Learn how to use an external GPS Module with the Notecard, and how you might want to configure the Notecard based on your project. Read the full blog post at https://blues.dev/blog/using-an-external-gps-with-the-notecard and continue the discussion here.

Hey @e669danesh - yes that’s correct, you can connect the external GPS to your MCU, send the data from the MCU to the Notecard, and then use templated notes to push this data to Notehub. Thanks Youssif

Does this instruction work for LoRa Notecards as well? (I mean not only hardware connection to an external GPS but also the settings like card.location etc.)

Hey @e669danesh - No this instruction does not apply to LoRa Notecards. To use an external GPS/GNSS module, the card.aux.serial request is needed, and this request is not supported on the LoRa Notecards. Thanks Youssif

Thank you, Youssif. So the only way to add this functionality is through the MCU, correct? If that’s the case, can we modify note.templates to send Lon/Lat data (eg, using _lat and _lan) ?

I’m following this, and my question is: can I use the external GPS connected to a Notecarrier X, and then connect the Qwiic/I2C interface to a Raspberry Pi 2 W which then communicates with the Notecard via I2C? I already have a test with the Notecard + Notecarrier Pi via I2C working, but my use cas…

Hi @hcabral Thanks for the follow-up. Just to confirm my understanding, you’re planning to have the setup shown in the image below, where the Pico communicates with the Notecard over I2C, and the Notecard is connected to an external GPS via the AUX UART pins? [Screenshot 2025-11-11 at 08.36.03] I…

Hi @Youssif thanks for getting back to me. Yes, that’s more or less my setup, a 2W instead of a Pico. Regarding power, yes, I need to take that into account, and perhaps feed the Notecarrier X and Notecard separately if applicable. I’m exchanging some ideas with @RobLauer here in this topic where …

Hey @hcabral Yes, that’s correct, all GND pins on the Notecarrier X are tied together, so you can safely connect both the Pi 2 W and the Adafruit GPS’s GND to any of them. Rob is correct, using serial TX/RX for the connection between the Pi 2 W and the Notecard is indeed the preferred approach, be…

Hi @Youssif , Yes, I will give it a try and keep this thread updated with my results. Thanks! Henrique

Hi @Youssif and @RobLauer Just an update on this topic: I managed to make it work using the external GPS ↔ Notecard X and the Raspberry Pi 2 W connected to the Notecard X using the RX/TX serial connections. So thank you for the clarifications and help! =) Does the motion detection feature also act…

Hi @hcabral , Does the motion detection feature also actuates in the communication with serial port? Yes, the Notecard treats and external GPS the same way as its onboard GPS. Following up, is my assumption correct the the {"req": "card.location"} will never return bearing and velocity? Is it a…

Using an External GPS/GNSS Module with the Notecard

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hcabral November 19, 2025, 2:55pm 15

Thanks for the clarification!

Henrique

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Using an External GPS/GNSS Module with the Notecard

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