3
Cell UART
RX
Cell module's data receive (4800 baud).
7
Cell boot
pin
This pin has the same control over the module
as the BOOT button (explained below).
8
GPS UART
TX
GPS module's data output (115200 baud).
9
GPS UART
RX
GPS module's data receive.
Cell and GPS UARTs
Communication with the cellular and GPS module’s occurs on two separate
serial UARTs. To leave the Arduino’s hardware UART free for debugging
and uploading sketches, both UARTs are broken out to digital pins –
intended for use with the SoftwareSerial library.
Because the SoftwareSerial library can’t reliably support high-ish baud
rates, we’ve intentionally slowed down the MG2639’s cellular UART to
4800
bps
, rather than the module’s default bit rate of 115200. This slower rate
ensure data reliability, and gives the Arduino some extra time to process
large strings.
The
GPS UART is hard-coded to 115200 baud
, which make it harder to
use with SoftwareSerial. Instead, we recommend using the AltSoftSerial
library with this part of the module.
Either of the two UARTS (the cell or GPS) can be switched over to the
Arduino’s hardware UART. Check out the “Jumpers” section below for more
information.
LED Status Indicators
There are a trio of LEDs on the MG2639 Cellular Shield which indicate
connectivity or power status:
•
POWER
– This red LED is connected to the MG2639 module’s
power supply line. If this LED is on, the module is receiving power.
•
RSSI
– This green LED indicates the status of your cellular network.
It’ll blink at various rates to show what state it’s in:
◦
OFF – The module is powering on (assuming it has power).
◦
1 Hz blink – Module is idle.
◦
3 Hz blink – Searching for a network.
◦
5 Hz blink – Module is in a traffic state (a phone call or data
transmission).
•
GPS
– GPS fix indicator. This yellow LED will illuminate when the
MG2639’s GPS module gets a solid fix.
Boot & Reset Buttons
Two buttons labeled “BOOT” and “RESET” are built into the shield. The
“RESET” button is simply the Arduino reset, it’ll have no direct effect on the
MG2639.
Page 4 of 22