DFRobot GPS init error [Arduino Uno, SIM808]

Question

i have problem with initialization DFRobot SIM808 actually when i try to recieve gps data by SoftwareSerial only it does works (i mean examples based on sending and reading command to and from serial's), and recieve data but very long string of data and i need only Latitude and Longitude and i think using DFRobot will be the easiest way to extract the data i need. So the simple test program like this one is not working:

    /*
### Get GPS data
1. This example is used to test SIM808 GPS/GPRS/GSM Shield's reading GPS data.
2. Open the SIM808_GetGPS example or copy these code to your project
3. Download and dial the function switch to Arduino
4. open serial helper
4. Place it outside, waiting for a few minutes and then it will send GPS data to serial

create on 2016/09/23, version: 1.0
by jason

*/
#include <DFRobot_sim808.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

#define PIN_TX    7
#define PIN_RX    8
SoftwareSerial mySerial(PIN_TX,PIN_RX);
DFRobot_SIM808 sim808(&mySerial);//Connect RX,TX,PWR,



void setup() {
  mySerial.begin(9600);
  Serial.begin(9600);

  //******** Initialize sim808 module *************
  while(!sim808.init()) { 
      delay(1000);
      Serial.print("Sim808 init error\r\n");
  }

  //************* Turn on the GPS power************
  if( sim808.attachGPS())
      Serial.println("Open the GPS power success");
  else 
      Serial.println("Open the GPS power failure");

}

void loop() {
   //************** Get GPS data *******************
   if (sim808.getGPS()) {
    Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.year);
    Serial.print("/");
    Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.month);
    Serial.print("/");
    Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.day);
    Serial.print(" ");
    Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.hour);
    Serial.print(":");
    Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.minute);
    Serial.print(":");
    Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.second);
    Serial.print(":");
    Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.centisecond);
    Serial.print("latitude :");
    Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.lat);
    Serial.print("longitude :");
    Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.lon);
    Serial.print("speed_kph :");
    Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.speed_kph);
    Serial.print("heading :");
    Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.heading);
    Serial.println();

    //************* Turn off the GPS power ************
    sim808.detachGPS();
  }

}

Answer 1

{Original answer by Onuralp Arslan}

gps function of sim808 does not require sim card you only need 9v source with enough current and 1575.42 mHz gps antenna use this code it will help

#include <DFRobot_sim808.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#define PIN_RX 11
#define PIN_TX 10
SoftwareSerial mySerial(PIN_TX,PIN_RX);
DFRobot_SIM808 sim808(&mySerial);//Connect RX,TX,PWR,

void setup() {
mySerial.begin(9600);
Serial.begin(9600);

//************* Turn on the GPS power************
if( sim808.attachGPS())
Serial.println("Open the GPS power success");
else
Serial.println("Open the GPS power failure");

}

void loop() {
//************** Get GPS data *******************
if (sim808.getGPS()) {
Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.year);
Serial.print("/");
Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.month);
Serial.print("/");
Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.day);
Serial.print(" ");
Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.hour);
Serial.print(":");
Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.minute);
Serial.print(":");
Serial.print(sim808.GPSdata.second);
Serial.print(":");
Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.centisecond);

Serial.print("latitude :");
Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.lat,6);

sim808.latitudeConverToDMS();
Serial.print("latitude :");
Serial.print(sim808.latDMS.degrees);
Serial.print("\^");
Serial.print(sim808.latDMS.minutes);
Serial.print("\'");
Serial.print(sim808.latDMS.seconeds,6);
Serial.println("\"");
Serial.print("longitude :");
Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.lon,6);
sim808.LongitudeConverToDMS();
Serial.print("longitude :");
Serial.print(sim808.longDMS.degrees);
Serial.print("\^");
Serial.print(sim808.longDMS.minutes);
Serial.print("\'");
Serial.print(sim808.longDMS.seconeds,6);
Serial.println("\"");

Serial.print("speed_kph :");
Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.speed_kph);
Serial.print("heading :");
Serial.println(sim808.GPSdata.heading);

//************* Turn off the GPS power ************
sim808.detachGPS();
}

}

try this, worked for me without sim card connect rx of sim808 to arduino 11 tx to 10 and connect grounds of arduino and sim808

Answer 2

We had the same error in the code. But we managed to solve it! You have to insert the SIM CARD to work. We do not know why, but it works!