Artemis Global Tracker Hookup Guide

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Introduction

The SparkFun Artemis Global Tracker provides a powerful tracking system combining remote short messaging via the Iridium satellite network with GPS tracking and environmental sensing all powered by the SparkFun Artemis module. The Global Tracker design focuses on truly remote tracking, data collection and transmission so whether you're looking to transmit environmental data from the top of a mountain, send data from a traveling balloon, control and monitor remote equipment or maybe communicate in an emergency when other networks are not available; the Artemis Global Tracker may be just the right tool for your remote data project.

The Artemis Global Tracker features an Iridium 9603N satellite transceiver, u-blox ZOE-M8Q GNSS module and MS8607 pressure, humidity and temperature sensor. We designed the Artemis Global Tracker with the idea of creating a robust data tracking module that works anywhere in the world, including the polar regions, far beyond the reach of WiFi and GSM networks.

Required Materials

The Artemis Global Tracker (or AGT as we'll sometimes refer to it in this guide) requires a few external components to get up and running properly. First and foremost is a power supply. The AGT receives power via either USB-C, single-cell LiPo battery or an external solar panel or battery pack (max 6V). Take a look at the products below for power supply options for the AGT:

USB-C

LiPo Battery

Solar Panel

Antenna

The AGT also requires an external antenna for the 9603N and M8Q modules. The AGT routes both modules' antenna pins to a shared SMA connector so to keep things simple, we recommend a passive antenna tuned for Iridium/GPS/GLONASS bands like the antenna shown below:

External Capacitors

Users powering the Artemis Global Tracker with a solar panel or lower-current power configurations need to attach a pair of external 10F capacitors like the ones below to provide the extra current for 9603N SBD transmissions:

Satellite Network Line Rental

The Iridium modem requires a monthly rental service to exchange information with the Iridium satellite network. Set up an account with Rock7 here. You only pay for months in which you wish to use the modem. No annual contract is required. Line rental costs £12GBP (about $15USD) per month and includes access to the RockBLOCK management system for managing your devices. The billing system is built-in, and allows you to pay for only what you use. Airtime for Iridium modems must be purchased from Rock Seven via the admin portal once the units are registered. You cannot use the devices with another Iridium airtime provider by default. If you would like to use it with another provider, you will need to pay an unlock fee of $60USD per modem.

Recommended Reading

Users who have never used the Artemis module or other Artemis boards may want to read through the following tutorials before getting started with the Artemis Global Tracker:

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