GPS                                                                                            
Product series                                                                            With HOLUX, You never lose the way! 
 
 
 
 
GR-86 
 
GPS Engine Board 
 
 
 
User’s Guide 
Mar. 17, 2005 
Version A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HOLUX    Technology Inc. 
1F, No. 30, R&D Rd. II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan.
Phone: +886-3-6687000    Fax: +886-3-6687111 
E-Mail: 
info@holux.com.tw Web: www.holux.com.tw 
 
All Right Reserved 
 
 
HOLUX Technology, Inc. 
1F, No.30, R&D Rd.II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan 
TEL: 886-3-6687000 FAX: 886-3-6687111 E-mail:info@holux.com.tw Website:www.holux.com.tw 
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GPS                                                                                            
Product series                                                                            With HOLUX, You never lose the way! 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
1. Introduction .................................................................................................3 
2. Main Feature .............................................................................................3 
3. Technical Specifications..................................................................4 
3.1. Electrical Characteristics.................................................................4 
3.2. Environmental Characteristics .....................................................5 
3.3. Physical Characteristics ...................................................................5 
4. Software Interface ................................................................................6 
4.1 NMEA Transmitted Messages .......................................................6 
4.2 RTCM Received Data ......................................................................12 
4.3 . Manufacturing Default: ................................................................13 
5. Mechanical Dimensions ...............................................................14 
5.1 . GR-86 outline:...................................................................................14 
5.2 . Pin assignment of connector : ...................................................14 
6. Operation and Test ............................................................................15 
 
 
 
 
 
HOLUX Technology, Inc. 
1F, No.30, R&D Rd.II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan 
TEL: 886-3-6687000 FAX: 886-3-6687111 E-mail:info@holux.com.tw Website:www.holux.com.tw 
2
GPS                                                                                            
Product series                                                                            With HOLUX, You never lose the way! 
1. Introduction 
HOLUX GR-86 is a high performance, low power consumption, small size, 
very  easy  integrated  GPS  engine  board  designed  for  a  broad  spectrum  of 
OEM  system  applications.  This  product  is  based  on  the  proven  technology 
found  in  other  HOLUX  20  channel  GPS  receivers  and  SiRFstar  III  chipset 
solution. The GPS engine board will track up to 20 satellites at a time while 
providing  fast  time-to-first-fix  and  one-second  navigation  updates.  Its  far 
reaching capability meets the sensitivity requirements of car navigation as well 
as other location-based applications. Therefore, HOLUX GR-86 engine board 
is very fit to the customers who devote themselves to AVL system integration 
and location-based service. 
The GR-86 design utilizes the latest surface mount technology (BGA) and 
high level circuit integration to achieve superior performance while minimizing 
space  and  power  requirements.  This  hardware  capability  combined  with 
software intelligence makes the board easy to be integrated and used in all 
kinds  of  navigation  applications  or  products.  The  application  system  may 
communicate with the engine board set via TTL voltage level. 
 
2. Main Feature 
  Build on high performance SiRFstarIII chipset. 
  Average Cold Start time and under 42 seconds. 
  Low power consumption 
  20 channels “All-in-View” tracking. 
  Integrated ARM7TDMI CPU with software engineering services and 
available for embedded customer defined applications. 
  On chip 4Mb SRAM.   
  Dual TTL level serial ports with one for GPS receiver command message 
interface, another one for RTCM-104 DGPS input. 
  Compact Board Size 24x24x2.7mm for easy integration into hand-held 
device. 
  Reacquisition Time:0.1 seconds 
  Support Standard NMEA-0183 and SiRF Binary protocol 
  Support Accurate 1PPS Output Signal Aligned with GPS Timing 
  Multi-path Mitigation Hardware 
  On-board RTCM SC-104 DGPS and WAAS /EGNOS Demodulator 
HOLUX Technology, Inc. 
1F, No.30, R&D Rd.II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan 
TEL: 886-3-6687000 FAX: 886-3-6687111 E-mail:info@holux.com.tw Website:www.holux.com.tw 
3
GPS                                                                                            
Product series                                                                            With HOLUX, You never lose the way! 
3. Technical Specifications 
3.1. Electrical Characteristics 
3.1.1 General 
1).  Frequency:L1, 1575.42 MHz. 
2).  C/A code:1.023 MHz chip rate. 
3).  Channels:20 
 
3.1.2 Accuracy (Open Sky) 
1).  Position:10 meters, 2D RMS. 
2).  7 meters 2D RMS, WAAS corrected. 
3).  1-5 meters, DGPS corrected. 
4).  Time 1 microsecond synchronized to GPS time. 
 
3.1.3 Datum 
1).  Default:WGS-84. 
2).  Other Support different datum by request. 
 
3.1.4 Acquisition Rate (Open sky, stationary requirements) 
1).  Reacquisition:0.1 sec., average. 
2).  Hot start:1 sec., average. 
3).  Warm start:38 sec., average. 
4).  Cold start:42 sec., average. 
 
3.1.5 Dynamic Conditions 
1).  Altitude : 18,000 meters (<60,000 feet) Max 
2).  Velocity:736 m/s (<1,000 knots) Max 
3).  Acceleration:4 G, Max 
4).  Jerk:20 meters/second, Max 
 
3.1.6 Power 
1).  Input power input:3.3~5.5VDC input 
2).  Input current: Less than 80mA (without antenna) 
 
3.1.7 RF interface 
1).  Minimum signal tracked: -159dBm 
 
HOLUX Technology, Inc. 
1F, No.30, R&D Rd.II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan 
TEL: 886-3-6687000 FAX: 886-3-6687111 E-mail:info@holux.com.tw Website:www.holux.com.tw 
4
GPS                                                                                            
Product series                                                                            With HOLUX, You never lose the way! 
3.1.8 Serial Port 
1).  Two full duplex serial communication, TTL interface, with user 
selectable baud rate (4800-Default, 9600, 19200, 38400) 
2).  NMEA 0183 Version 2.2 ASCII output (GGA, GSA, GSV, RMC (VTG , 
GLL and ZDA for optional)) 
3).  DGPS protocol RTCM SC-104 message types 1, 2 and 9 
4).  SiRF binary-position, velocity, altitude, status output 
 
3.1.9 TIMEMARK-1PPS Pulse 
1).  Level TTL 
2).  Pulse duration 100ms 
3).  Time reference At the pulse positive edge 
4).  Measurements Aligned to GPS second, ±1 microsecond 
 
3.2. Environmental Characteristics 
1).  Operating temperature range -40  ℃  to +85  ℃ 
2).  Storage temperature range -45  ℃  to +100  ℃ 
. 
3.3. Physical Characteristics 
1)  Active Size:    24(W) x 24(D) x 2.7(H) (mm)   
2)  Weight: less than 2 g 
 
HOLUX Technology, Inc. 
1F, No.30, R&D Rd.II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan 
TEL: 886-3-6687000 FAX: 886-3-6687111 E-mail:info@holux.com.tw Website:www.holux.com.tw 
5
GPS                                                                                            
Product series                                                                            With HOLUX, You never lose the way! 
4. Software Interface 
The GR-86 interface protocol is based on the National Marine Electronics 
Association's  NMEA  0183  ASCⅡ  interface  specification,  which  is  defined  in 
NMEA  0183,  Version  2.2  and  the  Radio  Technical  Commission  for  Maritime 
Services  (RTCM  Recommended  Standards  For  Differential  Navstar  GPS 
Service, Version 2.1, RTCM Special Committee No.104).   
 
As soon as the initial self-test is complete, the GR-86 begins the process 
of satellite acquisition and tracking automatically. Under normal circumstances, 
it  takes  approximately  42  seconds  to  achieve  a  position  fix,  38  seconds  if 
ephemeris data is known. After a position fix has been calculated, information 
about valid position, velocity and time is transmitted over the output channel. 
 
The GR-86 utilizes initial data, such as last stored position, date, time and 
satellite  orbital  data,  to  achieve  maximum  acquisition  performance.  If 
significant inaccuracy exists in the initial data, or the orbital data is obsolete, it 
may take more time to achieve a navigation solution.    The GR-86 Auto-locate 
feature is capable of automatically determining a  navigation solution without 
intervention from the host system.    However, acquisition performance can be 
improved as the host system initializes the GR-86 in the following situation: 
 
4.1 NMEA Transmitted Messages 
The default communication parameters for NMEA output are 4800 baud, 8 
data bits, stop bit, and no parity. 
Table 4-1 NMEA-0183 Output Messages 
NMEA Record 
Description 
GPGGA 
GPGLL 
GPGSA 
GPGSV 
GPRMC 
GPVTG 
GPMSS 
GPZDA 
Global positioning system fixed data 
Geographic position- latitude/longitude 
GNSS DOP and active satellites 
GNSS satellites in view 
Recommended minimum specific GNSS data 
Course over ground and ground speed 
Radio-beacon  Signal-to-noise 
frequency, etc. 
PPS timing message (synchronized to PPS) 
ratio,  signal  strength, 
HOLUX Technology, Inc. 
1F, No.30, R&D Rd.II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan 
TEL: 886-3-6687000 FAX: 886-3-6687111 E-mail:info@holux.com.tw Website:www.holux.com.tw 
6
GPS                                                                                            
Product series                                                                            With HOLUX, You never lose the way! 
 
4.1.1 Global Positioning System Fix Data (GGA) 
 
Table 4-2 contains the values for the following example: 
 
$GPGGA,161229.487,3723.2475,N,12158.3416,W,1,07,1.0,9.0,M, , , ,0000*18 
 
Table 4-2 GGA Data Format 
Units 
Description 
Example 
$GPGGA
161229.487
3723.2475
GGA protocol header 
hhmmss.sss 
ddmm.mmmm 
N=north or S=south 
dddmm.mmmm 
E=east or W=west 
See Table 5-3 
Range 0 to 12 
Horizontal Dilution of Precision 
 
 
 
 
Name 
Message ID   
UTC Time 
Latitude 
N/S Indicator 
Longitude 
E/W Indicator 
Position Fix Indicator 
Satellites Used   
HDOP 
MSL Altitude (1) 
Units 
Geoid Separation(1) 
Units 
Age of Diff. Corr.   
Diff. Ref. Station ID 
Checksum 
  
(1). SiRF Technology Inc. does not support geoid corrections. Values are WGS84 ellipsoid heights. 
 
Table 4-3 Position Fix Indicator 
Meters 
Meters 
Meters 
Meters 
second  Null fields when DGPS is not used 
 
 
End of message termination 
N 
W 
1 
07 
1.0 
9.0 
M 
 
M 
 
0000 
*18 
 
12158.3416
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Value 
0 
1 
2 
3 
Description 
0 Fix not available or invalid 
GPS SPS Mode, fix valid 
Differential GPS, SPS Mode, fix valid 
GPS PPS Mode, fix valid 
 
4.1.2 Geographic Position with Latitude/Longitude(GLL) 
Table 4-4 contains the values for the following example: 
HOLUX Technology, Inc. 
1F, No.30, R&D Rd.II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan 
TEL: 886-3-6687000 FAX: 886-3-6687111 E-mail:info@holux.com.tw Website:www.holux.com.tw 
7
GPS                                                                                            
Product series                                                                            With HOLUX, You never lose the way! 
 
$GPGLL,3723.2475,N,12158.3416,W,161229.487,A*2C 
 
Table 4-4 GLL Data Format 
Units 
Description 
Name 
N 
W 
Example 
$GPGLL  
3723.2475  
 
12158.3416  
 
161229.487  
 
 
 
Message ID 
Latitude   
N/S Indicator   
Longitude 
E/W Indicator 
UTC Position 
Status 
Checksum 
  
 
4.1.3 GNSS DOP and Active Satellites (GSA) 
 
Table 4-5 contains the values for the following example: 
 
A 
*2C 
 
GLL protocol header 
ddmm.mmmm 
N/S Indicator N N=north or S=south 
dddmm.mmmm 
E=east or W=west 
hhmmss.sss 
A=data valid or V=data not valid 
 
End of message termination 
$GPGSA,A,3,07,02,26,27,09,04,15, , , , , ,1.8,1.0,1.5*33 
 
 
Table 4-5 GSA Data Format 
Units 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Description 
Example 
$GPGSA
A 
3 
07 
02 
   
   
1.8 
1.0 
1.5 
*33 
Name 
Message ID   
Mode 1 
Mode 2 
Satellite Used(1) 
Satellite Used(1) 
…… 
Satellite Used(1) 
PDOP 
HDOP 
VDOP 
Checksum   
  
1. Satellite used in solution. 
 
HOLUX Technology, Inc. 
1F, No.30, R&D Rd.II, Hsin-Chu City 300, Science-based Industrial Park, Taiwan 
TEL: 886-3-6687000 FAX: 886-3-6687111 E-mail:info@holux.com.tw Website:www.holux.com.tw 
GSA protocol header 
See Table 5-6 
See Table 5-7 
Sv on Channel 1 
Sv on Channel 2 
…. 
Sv on Channel 12 
Position Dilution of Precision 
Horizontal Dilution of Precision 
Vertical Dilution of Precision 
 
End of message termination 
 
 
 
 
   
 
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