This week our GPS modules and our first Digi-Key shipment of components arrived. We decided it would be a good idea to make breakout boards for each component to prove that our footprints are correct.

The GPS module was a particularly hard component to make a board for since the underside of the board sticks out below the plane and therefore necessitated an inner cutout. We also needed to make extra pads for GND on the left and right sides of the board. Apparently this is a technique that helps with interference against the GPS antenna. Since the pads are hidden under the board, we had to use solder paste and a hot air gun to make all of the connections.