SIM900 GPRS/GMS Shield

Introduction

The SIM900 GSM/GPRS Shield provides you a way to use the GSM cell phone network to receive data from a remote location. The shield allows you to achieve this via any of the three methods:

• Short Message Service
• Audio
• GPRS Service

The GPRS Shield is compatible with all boards which have the same form factor (and pinout) as a standard Arduino Board. The GPRS Shield is configured and controlled via its UART using simple AT commands. Based on the SIM900 module from SIMCOM, the GPRS Shield is like a cell phone. Besides the communications features, the GPRS Shield has 12 GPIOs, 2 PWMs and an ADC.

Features

• Based on SIMCom's SIM900 Module
• Quad-Band 850 / 900/ 1800 / 1900 MHz - would work on GSM networks in all countries across the world.
• Control via AT commands - Standard Commands: GSM 07.07 & 07.05 | Enhanced Commands: SIMCOM AT Commands.
• Short Message Service - so that you can send small amounts of data over the network (ASCII or raw hexadecimal).
• Embedded TCP/UDP stack - allows you to upload data to a web server.
• Speaker and Headphone jacks - so that you can send DTMF signals or play recording like an answering machine.
• SIM Card holder and GSM Antenna - present onboard.
• 12 GPIOs, 2 PWMs and an ADC (all 2.8 volt logic) - to augment your Arduino.
• Low power consumption - 1.5mA(sleep mode)
• Industrial Temperature Range - -40°C to +85 °C

Application Ideas

• M2M (Machine 2 Machine) Applicatoions - To transfer control data using SMS or GPRS between two machines located at two different factories.
• Remote control of appliances - Send SMS while you are at your office to turn on or off your washing machine at home.
• Remote Weather station or a Wireless Sensor Network - Mate it with Seeeduino Stalker and create a sensor node capable of transferring sensor data (like from a weather station - temperature, humidity etc.) to a web server (like pachube.com).
• Interactive Voice Response System - Couple the GPRS Shield with an MP3 Decoder and DTMF Decoder (besides an Arduino) to create an Interactive Vocice Response System (IVRS).
• Vehicle Tracking System - Couple the GPRS Shield with an Arduino and GPS module and install it in your car and publish your location live on the internet. Can be used as a automotive burglar alarm.

Cautions

• Make sure your SIM card is unlocked.
• The product is provided as is without an insulating enclosure. Please observe ESD precautions specially in dry (low humidity) weather.
• The factory default setting for the GPRS Shield UART is 19200 bps 8-N-1. (Can be changed using AT commands).

Specifications

Item	Min	Typical	Max	Unit
Voltage	4.8	5.0	5.2	VDC
Current	/	50	450	mA
Dimension(with antenna)	110x58x19			mm
Net Weight	76±2			g

Interface Function

Power select - select the power supply for GPRS shield(external power or 5v of arduino)
Power jack - connected to external 4.8~5VDC power supply
Antenna interface - connected to external antenna
Serial port select - select either software serial port or hareware serial port to be connected to GPRS Shield
Hardware Serial - D0/D1 of Arduino/Seeeduino
Software serial - D7/D8 of Arduino/Seeeduino only
Status LED - tell whether the power of SIM900 is on
Net light - tell the status about SIM900 linking to the net
UART of SIM900 - UART pins breakout of SIM900
Microphone - to answer the phone call
Speaker - to answer the phone call
GPIO,PWM and ADC of SIM900 - GPIO,PWM and ADC pins breakout of SIM900
Power key - power up and down for SIM900

Pins usage on Arduino

D0 - Unused if you select software serial port to communicate with GPRS Shield
D1 - Unused if you select software serial port to communicate with GPRS Shield
D2 - Unused
D3 - Unused
D4 - Unused
D5 - Unused
D6 - Unused
D7 - Used if you select software serial port to communicate with GPRS Shield
D8 - Used if you select software serial port to communicate with GPRS Shield
D9 - Used for software control the power up or down of the SIM900
D10 - Unused
D11 - Unused
D12 - Unused
D13 - Unused
D14(A0) - Unused
D15(A1) - Unused
D16(A2) - Unused
D17(A3) - Unused
D18(A4) - Unused
D19(A5) - Unused
Note: A4 and A5 are connected to the I2C pins on the SIM900. The SIM900 however cannot be accessed via the I2C .