MAX M8 Hardware Integration Manual (UBX 13004876)

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MAX-M8
u-blox M8 concurrent GNSS modules
Hardware Integration Manual

Abstract
This document describes the features and specifications of the cost
effective and high-performance MAX-M8 modules, which feature
the u-blox M8 concurrent GNSS engine with reception of GPS,
GLONASS, BeiDou and QZSS signals.

www.u-blox.com
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MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual

Document Information
Title

MAX-M8

Subtitle

u-blox M8 concurrent GNSS modules

Document type

Hardware Integration Manual

Document number

UBX-13004876

Revision and Date

R09

Document status

Production Information

16-Nov-2015

Document status explanation
Objective Specification

Document contains target values. Revised and supplementary data will be published later.

Advance Information

Document contains data based on early testing. Revised and supplementary data will be published later.

Early Production Information

Document contains data from product verification. Revised and supplementary data may be published later.

Production Information

Document contains the final product specification.

This document applies to the following products:
Product name

Type number

ROM/FLASH version

PCN reference

MAX-M8C

MAX-M8C-0-02

ROM 2.01

UBX-15015253

MAX-M8W

MAX-M8W-0-00

ROM 2.01

N/A

MAX-M8Q

MAX-M8Q-0-01

ROM 2.01

UBX-15015253

u-blox reserves all rights to this document and the information contained herein. Products, names, logos and designs described herein
may in whole or in part be subject to intellectual property rights. Reproduction, use, modification or disclosure to third parties of this
document or any part thereof without the express permission of u-blox is strictly prohibited.
The information contained herein is provided “as is” and u-blox assumes no liability for the use of the information. No warranty, either
express or implied, is given, including but not limited, with respect to the accuracy, correctness, reliability and fitness for a particular
purpose of the information. This document may be revised by u-blox at any time. For most recent documents, visit www.u-blox.com.
Copyright © 2015, u-blox AG.
u-blox® is a registered trademark of u-blox Holding AG in the EU and other countries. ARM® is the registered trademark of ARM Limited in
the EU and other countries.

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Contents
Contents.............................................................................................................................. 3
1

Hardware description .................................................................................................. 4
1.1

Overview .............................................................................................................................................. 4

1.2
1.3

Configuration ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Connecting power ................................................................................................................................ 4

1.4

Interfaces.............................................................................................................................................. 6

1.5
I/O pins ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Electromagnetic interference on I/O lines ..................................................................................................... 7

2

3

4

Design ........................................................................................................................... 9
2.1
2.2

Pin description ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Minimal design ................................................................................................................................... 10

2.3

Layout: Footprint and paste mask ....................................................................................................... 10

2.4
2.5

Antenna and Antenna supervision ...................................................................................................... 11
Antenna design with active antenna using antenna supervisor (MAX-M8W)....................................... 12

2.5.1

Status reporting .......................................................................................................................... 13

2.5.2
2.5.3

Module design with active antenna, short circuit protection/detection (MAX-M8W) .................... 14
Antenna supervision open circuit detection (OCD) (MAX-M8W) .................................................. 16

2.5.4

External active antenna supervisor using customer uP (MAX-M8Q, MAX-M8C) ........................... 17

2.5.5

External active antenna control (MAX-M8Q, MAX-M8C) ............................................................. 17

Migration to u-blox M8 modules .............................................................................. 18
3.1

Migrating u-blox 7 designs to a u-blox M8 module ............................................................................. 18

3.2
3.3

Hardware migration from MAX-6 to MAX-M8 ................................................................................... 18
Software migration ............................................................................................................................. 19

Product handling ........................................................................................................ 20
4.1
4.2

Packaging, shipping, storage and moisture preconditioning ............................................................... 20
Soldering ............................................................................................................................................ 20

4.3

EOS/ESD/EMI precautions ................................................................................................................... 23

4.4

Applications with cellular modules ...................................................................................................... 26

Appendix .......................................................................................................................... 28
Recommended parts ...................................................................................................................................... 28
A.1

Design-in recommendations in combination with cellular operation ................................................... 29

Related documents........................................................................................................... 30
Revision history ................................................................................................................ 30
Contact .............................................................................................................................. 31

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1 Hardware description
1.1 Overview
u-blox M8 modules are standalone GNSS positioning modules featuring the high performance u-blox M8
positioning engine. Available in industry standard form factors in leadless chip carrier (LCC) packages, they are
easy to integrate and combine exceptional positioning performance with highly flexible power, design, and
connectivity options. SMT pads allow fully automated assembly with standard pick & place and reflow-soldering
equipment for cost-efficient, high-volume production enabling short time-to-market.
For product features see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1].
To determine which u-blox product best meets your needs, see the product selector tables on the u-blox
website www.u-blox.com.

1.2 Configuration
The configuration settings can be modified using UBX protocol configuration messages; see the u-blox M8
Receiver Description Including Protocol Specification [2]. The modified settings remain effective until powerdown or reset. If these settings have been stored in BBR (Battery Backed RAM), then the modified configuration
will be retained, as long as the backup battery supply is not interrupted.

Electrical Programmable Fuse (eFuse)
u-blox M8 modules include an integrated eFuse memory for permanently saving configuration settings.
eFuse is One-Time-Programmable; it cannot be changed if it has been programmed once.
In order to save backup current, a u-blox MAX-M8C module configured in “single crystal“ mode can have the
single-crystal feature turned off by means of a SW command. Hot start performance will be degraded (no time
information at startup).
Use the string in Table 1 to turn-off the single-crystal feature. This is recommended for low power applications,
especially if time will be delivered by GSM or uC.
eFuse

String

turn-off single-crystal feature

B5 62 06 41 09 00 01 01 92 81 E6 39 93 2B EE 30 31

Table 1: String to turn off single-crystal feature

1.3 Connecting power
u-blox MAX-M8 positioning modules have up to three power supply pins: VCC, VCC_IO, and V_BCKP.

VCC: Main supply voltage
The VCC pin provides the main supply voltage. During operation, the current drawn by the module can vary by
some orders of magnitude, especially if enabling low-power operation modes. For this reason, it is important
that the supply circuitry be able to support the peak power for a short time (see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1] for
specification).
When switching from backup mode to normal operation or at start-up, u-blox M8 modules must charge
the internal capacitors in the core domain. In certain situations, this can result in a significant current
draw. For low-power applications using Power Save and backup modes it is important that the power
supply or low ESR capacitors at the module input can deliver this current/charge.
Use a proper GND concept. Do not use any resistors or coils in the power line.

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VCC_IO: IO Supply Voltage
VCC_IO from the host system supplies the digital I/Os. The wide range of VCC_IO allows seamless interfacing to
standard logic voltage levels independent of the VCC voltage level. In many applications, VCC_IO is simply
connected to the main supply voltage.
Without a VCC_IO supply, the system will remain in reset state.

V_BCKP: Backup supply voltage
If there is a power failure on the module supply, the real-time clock (RTC) and battery backed RAM (BBR) are
supplied through the V_BCKP pin. Use of valid time and the GNSS orbit data at start up will improve the GNSS
performance, as with hot and warm starts. If no backup battery is connected, the module performs a cold start
at power up.
Avoid high resistance on the V_BCKP line: During the switch from main supply to backup supply, a short
current adjustment peak can cause high voltage drop on the pin with possible malfunctions.
If no backup supply voltage is available, connect the V_BCKP pin to VCC.
As long as power is supplied to the u-blox M8 module through the VCC pin, the backup battery is
disconnected from the RTC and the BBR to avoid unnecessary battery drain (see Figure 1). In this case,
VCC supplies power to the RTC and BBR.

Figure 1: Backup battery and voltage (for exact pin orientation, see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1])

RTC derived from the system clock; “Single Crystal” feature (MAX-M8C)
On MAX-M8C, the reference frequency for the RTC clock will be internally derived from the crystal system clock
frequency (26 MHz) when in Hardware Backup Mode. This feature is called “single crystal” operation. In the
event of a power failure, the backup battery at V_BCKP will supply the crystal, as needed to derive and maintain
the RTC clock. This makes MAX-M8C a more cost efficient solution at the expense of a higher backup current,
as compared to other MAX-M8 variants that use an ordinary RTC crystal. Therefore, the capacity of the backup
battery at V_BCKP must be increased if Hardware Backup Mode is needed. (See the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1] for
specification.)
In order to save backup current, a u-blox MAX-M8C module configured in “single crystal“ mode can have the
single-crystal feature turned off by means of a SW command, see section 1.2 and the u-blox M8 Receiver
Description Including Protocol Specification [2]. Hot start Performance will be degraded (no time information at
startup).

VCC_RF: Output voltage RF
The VCC_RF pin can supply an active antenna or external LNA. For more information, see section 2.4

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V_ANT: Antenna supply (MAX-M8W)
The V_ANT pin is available to provide antenna bias voltage to supply an optional external active antenna. For
more information, see section 2.5.
If not used, connect the V_ANT pin to GND.

1.4 Interfaces
UART
u-blox M8 positioning modules include a Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART) serial interface
RxD/TxD that supports configurable baud rates. The baud rates supported are specified in the MAX-M8 Data
Sheet [1]. The signal output and input levels are 0 V to VCC_IO. An interface based on RS232 standard levels
(+/- 12 V) can be implemented using level shifters such as Maxim MAX3232. Hardware handshake signals and
synchronous operation are not supported.

Display Data Channel (DDC)
2

An I C compatible Display Data Channel (DDC) interface is available with u-blox M8 modules for serial
communication with an external host CPU. The interface only supports operation in slave mode (master mode is
2
not supported). The DDC protocol and electrical interface are fully compatible with the Fast-Mode of the I C
industry standard. DDC pins SDA and SCL have internal pull-up resistors.
For more information about the DDC implementation, see the u-blox M8 Receiver Description Including Protocol
Specification [2]. For bandwidth information, see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1]. For timing, parameters consult
2
the I C-bus specification [5].
The u-blox M8 DDC interface supports serial communication with u-blox cellular modules. See the
specification of the applicable cellular module to confirm compatibility.

TX Ready signal
The TX Ready signal indicates that the receiver has data to transmit. A listener can wait on the TX Ready signal
instead of polling the DDC or SPI interfaces. The UBX-CFG-PRT message lets you configure the polarity and the
number of bytes in the buffer before the TX Ready signal goes active. The TX Ready signal can be mapped to
UART TXD (PIO 06). The TX Ready function is disabled by default.
The TX Ready functionality can be enabled and configured by AT commands sent to the u-blox cellular
module supporting the feature. For more information see the GPS Implementation and Aiding Features in
u-blox wireless modules [6].

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1.5 I/O pins
RESET_N: Reset input
Driving RESET_N low activates a hardware reset of the system. Use this pin only to reset the module. Do not use
RESET_N to turn the module on and off, since the reset state increases power consumption. In u-blox M8
modules, RESET_N is an input only.
No additional capacitance should be added on reset_n pin to GND.

EXTINT: External interrupt
EXTINT is an external interrupt pin with fixed input voltage thresholds with respect to VCC_IO (see the MAX-M8
Data Sheet [1] for more information). It can be used for wake-up functions in Power Save Mode on all u-blox
M8 modules and for aiding. Leave open if unused; the functions are disabled by default.

SAFEBOOT_N
If the SAFEBOOT_N pin is “low” at start up, the u-blox M8 module starts in Safe Boot Mode and doesn’t begin
GNSS operation. The Safe Boot Mode can be used to recover from situations where the Flash has become
corrupted.

ANT_ON: Antenna ON (LNA enable) (MAX-M8Q, MAX-M8C)
In Power Save Mode, the system can turn on/off an optional external LNA using the ANT_ON signal in order to
optimize power consumption. A pull-down resistor (10 kΩ) is required to ensure correct operation in backup
mode of the ANT_ON signal.

Antenna Short circuit detection (MAX-M8W)
MAX-M8W module includes internal short circuit antenna detection. For more information, see section 2.5.2.

Antenna open circuit detection
Antenna open circuit detection (MAX-M8)
Antenna open circuit detection (OCD) is not activated by default on the MAX-M8 modules. OCD can be mapped
to PIO13 (EXTINT). For more information about how to implement OCD, see section 2.5.3. To learn how to
configure OCD see the u-blox M8 Receiver Description Including Protocol Specification [2].

TIMEPULSE
A configurable time pulse signal is available with all u-blox M8 modules. By default, the time pulse signal is
configured to 1 pulse per second. For more information, see the u-blox M8 Receiver Description Including
Protocol Specification [2].

Electromagnetic interference on I/O lines
Any I/O signal line with a length greater than approximately 3 mm can act as an antenna and may pick up
arbitrary RF signals transferring them as noise into the GNSS receiver. This specifically applies to unshielded lines,
in which the corresponding GND layer is remote or missing entirely, and lines close to the edges of the printed
circuit board.
If, for example, a cellular signal radiates into an unshielded high-impedance line, it is possible to generate noise
in the order of volts and not only distort receiver operation but also damage it permanently.
On the other hand, noise generated at the I/O pins will emit from unshielded I/O lines. Receiver performance
may be degraded when this noise is coupled into the GNSS antenna (see Figure 20).
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To avoid interference by improperly shielded lines, it is recommended to use resistors (e.g. R>20 Ω), ferrite beads
(e.g. BLM15HD102SN1) or inductors (e.g. LQG15HS47NJ02) on the I/O lines in series. These components should
be chosen with care because they will affect also the signal rise times.
Figure 2 shows an example of EMI protection measures on the RX/TX line using a ferrite bead. More information
can be found in section 4.3.

FB

RX

FB

TX

GNSS
Receiver

>10mm

BLM15HD102SN1

Figure 2: EMI Precautions

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2 Design
2.1 Pin description
Function

PIN

No

I/O

Description

Remarks

Power

VCC
GND

8
1,10,12

I
I

Supply Voltage
Ground

V_BCKP

6

I

RF_IN

11

I

Backup Supply
Voltage
GNSS signal
input from
antenna

Provide clean and stable supply.
Assure a good GND connection to all GND pins of the module,
preferably with a large ground plane.
Backup supply voltage input pin. Connect to VCC_IO if not used.

VCC_RF

14

O

13

O
-

Reserved

Leave open

UART

ANT_ON
(MAX-M8C/Q)
Reserved
(MAX-M8W)
TXD

Output Voltage
RF section
ANT_ON

2

O

Serial Port

System

RXD
TIMEPULSE

3
4

I
O

Serial Port
Timepulse
Signal

UART, leave open if not used, Voltage level referred VCC_IO. Can
be configured as TX Ready indication for the DDC interface.
UART, leave open if not used, Voltage level referred VCC_IO

EXTINT
(AADET_N)
SDA
SCL

5

I

Leave open if not used, Voltage level referred VCC_IO

16
17

I/O
I

VCC_IO

7

I

External
Interrupt
DDC Pins
DDC Pins
VCC_IO

RESET_N
V_ANT
(MAX-M8W )
Reserved
(MAX-M8C/Q)

9
15

I
I

Reset
Antenna Bias
Voltage

-

Reserved

Reset
Connect to GND (or leave open) if passive antenna is used. If an
active antenna is used, add a 10 Ω resistor in front of V_ANT input
to the Antenna Bias Voltage or VCC_RF
Leave open

SAFEBOOT_N

18

I

SAFEBOOT_N

For future service, updates and reconfiguration, leave OPEN

Antenna

The connection to the antenna has to be routed on the PCB. Use a
controlled impedance of 50 Ω to connect RF_IN to the antenna or
the antenna connector. DC block inside.
Can be used for active antenna or external LNA supply.
Active antenna or ext. LNA control pin in power save mode.
ANT_ON pin voltage level is VCC_IO

Leave open if not used, Voltage level referred VCC_IO

DDC Data. Leave open, if not used.
DDC Clock. Leave open, if not used.
IO supply voltage. Input must be always supplied. Usually connect to
VCC Pin 8

Table 2: Pinout MAX-M8

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2.2 Minimal design
This is a minimal setup for a MAX-M8 GNSS receiver:

Figure 3: MAX-M8 passive antenna design

For information on increasing immunity to jammers such as GSM, see section 4.3.

2.3 Layout: Footprint and paste mask
Figure 4 describes the footprint and provides recommendations for the paste mask for MAX-M8 LCC modules.
These are recommendations only, and not specifications. Note that the copper and solder masks have the same
size and position.
To improve the wetting of the half vias, reduce the amount of solder paste under the module and increase the
volume outside of the module by defining the dimensions of the paste mask to form a T-shape (or equivalent)
extending beyond the copper mask. For the stencil thickness, see section 4.2.
Consider the paste mask outline when defining the minimal distance to the next component. The exact
geometry, distances, stencil thicknesses and solder paste volumes must be adapted to the specific
production processes (e.g. soldering) of the customer.

0.8 mm
[31.5 mil]

9.7 mm [382 mil]

0.7 mm
[27.6 mil]

7.9 mm [311 mil]
9.7 mm [382 mil]
12.5 mm [492 mil]

Figure 5: MAX-M8 paste mask

Figure 4: MAX-M8 footprint

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0.8 mm
[31.5 mil]

0.6 mm
[23.5 mil]
0.5 mm
[19.7 mil]

Stencil: 150 µm

0.65 mm
[26.6 mil]

10.1 mm [398 mil]

1.1 mm 0.8 mm
0.7 mm
[43.3 mil] [31.5 mil] [27.6 mil]

1.0 mm
[39.3 mil]

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MAX Form Factor (10.1 x 9.7 x 2.5): Same Pitch as NEO for all pins: 1.1 mm, but 4 pads in each corner
(pin 1, 9, 10 and 18) only 0.7 mm wide instead 0.8 mm

2.4 Antenna and Antenna supervision
Antenna design with passive antenna
A design using a passive antenna requires more attention to the layout of the RF section. Typically, a passive
antenna is located near electronic components; therefore, care should be taken to reduce electrical noise that
may interfere with the antenna performance. Passive antennas do not require a DC bias voltage and can be
directly connected to the RF input pin RF_IN. Sometimes they may also need a passive matching network to
match the impedance to 50 Ω.
Figure 6 shows a minimal setup for a design with a good GNSS patch antenna.

Figure 6: Module design with passive antenna (for exact pin orientation see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1])

Use an antenna that has sufficient bandwidth to receive all GNSS constellations. See Appendix.
Figure 7 shows a design using an external LNA to increase the sensitivity for best performance with passive
antenna.

Figure 7: Module design with passive antenna and an external LNA (for exact pin orientation see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1])

The ANT_ON pin (antenna on) can be used to turn on and off an optional external LNA in power save mode in
on/off operation.
The VCC_RF output can be used to supply the LNA with a filtered supply voltage.
A standard GNSS LNA has enough bandwidth to amplify GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou signals.
An external LNA is only required if the antenna is far away. In that case, the LNA has to be placed close to
the passive antenna.

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Active antenna design
Active antennas have an integrated low-noise amplifier. Active antennas require a power supply that will
contribute to the total GNSS system power consumption budget with additional 5 to 20 mA typically.
If the supply voltage of the MAX-M8 receiver matches the supply voltage of the antenna (e.g. 3.0 V), use the
filtered supply voltage available at pin VCC_RF as shown in Figure 8.

Active antenna design using VCC_RF pin to supply the active antenna

Figure 8: Active antenna design, external supply from VCC_RF (for exact pin orientation see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1])

In case the VCC_RF voltage does not match with the supply voltage of the active antenna, use a filtered external
supply as shown in Figure 9.

Active antenna design powered from external supply

Figure 9: Active antenna design, direct external supply (for exact pin orientation see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1])

The circuit shown in Figure 9 works with all u-blox M8 modules, also with modules without VCC_RF
output.

2.5 Antenna design with active antenna using antenna supervisor
(MAX-M8W)
An active antenna supervisor provides the means to check the antenna for open and short circuits and to shut
off the antenna supply if a short circuit is detected. The Antenna Supervisor is configured using serial port UBX
binary protocol message. Once enabled, the active antenna supervisor produces status messages, reporting in
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NMEA and/or UBX binary protocol (see section 2.5.1). These indicate the particular state of the antenna
supervisor shown in the state diagram below (Figure 10).
The current active antenna status can be determined by polling the UBX-MON-HW monitor command. If an
antenna is connected, the initial state after power-up is “Active Antenna OK.”
Powerup

Disable Supervision

No
Supervision

Disable
Supervision

Enable Supervision

Antenna
connected

Open
Circuit
detected

Active
Antenna
OK

Periodic
reconnection
attempts

open circuit
detected, given
OCD enabled

Events AADET0_N
User controlled events

Short Circuit
detected

Short
Circuit
detected

Short Circuit
detected

Figure 10: State diagram of active antenna supervisor

The module firmware supports an active antenna supervisor circuit, which is connected to the pin EXTINT. For an
example of an open circuit detection circuit, see Figure 13. High on EXTINT means that an external antenna is
not connected.
Antenna open circuit detection (OCD) is not activated by default on the MAX-M8 modules. OCD can be
mapped to PIO13 (EXTINT). To activate the antenna supervisor use the UBX-CFG-ANT message. For more
information about how to implement and configure OCD, see the u-blox M8 Receiver Description
Including Protocol Specification [2].
For recommended parts for the designs that follow, see the Appendix.

2.5.1 Status reporting
At startup and on every change of the antenna supervisor configuration the u-blox MAX-M8 modules will
output an NMEA ($GPTXT) or UBX (INF-NOTICE) message with the internal status of the antenna supervisor
(disabled, short detection only, enabled).

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Abbreviation

Description

AC

Antenna Control (e.g. the antenna will be switched on/ off controlled by the GPS receiver)

SD

Short Circuit Detection Enabled

SR
OD

Short Circuit Recovery Enabled
Open Circuit Detection Enabled

PdoS

Power Down on short

Table 3: Active Antenna Supervisor Message on startup (UBX binary protocol)

To activate the antenna supervisor use the UBX-CFG-ANT message. For further information refer to the
u-blox M8 Receiver Description Including Protocol Specification [2].
Similar to the antenna supervisor configuration, the status of the antenna supervisor will be reported in an
NMEA ($GPTXT) or UBX (INF-NOTICE) message at start-up and on every change.
Message

Description

ANTSTATUS=DONTKNOW

Active antenna supervisor is not configured and deactivated.

ANTSTATUS=OK
ANTSTATUS=SHORT

Active antenna connected and powered
Antenna short

ANTSTATUS=OPEN

Antenna not connected or antenna defective

Table 4: Active antenna supervisor message on startup (NMEA protocol)

2.5.2 Module design with active antenna, short circuit protection/detection
(MAX-M8W)
If a suitably dimensioned series resistor R_BIAS is placed in front of pin V_ANT, a short circuit can be detected in
the antenna supply. This is detected inside the u-blox M8 module and the antenna supply voltage will be
immediately shut down. After which, periodic attempts to re-establish antenna power are made by default.
An internal switch (under control of the receiver) can turn off the supply to the external antenna whenever it is
not needed. This feature helps to reduce power consumption in power save mode.
To configure the antenna supervisor use the UBX-CFG-ANT message. For further information see u-blox
M8 Receiver Description Including Protocol Specification [2].
Short circuits on the antenna input without limitation (R_BIAS) of the current can result in permanent
damage to the receiver! Therefore, it is mandatory to implement an R_BIAS in all risk applications, such as
situations where the antenna can be disconnected by the end-user or that have long antenna cables.
In case VCC_RF voltage does not match with the antenna supply voltage, use a filtered external supply as
shown in Figure 12.

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Supply from VCC_RF (MAX-M8W)
Figure 11 shows an active antenna supplied from the u-blox MAX-M8W module.
The VCC_RF pin can be connected with V_ANT to supply the antenna. Note that the voltage specification of the
antenna has to match the actual supply voltage of the u-blox module (e.g. 3.0 V), see Figure 11.

Figure 11: Module design with active antenna, internal supply from VCC_RF (for exact pin orientation, see the MAX-M8 Data
Sheet [1])

External supply (MAX-M8W)
Figure 12 shows an externally powered active antenna design.
Since the external bias voltage is fed into the most sensitive part of the receiver (i.e. the RF input), this supply
should be free of noise. Usually, low frequency analog noise is less critical than digital noise of spurious
frequencies with harmonics up to the GNSS frequency. Therefore, it is not recommended to use digital supply
nets to feed the V_ANT pin.

Figure 12: Module design with active antenna, external supply (for exact pin orientation, see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1])

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2.5.3 Antenna supervision open circuit detection (OCD) (MAX-M8W)
The open circuit detection circuit uses the current flow to detect an open circuit in the antenna. Calculate the
threshold current using Equation 1.

Figure 13: Schematic of open circuit detection (for exact pin orientation, see data sheet)

 R2 


R 2 + R3 
I=
• Vcc _ RF
Rbias
Equation 1: Calculation of threshold current for open circuit detection

Antenna open circuit detection (OCD) is not activated by default. It can be enabled by the UBX-CFG-ANT
message. This configuration must be sent to the receiver at every.
MAX-M8W does not have a dedicated AADET_N pin. The AADET_N pin can be made available on the EXINT pin.
To do so, the following command must be sent once and stored permanently to the receiver:
“B5 62 06 41 0C 00 00 00 03 1F 06 5F 8B B1 FF F6 B7 FF C1 D7”.
To enable the OCD feature, the following command must be sent to the receiver at every startup:
“B5 62 06 13 04 00 1F 00 F0 B5 E1 DE”.
The AADET_N pin then has High = “ANTSTATUS=OPEN”, Low = “ANTSTATUS=OK”.
For more information about how to implement and configure OCD, see the u-blox M8 Receiver Description
Including Protocol Specification [2].
If the antenna supply voltage is not derived from VCC_RF, do not exceed the maximum voltage rating of
AADET_N.

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2.5.4 External active antenna supervisor using customer uP (MAX-M8Q, MAX-M8C)

Figure 14: External active antenna supervisor using ANT_ON

 R2 


R 2 + R3 

I=
• Vcc _ RF
Rbias
Equation 2: Calculation of threshold current for open circuit detection

2.5.5 External active antenna control (MAX-M8Q, MAX-M8C)
The ANT_ON signal can be used to turn on and off an external LNA. This reduces power consumption in Power
Save Mode (Backup mode).

Figure 15: External active antenna control (MAX-M8Q / MAX-M8C)

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3 Migration to u-blox M8 modules
3.1 Migrating u-blox 7 designs to a u-blox M8 module
u-blox is committed to ensuring that products in the same form factor are backwards compatible over several
technology generations. Utmost care has been taken to ensure there is no negative impact on function or
performance and to make u-blox M8 modules as fully compatible as possible with u-blox 7 versions. No
limitations of the standard features have resulted. If using BeiDou, check the bandwidth of the external RF
components and the antenna. For power consumption information, see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1].
It is highly advisable that customers consider a design review with the u-blox support team to ensure the
compatibility of key functionalities.

3.2 Hardware migration from MAX-6 to MAX-M8
Pin
1
2
3
4
5
6

Pin Name
GND
TxD
RxD
TIMEPULSE
EXTINT0

MAX-6
Typical Assignment
GND
Serial Port
Serial Port
Timepulse (1PPS)
External Interrupt Pin
Backup Supply Voltage

V_BCKP

7

VCC_IO

8

VCC

Pin Name
GND
TxD
RxD
TIMEPULSE
EXTINT0

MAX-M8
Typical Assignment
GND
Serial Port
Serial Port
Timepulse (1PPS)
External Interrupt Pin
Backup Supply Voltage

V_BCKP
IO supply voltage Input
must always be
supplied. Usually
connect to VCC Pin 8
Module power supply
MAX-6G 1.75 – 2.0V
MAX-6Q/C: 2.7 – 3.6V

IO supply voltage Input must
always be supplied. Usually
connect to VCC Pin 8

VCC

Module power supply
MAX-M8C: 1.65 – 3.6V
MAX-M8Q: 2.7 – 3.6V

9

VRESET

connect to pin 8

RESET_N

Reset input

10

GND

GND

11

RF_IN

12

GND

13

ANT_ON

14

VCC_RF

GND
Matched RF-Input, DC
block inside.
GND
Active antenna or ext.
LNA control pin in
power save mode.
ANT_ON pin voltage
level: MAX-6 ->
VCC_RF (pull-up)
Can be used for active
antenna or external LNA
supply.

GND
Matched RF-Input, DC block
inside.
GND
Active antenna or ext. LNA
control pin in power save
mode.
ANT_ON pin voltage
level: MAX-M8 -> VCC_IO
(push-pull)
Can be used for active
antenna or external LNA
supply.

15

RESERVED

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Leave open.

GND

ANT_ON

VCC_RF
RESERVED
(MAX-M8W:

No difference
No difference
No difference
No difference
No difference
If this was connected to GND on u-blox 6
module, OK to do the same in u-blox M8.
(MAX-M8C: Higher backup current, see
0 Single Crystal)

VCC_IO

RF_IN

Remarks for Migration

Leave open.

Production Information

No difference

If pin 9 is connected directly to pin 8, the
RESET function is not available. If the
RESET function shall be used, a 3k3
resistor from pin 9 to pin 8 in
conjunction with an open drain buffer is
required for u-blox 6. For MAX-M8
modules pin 8 can be connected to pin 9
or can be left open. Do not populate the
3k3 resistor.
Behavior of RESET_N has changed; For
u-blox 7 and M8, a RESET will erase the
time information in the BBR, which was
maintained in u-blox 6. Therefore, with
u-blox 7 and M8 a RESET will not result
in a hot start, etc.
No difference
No difference
No difference
On MAX-6, ANT_ON pin voltage level
is with respect to VCC_RF, on MAXM8 to VCC_IO
(only relevant when VCC_IO does not
share the same supply with VCC)
No difference
No difference

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Pin
16
17
18

Pin Name

MAX-6
Typical Assignment

SDA
SCL
SAFEBOOT_N

DDC Data
DDC Clock
Leave open.

MAX-M8
Pin Name
Typical Assignment
V_ANT )
SDA
DDC Data
SCL
DDC Clock
SAFEBOOT_N Leave open.

Remarks for Migration
No difference
No difference
No difference

Table 5: Pin-out comparison MAX-6 vs. MAX-M8

3.3 Software migration
For an overall description of the module software operation, see the u-blox M8 Receiver Description
Including Protocol Specification [2].
For migration, see u-blox 7 to u-blox M8 Software Migration Guide [7].

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4 Product handling
4.1 Packaging, shipping, storage and moisture preconditioning
For information pertaining to reels and tapes, Moisture Sensitivity levels (MSL), shipment and storage
information, as well as drying for preconditioning, see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1].

Population of Modules
When populating the modules make sure that the pick and place machine is aligned to the copper pins of
the module and not on the module edge.

4.2 Soldering
Soldering paste
Use of “No Clean” soldering paste is strongly recommended, as it does not require cleaning after the soldering
process has taken place. The paste listed in the example below meets these criteria.
Soldering Paste:

OM338 SAC405 / Nr.143714 (Cookson Electronics)

Alloy specification:
Melting Temperature:

Sn 95.5/ Ag 4/ Cu 0.5 (95.5% Tin/ 4% Silver/ 0.5% Copper)
217° C

Stencil Thickness:

See section 2.3

The final choice of the soldering paste depends on the approved manufacturing procedures.
The paste-mask geometry for applying soldering paste should meet the recommendations.
The quality of the solder joints on the connectors (“half vias”) should meet the appropriate IPC
specification.

Reflow soldering
A convection type-soldering oven is highly recommended over the infrared type radiation oven.
Convection heated ovens allow precise control of the temperature and all parts will be heated up evenly,
regardless of material properties, thickness of components and surface color.
Consider the IPC-7530 Guidelines for temperature profiling for mass soldering (reflow and wave) processes,
published 2001.
Preheat phase
Initial heating of component leads and balls. Residual humidity will be dried out. Note that this preheat phase
will not replace prior baking procedures.
•

Temperature rise rate: max. 3° C/s. If the temperature rise is too rapid in the preheat phase it may cause
excessive slumping.

•

Time: 60 – 120 s. If the preheat is insufficient, rather large solder balls tend to be generated. Conversely, if
performed excessively, fine balls and large balls will be generated in clusters.

•

End Temperature: 150 – 200° C. If the temperature is too low, non-melting tends to be caused in areas
containing large heat capacity.

Heating/ Reflow phase
The temperature rises above the liquidus temperature of 217° C. Avoid a sudden rise in temperature as the
slump of the paste could become worse.
•

Limit time above 217° C liquidus temperature: 40 – 60 s

•

Peak reflow temperature: 245° C

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Cooling phase
A controlled cooling avoids negative metallurgical effects (solder becomes more brittle) of the solder and
possible mechanical tensions in the products. Controlled cooling helps to achieve bright solder fillets with a good
shape and low contact angle.
•

Temperature fall rate: max 4° C/s

To avoid falling off, the u-blox M8 GNSS module should be placed on the topside of the motherboard
during soldering.
The final soldering temperature chosen at the factory depends on additional external factors like choice of
soldering paste, size, thickness and properties of the baseboard, etc. Exceeding the maximum soldering
temperature in the recommended soldering profile may permanently damage the module.

Figure 16: Recommended soldering profile

u-blox M8 modules must not be soldered with a damp heat process.

Optical inspection
After soldering the u-blox M8 module, consider an optical inspection step to check whether:
•

The module is properly aligned and centered over the pads

•

All pads are properly soldered

•

No excess solder has created contacts to neighboring pads, or possibly to pad stacks and vias nearby

Cleaning
In general, cleaning the populated modules is strongly discouraged. Residues underneath the modules cannot be
easily removed with a washing process.
•

Cleaning with water will lead to capillary effects where water is absorbed in the gap between the baseboard
and the module. The combination of residues of soldering flux and encapsulated water leads to short circuits
or resistor-like interconnections between neighboring pads.

•

Cleaning with alcohol or other organic solvents can result in soldering flux residues flooding into the two
housings, areas that are not accessible for post-wash inspections. The solvent will also damage the sticker
and the ink-jet printed text.

•

Ultrasonic cleaning will permanently damage the module, in particular the quartz oscillators.

The best approach is to use a “no clean” soldering paste and eliminate the cleaning step after the soldering.

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Repeated reflow soldering
Only single reflow soldering processes are recommended for boards populated with u-blox M8 modules. u-blox
M8 modules should not be submitted to two reflow cycles on a board populated with components on both sides
in order to avoid upside down orientation during the second reflow cycle. In this case, the module should always
be placed on that side of the board, which is submitted into the last reflow cycle. The reason for this (besides
others) is the risk of the module falling off due to the significantly higher weight in relation to other
components.
Two reflow cycles can be considered by excluding the above described upside down scenario and taking into
account the rework conditions described in section Product handling.
Repeated reflow soldering processes and soldering the module upside down are not recommended.

Wave soldering
Base boards with combined through-hole technology (THT) components and surface-mount technology (SMT)
devices require wave soldering to solder the THT components. Only a single wave soldering process is
encouraged for boards populated with u-blox M8 modules.

Hand soldering
Hand soldering is allowed. Use a soldering iron temperature setting equivalent to 350° C. Place the module
precisely on the pads. Start with a cross-diagonal fixture soldering (e.g. pins 1 and 15), and then continue from
left to right.

Rework
The u-blox M8 module can be unsoldered from the baseboard using a hot air gun. When using a hot air gun for
unsoldering the module, a maximum of one reflow cycle is allowed. In general, we do not recommend using a
hot air gun because this is an uncontrolled process and might damage the module.
Attention: use of a hot air gun can lead to overheating and severely damage the module.
Always avoid overheating the module.
After the module is removed, clean the pads before placing and hand soldering a new module.
Never attempt a rework on the module itself, e.g. replacing individual components. Such
actions immediately terminate the warranty.
In addition to the two reflow cycles, manual rework on particular pins by using a soldering iron is allowed.
Manual rework steps on the module can be done several times.

Conformal coating
®

Certain applications employ a conformal coating of the PCB using HumiSeal or other related coating products.
These materials affect the HF properties of the GNSS module and it is important to prevent them from flowing
into the module. The RF shields do not provide 100% protection for the module from coating liquids with low
viscosity; therefore, care is required in applying the coating.
Conformal Coating of the module will void the warranty.

Casting
If casting is required, use viscose or another type of silicon pottant. The OEM is strongly advised to qualify such
processes in combination with the u-blox M8 module before implementing this in the production.
Casting will void the warranty.

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Grounding metal covers
Attempts to improve grounding by soldering ground cables, wick or other forms of metal strips directly onto the
EMI covers is done at the customer’s own risk. The numerous ground pins should be sufficient to provide
optimum immunity to interferences and noise.
u-blox makes no warranty for damages to the u-blox M8 module caused by soldering metal cables or any
other forms of metal strips directly onto the EMI covers.

Use of ultrasonic processes
Some components on the u-blox M8 module are sensitive to Ultrasonic Waves. Use of any Ultrasonic Processes
(cleaning, welding etc.) may cause damage to the GNSS Receiver.
u-blox offers no warranty against damages to the u-blox M8 module caused by any Ultrasonic Processes.

4.3 EOS/ESD/EMI precautions
When integrating GNSS positioning modules into wireless systems, careful consideration must be given to
electromagnetic and voltage susceptibility issues. Wireless systems include components, which can produce
Electrical Overstress (EOS) and Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI). CMOS devices are more sensitive to such
influences because their failure mechanism is defined by the applied voltage, whereas bipolar semiconductors
are more susceptible to thermal overstress. The following design guidelines are provided to help in designing
robust yet cost effective solutions.
To avoid overstress damage during production or in the field it is essential to observe strict
EOS/ESD/EMI handling and protection measures.
To prevent overstress damage at the RF_IN of your receiver, never exceed the maximum input
power (see the MAX-M8 Data Sheet [1]).

Electrostatic discharge (ESD)
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the sudden and momentary electric current that flows between
two objects at different electrical potentials caused by direct contact or induced by an
electrostatic field. The term is usually used in the electronics and other industries to describe
momentary unwanted currents that may cause damage to electronic equipment.

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ESD handling precautions
ESD prevention is based on establishing an Electrostatic Protective Area (EPA). The EPA can be a small working
station or a large manufacturing area. The main principle of an EPA is that there are no highly charging materials
near ESD sensitive electronics, all conductive materials are grounded, workers are grounded, and charge build-up
on ESD sensitive electronics is prevented. International standards are used to define typical EPA and can be
obtained for example from International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) or American National Standards
Institute (ANSI).
GNSS positioning modules are sensitive to ESD and require special precautions when handling. Particular care
must be exercised when handling patch antennas, due to the risk of electrostatic charges. In addition to
standard ESD safety practices, the following measures should be taken into account whenever handling the
receiver.
•

Unless there is a galvanic coupling between the local GND (i.e. the
work table) and the PCB GND, then the first point of contact when
handling the PCB must always be between the local GND and PCB
GND.

•

Before mounting an antenna patch, connect ground of the device

•

When handling the RF pin, do not come into contact with any
charged capacitors and be careful when contacting materials that
can develop charges (e.g. patch antenna ~10 pF, coax cable ~50 –
80 pF/m, soldering iron, …)

•

To prevent electrostatic discharge through the RF input, do not
touch any exposed antenna area. If there is any risk that such
exposed antenna area is touched in non ESD protected work area,
implement proper ESD protection measures in the design.

•

When soldering RF connectors and patch antennas to the receiver’s
RF pin, make sure to use an ESD safe soldering iron (tip).

Failure to observe these precautions can result in severe damage to the GNSS module!

ESD protection measures
GNSS positioning modules are sensitive to Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). Special precautions are
required when handling.
For more robust designs, employ additional ESD protection measures. Using an LNA with appropriate ESD
rating can provide enhanced GNSS performance with passive antennas and increases ESD protection.
Most defects caused by ESD can be prevented by following strict ESD protection rules for production and
handling. When implementing passive antenna patches or external antenna connection points, then additional
ESD measures can also avoid failures in the field as shown in Figure 17.

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A

B

C

L

GNSS
Receiver

GNSS
Receiver

LNA

RF_IN

Active antennas

RF_IN

Passive antennas (>2 dBic or performance
sufficient)

RF_IN

Small passive antennas (<2 dBic and
performance critical)

D

GNSS
Receiver

MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual

LNA with appropriate ESD rating
Figure 17: ESD Precautions

Protection measure A is preferred because it offers the best GNSS performance and best level of ESD
protection.

Electrical Overstress (EOS)
Electrical Overstress (EOS) usually describes situations when the maximum input power exceeds the maximum
specified ratings. EOS failure can happen if RF emitters are close to a GNSS receiver or its antenna. EOS causes
damage to the chip structures. If the RF_IN is damaged by EOS, it is hard to determine whether the chip
structures have been damaged by ESD or EOS.

EOS protection measures
For designs with GNSS positioning modules and cellular (e.g. GSM/GPRS) transceivers in close proximity,
ensure sufficient isolation between the cellular and GNSS antennas. If cellular power output causes the
specified maximum power input at the GNSS RF_IN to be exceeded, employ EOS protection measures to
prevent overstress damage.
For robustness, EOS protection measures as shown in Figure 18 are recommended for designs combining cellular
communication transceivers (e.g. GSM, GPRS) and GNSS in the same design or in close proximity.

E

F

GPS
Bandpass
Filtler

LNA

LNA with appropriate ESD rating and
maximum input power

GPS
Bandpass
Filtler

L

GNSS
Receiver

D

RF_IN

Active antennas (without internal filter which need the
module antenna supervisor circuits)

GNSS
Receiver

Passive antennas (>2 dBic or
performance sufficient)

RF_IN

Small passive antennas (<2 dBic and
performance critical)

GNSS Band pass Filter: SAW or
Ceramic with low insertion loss and
appropriate ESD rating

Figure 18: EOS and ESD Precautions

Electromagnetic interference (EMI)
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is the addition or coupling of energy, which causes a spontaneous reset of
the GNSS receiver or results in unstable performance. In addition to EMI degradation due to self-jamming (see
section 1.5), any electronic device near the GNSS receiver can emit noise that can lead to EMI disturbances or
damage.
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The following elements are critical regarding EMI:
•

Unshielded connectors (e.g. pin rows etc.)

•

Weakly shielded lines on PCB (e.g. on top or bottom layer and especially at the border of a PCB)

•

Weak GND concept (e.g. small and/or long ground line connections)

EMI protection measures are recommended when RF emitting devices are near the GNSS receiver. To minimize
the effect of EMI a robust grounding concept is essential. To achieve electromagnetic robustness follow the
standard EMI suppression techniques.
http://www.murata.com/products/emc/knowhow/index.html
http://www.murata.com/products/emc/knowhow/pdf/4to5e.pdf
Improved EMI protection can be achieved by inserting a resistor or better yet a ferrite bead or an inductor (see
Table 6) into any unshielded PCB lines connected to the GNSS receiver. Place the resistor as close as possible to
the GNSS receiver pin.
Alternatively, feed-thru capacitors with good GND connection can be used to protect e.g. the VCC supply pin
against EMI. A selection of feed-thru capacitors are listed in Table 6.

4.4 Applications with cellular modules
GSM uses power levels up to 2 W (+33 dBm). Consult the data sheet for the absolute maximum power input at
the GNSS receiver.
See the GPS Implementation and Aiding Features in u-blox wireless modules [6].
Isolation between GNSS and GSM antenna
In a handheld type design, an isolation of approximately 20 dB can be reached with careful placement of the
antennas. If such isolation cannot be achieved, e.g. in the case of an integrated GSM/GNSS antenna, an
additional input filter is needed on the GNSS side to block the high energy emitted by the GSM transmitter.
Examples of these kinds of filters would be the SAW Filters from Epcos (B9444 or B7839) or Murata.
Increasing interference immunity
Jamming signals come from in-band and out-band frequency sources.
In-band interference
With in-band jamming, the signal frequency is very close to the GNSS constellation frequency used, e.g. GPS
frequency of 1575 MHz (see Figure 19). Such interference signals are typically caused by harmonics from
displays, micro-controller, bus systems, etc.

Power [dBm]

Jamming
signal

0

GPS Carrier
1575.4 MHz

GPS
signals

Jammin
g signal
GPS input filter
characteristics

-110

Frequency [MHz]
1525

1550

1575

1600

1625

Figure 19: In-band interference signals

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Figure 20: In-band interference sources

Measures against in-band interference include:
•

Maintaining a good grounding concept in the design

•

Shielding

•

Layout optimization

•

Filtering

•

Placement of the GNSS antenna

•

Adding a CDMA, GSM, WCDMA band pass filter before handset antenna

Out-band interference
Out-band interference is caused by signal frequencies that are different from the GNSS carrier (see Figure 21).
The main sources are wireless communication systems such as GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, Wi-Fi, BT, etc.
GSMGSM
900 950

Power [dBm]

GPS
signals

GPS
1575

GSM GSM
1800 1900

0
GPS input filter
characteristics

-110

Frequency [MHz]
0

500

1000

1500

2000

Figure 21: Out-band interference signals

Measures against out-band interference include maintaining a good grounding concept in the design and
adding a SAW or band pass ceramic filter (as recommend in Section 4) into the antenna input line to the GNSS
receiver (see Figure 22).

Figure 22: Measures against out-band interference

For design-in recommendations in combination to Cellular operation see Appendix
See the GPS Implementation and Aiding Features in u-blox wireless modules [6].

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Appendix
Recommended parts
Recommended parts are selected on data sheet basis only. Other components may also be used.
Part

Manufacturer

Diode
Semiconductor

ON

SAW

TDK/ EPCOS

Part ID

Remarks

Parameters to consider

ESD9R3.3ST5G

Standoff Voltage > 3.3 V

Low Capacitance < 0.5 pF

ESD9L3.3ST5G

Standoff Voltage > 3.3 V

Standoff Voltage > Voltage for active antenna

ESD9L5.0ST5G

Standoff Voltage > 5 V

Low Inductance

B8401: B39162-B8401-P810 GPS+GLONASS

High attenuation

B3913: B39162B3913U410

GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou

For automotive application

B4310: B39162B4310P810

GPS+GLONASS

Compliant to the AEC-Q200 standard

SAFFB1G56KB0F0A

GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou

Low insertion loss, only for mobile application

SAFEA1G58KB0F00

GPS+GLONASS

Low insertion loss, only for mobile application

SAFEA1G58KA0F00

GPS+GLONASS

High attenuation, only for mobile application

SAFFB1G58KA0F0A

GPS+GLONASS

High attenuation, only for mobile application

SAFFB1G58KB0F0A

GPS+GLONASS

Low insertion loss, only for mobile application

TA1573A

GPS+GLONASS

Low insertion loss

TA0638A

GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou

Low insertion loss

TA1343A

GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou

Low insertion loss

JRC

NJG1143UA2

LNA

Low noise figure, up to 15 dBm RF input power

Avago

ALM-GN001

LNA

Low noise figure, with pre-LNA filter, concurrent
GNSS

Avago

ALM-GN002

LNA

Very low noise figure, with post-LNA filter,
concurrent GNSS

Inductor

Murata

LQG15HS27NJ02

L, 27 nH

Impedance @ freq GPS > 500 Ω

Capacitor

Murata

GRM1555C1E470JZ01

C, 47 pF

DC-block

Ferrite
Bead

Murata

BLM15HD102SN1

FB

High IZI @ fGSM

Feed thru
Capacitor
for Signal

Murata

Feed thru
Capacitor

Murata

muRata

TAI-SAW

LNA

Resistor

NFL18SP157X1A3

Monolithic Type

For data signals, 34 pF load capacitance

NFA18SL307V1A45

Array Type

For data signals, 4 circuits in 1 package

NFM18PC ….

0603 2A

Rs < 0.5 Ω

NFM21P….

0805 4A

10 Ω ± 10%, min 0.250 W

Rbias

560 Ω ± 5%

R2

100 kΩ ± 5%
Table 6: Recommended parts

R3, R4

Recommended antennas
Manufacturer

Order No.

Comments

Hirschmann (www.hirschmann-car.com)

GLONASS 9 M

GPS+GLONASS active

Taoglas (www.taoglas.com )

AA.160.301111

GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou 36*36*4 mm, 3-5V 30mA active

Taoglas (www.taoglas.com )

AA.161.301111

36*36*3 mm, 1.8 to 5.5V / 10mA at 3V active

INPAQ (www.inpaq.com.tw)

B3G02G-S3-01-A

GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou 2.7 to 3.9 V / 10 mA active

Amotech (www.amotech.co.kr)

B35-3556920-2J2

35x35x3 mm GPS+GLONASS passive

Amotech (www.amotech.co.kr)

A25-4102920-2J3

25x25x4 mm GPS+GLONASS passive

Amotech (www.amotech.co.kr)

A18-4135920-AMT04

18x18x4 mm GPS+GLONASS passive

Amotech (www.amotech.co.kr)

AGA363913-S0-A1

GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou active

INPAQ (www.inpaq.com.tw)

ACM4-5036-A1-CC-S

5.2 x 3.7 x 0.7 mm GPS+GLONASS passive

Additional antenna Manufacturer: Allis Communications, 2J, Tallysman Wireless
Table 7: Recommend antennas

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MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual

A.1 Design-in recommendations in combination with cellular operation
Cellular and GNSS
Simultaneous operation

Receiver Chain

MAX-7

NEO-7
EVA-M8
MAX-M8

NEO-M8

LEA-M8
PAM-7
CAM-M8

•

•

•

•

•





•
•
•
•
•

•
•
•

•











•
•
•
•
•

•
•

•

•

•

•
•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•














• = integrated

Active GNSS
Antenna

3G/4G cellular

•

2G cellular

SAW

SAW LNA

Antenna

SAW

Any
Any
Any
M
C
W
Q
N
M
P
M
C
W
Q
N
M
Q
T
S
T
Q
C
Q

On-chip LNA

MAX-6
NEO-6
LEA-6
EVA-7

Variant

Family

Passive GNSS
Antenna










2G/3G/4G
cellular

Product

















































 = optimal performance

Table 8: Combinations of u-blox GNSS modules with different cellular technologies (2G/3G/4G).

See the GPS Implementation and Aiding Features in u-blox wireless modules [6].

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MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual

Related documents
[1]

MAX-M8 Data Sheet, Docu. No. UBX-13004644

[2]

u-blox M8 Receiver Description Including Protocol Specification (Public version), Docu. No. UBX13003221

[3]

GPS Antenna Application Note, Docu. No. GPS-X-08014

[4]
[5]

GPS Compendium, Docu. No. GPS-X-02007
2
I C-bus specification, Version 2.1, Jan 2000,
http://www.nxp.com/acrobat_download/literature/9398/39340011_21.pdf

[6]
[7]

GPS Implementation and Aiding Features in u-blox wireless modules, Docu. No. GSM.G1-CS-09007
u-blox 7 to u-blox M8 Software Migration Guide, Docu. No. UBX-13003254
For regular updates to u-blox documentation and to receive product change notifications, register on our
homepage (http://www.u-blox.com)

Revision history
Revision

Date

Name

Status / Comments

R01

30-Jan-2014

jfur

Objective Specification

R02
R03

26-Feb- 2014
12-May-2014

jfur
jfur

Advance Information
Document status changed to Early Production Information.
Updated Table 6 (Recommended parts); added Table 8: Combinations of u-blox GNSS
modules with different cellular technologies (2G/3G/4G), updated Figure 9, Figure 14 and
Figure 15.

R04
R05

02-Jul-2014
19-Sep-2014

jfur
jfur

R06

02-Dec-2014

julu

Updated Table 7 (added Amotech GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou active antenna)
Changed MAX-M8C Type Number to MAX-M8C-0-01, updated SAFEBOOT_N pin
description in Table 2, Figure 3 and Table 5.
Production Information. Changed Antenna open circuit detection.

R07

02-Jun-2015

julu

Updated section 1.5 (added Electromagnetic interference on I/O lines), updated Figure 15.

R08
R09

21-Oct-2015
16-Nov-2015

julu
julu

Updated MAX-M8C Type Number to MAX-M8C-0-02 and added relevant PCN reference
Updated MAX-M8Q Type Number to MAX-M8Q-0-01 and added relevant PCN reference

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MAX-M8 - Hardware Integration Manual

Contact
u-blox Offices
North, Central and South America
u-blox America, Inc.
Phone:
E-mail:

+1 703 483 3180
info_us@u-blox.com

Regional Office West Coast:
Phone:
+1 408 573 3640
E-mail:
info_us@u-blox.com

Headquarters
Europe, Middle East, Africa

Asia, Australia, Pacific

u-blox AG
Phone:
+41 44 722 74 44
E-mail:
info@u-blox.com
Support: support@u-blox.com

Phone:
E-mail:
Support:

Technical Support:
Phone:
E-mail:

+1 703 483 3185
support_us@u-blox.com

u-blox Singapore Pte. Ltd.
+65 6734 3811
info_ap@u-blox.com
support_ap@u-blox.com

Regional Office Australia:
Phone:
+61 2 8448 2016
E-mail:
info_anz@u-blox.com
Support: support_ap@u-blox.com
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Support: support_cn@u-blox.com
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Support:

+86 23 6815 1588
info_cn@u-blox.com
support_cn@u-blox.com

Regional Office China (Shanghai):
Phone:
E-mail:
Support:

+86 21 6090 4832
info_cn@u-blox.com
support_cn@u-blox.com

Regional Office China (Shenzhen):
Phone:
+86 755 8627 1083
E-mail:
info_cn@u-blox.com
Support: support_cn@u-blox.com
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+91 959 1302 450
E-mail:
info_in@u-blox.com
Support: support_in@u-blox.com
Regional Office Japan (Osaka):
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+81 6 6941 3660
E-mail:
info_jp@u-blox.com
Support: support_jp@u-blox.com
Regional Office Japan (Tokyo):
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E-mail:
Support:

+81 3 5775 3850
info_jp@u-blox.com
support_jp@u-blox.com

Regional Office Korea:
Phone:
+82 2 542 0861
E-mail:
info_kr@u-blox.com
Support: support_kr@u-blox.com
Regional Office Taiwan:
Phone:
+886 2 2657 1090
E-mail:
info_tw@u-blox.com
Support: support_tw@u-blox.com

UBX-13004876 - R09

Production Information

Contact
Page 31 of 31



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