M8N Mod Video Tutorial and Test

[SteveMyers75]

Either way... if your not into cutting/soldering up the stock cable, I'm ordering up 25 pieces of:

Molex CLIK-Mate 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (Solo Side)
-to-
Molex PicoBlade 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (NEO-M8N module side) cables.

8" long using #28 stranded wire and an 83ohm ferrite core

The CLIK-Mate end will be installed into the 6-Pin connector.
PIN#1 = RED
PIN#2 = ORANGE
PIN#3 = BROWN
PIN#4 = No Connection
PIN#5 = No Connection
PIN#6 = BLACK

All of the NEO-M8N modules seem to have different pinouts, so the PicoBlade end will be "loose" crimped ended wires and include a 6-Pin connector so you can plug the wires where you need.

Let me know if you are looking for one.
I'll sell them to anyone here at cost plus shipping (around $12 or so in the US)

You can pay after receipt via PayPal, or choose to keep it without paying and let bad karma collect the debt...

 

[ALLA]

Either way... if your not into cutting/soldering up the stock cable, I'm ordering up 25 pieces of:

Molex CLIK-Mate 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (Solo Side)
-to-
Molex PicoBlade 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (NEO-M8N module side) cables.

8" long using #26 stranded wire and an 83ohm snap-on ferrite core

The CLIK-Mate end will be installed into the 6-Pin connector.
PIN#1 = RED
PIN#2 = YELLOW
PIN#3 = BLUE
PIN#4 = No Connection
PIN#5 = No Connection
PIN#6 = BLACK

All of the NEO-M8N modules seem to have different pinouts, so the PicoBlade end will be "loose" crimped ended wires and include a 6-Pin connector so you can plug the wires where you need.

Let me know if you are looking for one.
I'll sell them to anyone here at cost plus shipping (around $12 or so in the US)

You can pay after receipt via PayPal, or choose to keep it without paying and let bad karma collect the debt...

Count me in for one

 

[NYG]

Either way... if your not into cutting/soldering up the stock cable, I'm ordering up 25 pieces of:

Molex CLIK-Mate 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (Solo Side)
-to-
Molex PicoBlade 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (NEO-M8N module side) cables.

8" long using #26 stranded wire and an 83ohm snap-on ferrite core

The CLIK-Mate end will be installed into the 6-Pin connector.
PIN#1 = RED
PIN#2 = YELLOW
PIN#3 = BLUE
PIN#4 = No Connection
PIN#5 = No Connection
PIN#6 = BLACK

All of the NEO-M8N modules seem to have different pinouts, so the PicoBlade end will be "loose" crimped ended wires and include a 6-Pin connector so you can plug the wires where you need.

Let me know if you are looking for one.
I'll sell them to anyone here at cost plus shipping (around $12 or so in the US)

You can pay after receipt via PayPal, or choose to keep it without paying and let bad karma collect the debt...

I'll take one too.

 

[Lamda]

Either way... if your not into cutting/soldering up the stock cable, I'm ordering up 25 pieces of:

Molex CLIK-Mate 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (Solo Side)
-to-
Molex PicoBlade 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (NEO-M8N module side) cables.

8" long using #26 stranded wire and an 83ohm snap-on ferrite core

The CLIK-Mate end will be installed into the 6-Pin connector.
PIN#1 = RED
PIN#2 = YELLOW
PIN#3 = BLUE
PIN#4 = No Connection
PIN#5 = No Connection
PIN#6 = BLACK

All of the NEO-M8N modules seem to have different pinouts, so the PicoBlade end will be "loose" crimped ended wires and include a 6-Pin connector so you can plug the wires where you need.

Let me know if you are looking for one.
I'll sell them to anyone here at cost plus shipping (around $12 or so in the US)

You can pay after receipt via PayPal, or choose to keep it without paying and let bad karma collect the debt...

Count me in for one. I'm in Canada but if you don't mind, you can send through USPS regular international post. No rush to get it.

And thanks for doing this!

 

[SteveMyers75]

No problem sending one to Canada.
I'll post-up a reply here when they arrive and I check them out.

 

[Lamda]

No problem sending one to Canada.
I'll post-up a reply here when they arrive and I check them out.

Thanks!

 

[Frank Biba]

I need two of these cables with connectors fully crimped on both ends. I can give you the pin-outs on the Solo side. Thanks,

Frank ([email protected])

 

[Sashatronics]

+1 let me know when available

 

[SteveMyers75]

Count me in for one

I'll take one too.

Count me in for one. I'm in Canada but if you don't mind, you can send through USPS regular international post. No rush to get it.
And thanks for doing this!

I need two of these cables with connectors fully crimped on both ends. I can give you the pin-outs on the Solo side. Thanks,

Frank ([email protected])

+1 let me know when available

No problem.
I can send these out as soon as I get back home this weekend.
(I'm away on a business trip right now.)
I'll send them to anyone with an account here that sends me a PM with a mailing address.

If you PM me a link to the M8N board you bought, I'll finish both ends.

If not, I'll install the pins into the Solo side (CLIK-Mate 6-Pin) and leave the PicoBlade side as just terminated loose wires and you can plug them into the 6-Pin PicoBlade header I'll send with the cable.

When you receive them and make sure they are what you wanted, you can pay for them with the PayPal email address I'll include with the shipment.

If you don't like them, you can post back here and just throw it away. (I'm not in this for profit)

 

[SteveMyers75]

Several people have asked me about making replacement cables for either the Solo's GPS (CLIK-Mate to CLIK-Mate) or any other sort of Custom Cables for Solo.

I do have (or have already ordered) the tools to make just about any custom cable for Solo, from the GPS to the Gimbal Port to the Compass and beyond.

I also know that 3DR is not yet offering these cables, and I want to help out fellow hobbyists.

But I also don't wish to cause any friction with the "Powers At Be Here" at 3DRPilots.
I'm only offering this as a "At-Cost" service. There is no way I'm ever going to re-coop the cost of the crimpers alone, let alone all of the supplies to support them.
(over $1.2K for just the Molex CLIK-Mate Crimpers in 1.25mm, 1.5mm and 2.0mm, plus the PicoBlade 1.25mm crimpers... and we won't talk about what the the Hirose DF-13 crimpers set me back)

I'm doing this to promote Solo and to do my part in getting this new hobby off to a good start.

All I ask in return is that everyone keep their Solo's MAX height limit set to 400', or at least please don't post up stories about going higher and feeding the media the ammunition they need to put an end to this hobby. No one needs to read that you violated FAA airspace and sent it up to 2,000' to compensate for some other size/length inadequacy...

Besides, if 400' is too low for you, maybe you should consider getting your "real" Pilot's license and pick up a Cessna 150 for cheap. Maybe then you would figure out why some of us that love piloting Solo and real airships don't like to hear about tiny non-transponder equipped crafts getting into our controlled airspace.

I hate to think what would happen to a G.E. CJ610 engine if I sucked a Solo into it on approach....

 

[Hoover185]

Slapped in the Mini 8 yesterday, did the soldering route. GPS lock in under 1 minute, 15 sats after about 5 minutes. My usual is 3.5 to 5 mins for lock, and 11 sats is the most I've ever seen. Forgot to check HDOP. Took about 2 weeks between ordering and delivery (had to clear Customs and hand off between US/CAN parcel post). I never checked for a Canadian supplier, but did find one in Vancouver for the wifi cards, and they only took about 3 business days to get here (Calgary).

Update: went out after dinner tonight - got 18 sats and 1.1 HDOP

 

[tleonx]

Either way... if your not into cutting/soldering up the stock cable, I'm ordering up 25 pieces of:

Molex CLIK-Mate 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (Solo Side)
-to-
Molex PicoBlade 6-Pin / 1.25mm Pitch (NEO-M8N module side) cables.

8" long using #26 stranded wire and an 83ohm snap-on ferrite core

The CLIK-Mate end will be installed into the 6-Pin connector.
PIN#1 = RED
PIN#2 = YELLOW
PIN#3 = BLUE
PIN#4 = No Connection
PIN#5 = No Connection
PIN#6 = BLACK

All of the NEO-M8N modules seem to have different pinouts, so the PicoBlade end will be "loose" crimped ended wires and include a 6-Pin connector so you can plug the wires where you need.

Let me know if you are looking for one.
I'll sell them to anyone here at cost plus shipping (around $12 or so in the US)

You can pay after receipt via PayPal, or choose to keep it without paying and let bad karma collect the debt...

I'll take one

 

[Sashatronics]

is 20 satellites and 1.2 is the limit on this?

 

[Old Gimper]

Either way... if your not into cutting/soldering up the stock cable.

Count me in too. Thank You

 

[Brian Mowry]

is 20 satellites and 1.2 is the limit on this?

I don't think so, I got 22 Satellites and a 0.9 HDOP yesterday!

 

[SteveMyers75]

To anyone that PM'ed me a mailing address, the custom Solo GPS cables are shipping out this weekend.
(And no worries, I'll delete your mailing address the moment I print the mailing label.)

8" long, 4 Wires, Solo 6-Pin CLIK-Mate wired up on one end, loose pre-crimped PicoBlade with an included loose header on the other end is standard.
Or tell me what length to make it and what you want on the other end.
(even another CLIK-Mate like stock)

If you send me a link to the module you want to use, I'll do my best to match it.
(It's extremely easy to change the wires on the PicoBlade side. All you need is a sharp tack or a needle to lift the little tab above the wire and lightly pull on it. )

Happy Piloting, and keep 'em landing Prop Side Up!

 

[mudman]

I will take one if you have any left, pm your paypal and I will pay asap

 

[TXDrone]

Sorry if I wasn't clear on that.
I'm talking about if you have a M8N module for a Pixhawk and want to convert it for use on Solo.
Some people have a few different GPS modules laying around from building
other "Plastic Gizmos that Fly". ™ Sarah B

Solo uses 1.25mm pitch CLIK-Mate 6-Pin connector.

Pixhawk uses 1.25mm pitch DF13.
Most generic GPS Modules, like the GYGPSV5-NEO M8N, use 1.25mm pitch PicoBlade.
Some aftermarket M8N Modules have a 1.0mm pitch SH.

If you are ordering a new cable, you would need to change one end no matter which one you order.
AFAIK, no one makes a SH/DF13/PicoBlade to CLIK-Mate cable yet.

FYI:
JST makes the SH Connector.
Hirose makes the DF13.
Molex makes the CLIK-Mate and PicoBlade.


If anyone wants to put together a minimum order, www.compatiblecable.com is willing to build a batch of custom SH or DF13 or PicoBlade to CLIK-Mate 6-Pin cables with a ferrite bead for this.
I was going to do it until I got tired of the Gimbal delays and moved on to other things.

You would need to settle in on one M8N Module and know what connector it has mounted on it.

SteveMyers75 - did anyone ever do a batch order of the cables for the M8N? I havent purchased the M8N unit yet but would love to get a pre-made cable so that I can revert back to the stock GPS if I have issues.

 

[SteveMyers75]

SteveMyers75 - did anyone ever do a batch order of the cables for the M8N? I havent purchased the M8N unit yet but would love to get a pre-made cable so that I can revert back to the stock GPS if I have issues.

Yes as a small lot of 25 cables, it ended up costing about $11.85 each with the minimums.

I also went ahead and purchased Molex CLIK-Mate and PicoBlade Pro Series Crimpers and a large stock of crimp pins and various headers so I can make up just about any custom cable.

If anyone wants one or more from the batch, or something different as a custom, let me know.

Note: The batch cables were ordered with the four wires needed for the GPS.
I didn't hook up the two i2c wires for the compass as they are not used by Solo and would just add to the noise.
(Solo has it's own compass in the Right Rear leg.)

 

[TXDrone]

Yes as a small lot of 25 cables, it ended up costing about $11.85 each with the minimums.

I also went ahead and purchased Molex CLIK-Mate and PicoBlade Pro Series Crimpers and a large stock of crimp pins and various headers so I can make up just about any custom cable.

If anyone wants one or more from the batch, or something different as a custom, let me know.

Note: The batch cables were ordered with the four wires needed for the GPS.
I didn't hook up the two i2c wires for the compass as they are not used by Solo and would just add to the noise.
(Solo has it's own compass in the Right Rear leg.)

I would like one. And if you could also send me a link to the correct M8N for which the cable will fit. PM me with details on how to pay you. Thanks!