/build/zephyr/zephyr.dts
-- Generated devicetree_generated.h: C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/build/zephyr/include/generated/devicetree_generated.h
-- Including generated dts.cmake file: C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/build/zephyr/dts.cmake
Parsing C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/Kconfig
Loaded configuration 'C:/ncs/v2.4.2/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160dk_nrf9160/nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns_defconfig'
Merged configuration 'C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/prj.conf'

C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/prj.conf:56: warning: attempt to assign the value 'y' to the undefined symbol NRF9160_GPS_SET_COEX0

C:/Users/jishn/git/PetTapProject/nRF9160Master/prj.conf:57: warning: attempt to assign the value '"AT%XCOEX0=1,1,1565,1586"' to the undefined symbol NRF9160_GPS_COEX0_STRING

error: Aborting due to Kconfig warnings

CMake Error at C:/ncs/v2.4.2/zephyr/cmake/modules/kconfig.cmake:339 (message):
  command failed with return code: 1
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  C:/ncs/v2.4.2/nrf/cmake/modules/kconfig.cmake:29 (include)
  C:/ncs/v2.4.2/zephyr/cmake/modules/zephyr_default.cmake:115 (include)
  C:/ncs/v2.4.2/zephyr/share/zephyr-package/cmake/ZephyrConfig.cmake:66 (include)
  C:/ncs/v2.4.2/zephyr/share/zephyr-package/cmake/ZephyrConfig.cmake:92 (include_boilerplate)
  CMakeLists.txt:9 (find_package)


-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
FATAL ERROR: command exited with status 1: 'C:\ncs\toolchains\31f4403e35\opt\bin\cmake.EXE' -DWEST_PYTHON=C:/ncs/toolchains/31f4403e35/opt/bin/python.exe '-Bc:\Users\jishn\git\PetTapProject\nRF9160Master\build' -GNinja -DBOARD=nrf9160dk_nrf9160_ns -DNCS_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=NONE '-Sc:\Users\jishn\git\PetTapProject\nRF9160Master'

 *  The terminal process terminated with exit code: 1. 
 *  Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it.

Hi Kazi,
Attaching the error log here, on building the firmware. Please check. This is when we tried to build the project when adding the configurations to enable COEX0 pin