Asset Tracker demo with working GPS on PCA10090?

[zigenz]

Hi there,

I’m trying to find the path-of-least resistance to get the GPS working in the Asset Tracker demo on a PCA10090 (v0.8.5), and I noticed that one of you engineers has a version working on the PCA20035 (?) board (https://github.com/joakimtoe/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/commit/44f267701578aa3c66035409cadc662fd1b829e7).  Interestingly, it seems like this is the only reference (at least according to Google) that includes CONFIG_GPS_DEV_NAME="NRF9160_GPS".

For a laugh, I took the sources from latest commit on the gps_psm_dk branch of the said fw-nrfconnect-nrf repo and tried to build it against the other components pulled in with official v1.0.0 west release – didn’t go too well.  Transcript is below:

Loading solution asset_tracker.emProject

Executing load commands

cmake -GNinja -DBOARD=nrf9160_pca10090ns -DBOARD_DIR=/home/<user>/nordic/ncs/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160_pca10090 -DZEPHYR_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT=gnuarmemb -DGNUARMEMB_TOOLCHAIN_PATH=/home/<user>/gnuarmemb7-2018q2 -B/home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/applications/asset_tracker/build_nrf9160_pca10090ns -H/home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/applications/asset_tracker -DEXTRA_KCONFIG_TARGETS=menuconfig_ses -DEXTRA_KCONFIG_TARGET_COMMAND_FOR_menuconfig_ses=/home/<user>/segger-em-studio/html/configure_nordic_project_menuconfig.py

-- Using application from '/home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/applications/asset_tracker'

Zephyr version: 1.14.99

-- Selected BOARD nrf9160_pca10090ns

-- Found west: /home/<user>/.local/bin/west (found suitable version "0.5.8", minimum required is "0.5.6")

-- Cache files will be written to: /home/<user>/.cache/zephyr

USING OUT OF TREE BOARD

-- Loading /home/<user>/nordic/ncs/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160_pca10090/nrf9160_pca10090ns.dts as base

-- Overlaying /home/<user>/nordic/ncs/zephyr/dts/common/common.dts

nrf9160_pca10090ns.dts.pre.tmp:269.19-275.3: Warning (unique_unit_address_if_enabled): /soc/peripheral@40000000/clock@5000: duplicate unit-address (also used in node /soc/peripheral@40000000/power@5000)

Parsing Kconfig tree in /home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/applications/asset_tracker/Kconfig

Loading /home/<user>/nordic/ncs/zephyr/boards/arm/nrf9160_pca10090/nrf9160_pca10090ns_defconfig as base

Merging /home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/applications/asset_tracker/prj.conf

 

/home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/applications/asset_tracker/prj.conf:39: warning: attempt to assign the value 'y' to the undefined symbol CLOUD_API

 

/home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/applications/asset_tracker/prj.conf:51: warning: attempt to assign the value 'y' to the undefined symbol NRF9160_GPS

 

/home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/applications/asset_tracker/prj.conf:52: warning: attempt to assign the value 'y' to the undefined symbol NRF9160_GPS_LOG_LEVEL_DBG

 

warning: FLASH_MAP (defined at subsys/storage/flash_map/Kconfig:12) has direct dependencies FLASH_HAS_DRIVER_ENABLED with value n, but is currently being y-selected by the following symbols:

 - MCUBOOT_IMG_MANAGER (defined at subsys/dfu/Kconfig:25), with value y, direct dependencies <choice> (value: y), and select condition <choice> (value: y)

 

Error: Aborting due to non-whitelisted Kconfig warning '/home/<user>/nordic/ncs/fw-nrfconnect-

nrf/applications/asset_tracker/prj.conf:39: warning: attempt to assign the value 'y' to the

undefined symbol CLOUD_API'. Note: If this warning doesn't point to an actual problem, you can add

it to the whitelist at the top of /home/<user>/nordic/ncs/zephyr/scripts/kconfig/kconfig.py.

 

CMake Error at /home/<user>/nordic/ncs/zephyr/cmake/kconfig.cmake:200 (message):

  command failed with return code: 1

Call Stack (most recent call first):

  /home/<user>/nordic/ncs/zephyr/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake:529 (include)

  CMakeLists.txt:11 (include)

 

Was hoping someone could provide some guidance to assist getting this working on a PCA10090 board please.  FYI, I have run Håkon Alseth’s GPS demo (https://github.com/Rallare/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/tree/master/samples/nrf9160/gps) and it worked  as expected.

Sincere thanks in advance for your assistance.

Best regards,
Z

[zigenz]

Hi octvargas,

I wouldn't waste my time trying to debug two issues at once (GPS electrical + software function).  First confirm you can get the basic GPS demo working (github.com/.../gps).  Once you have this working, you at least know that any problems are only software.

Presumably you know that 0.8.5 is the earliest version of the board with the passive GPS antenna working?  Any board revision prior to 0.8.5 requires a bias tee and active antenna to get a real GPS signal - see this Nordic blog post for more detailed info: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/cellular-iot-guides/b/hardware-design/posts/external-gps-antenna-on-nrf9160-dk.

Best regards,
Z

[octvargas]

Hi zigenz,

Thanks, I have an active antenna but you're telling me I also need a bias-tee? Is there one you recommend? Thanks for your help

[zigenz]

Hi octvargas,

The link I supplied in my previous response referencing the Nordic blog post gives the official Nordic guidelines on compatible hardware.  They state that "most any RF Bias-Tee will work", and provide some examples.

Good luck!

Best regards,
Z

[ERIK]

Håkon Alseth what is the status of getting a version of asset tracker that will support real GPS data?  Is this something that is being worked on, to get the remaining issues noted elsewhere in this post resolved?

Thanks,

Erik

[Håkon Alseth]

It was merged into master last week. I also added a simpler sample to my github: https://github.com/Rallare/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/tree/nrf9160_samples/samples/nrf9160/udp_gps

Kind regards, Håkon