Eggfinder Mini Build Issues

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Ok, so I dorked the 1st Mini I tried building (a7 version). Now I'm building try # 2 (A10 Version). I have built to the stopping point midstream to test the GPS. I get nothing displayed, using either Putty or VisualGPS.

First, the LED does not work, and I am sure it is properly positioned (not backwards). I do have voltage to the board. I have full voltage (LiPo 2S) at the input to the voltage regulator and I have 3.38 volts on the output side, so I know there is power to the board, the diode is working and the voltage regulator is working.

I used my multimeter to determine what voltages are showing up at what positions on the board. I've attached a pic with the voltages annotated.

I also attached pics of the board to show the soldering joints. They all look good to me. I've made 4 Eggtimer WiFi switches, all work, so my soldering, while not world class, is serviceable.

One problem might have been not properly tinning the GPS pads before filling in the slots with solder, so I wicked it out per Chris's recommendation, re-tinned the pads (a bitch of a step) and filled in the slots. I'm fairly confident that's good now.

Still no love. Nothing pops on Putty or VisualGPS. The doc says to connect at 9600 baud, 8 bits, no stop bits. No stop bits ist verboten. Minimum is 1. Is the doc wrong?

So, ideas? Do the voltages on the annotated pic make sense or is something amiss? Did I fry the GPS module? I'm at an impasse at this point. TIA for any suggestions.
 

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I'm no soldering expert but it looks like many of your connections have cold solder joints (Solder has balled up rather than flowed). That would indicate that those pads never reached proper temperature, and if true there is no connection.

I would suggest reflowing all soldered connections that look dull using a "No Clean" solder flux or paste. I really like AMTECH NC-559-V2-TF solder flux. you can find it at many electronic supply shops, or on Amazon (Here).
 
From those oblique angles, I can't tell if your solder joints are filling in the "half moon" pads on the GPS module. My guess is that they are not... you're not getting a serial feed. Take a look at the build pictures... if yours don't look EXACTLY like that, then you have some work to do.
 
Still no love. Nothing pops on Putty or VisualGPS. The doc says to connect at 9600 baud, 8 bits, no stop bits. No stop bits ist verboten. Minimum is 1. Is the doc wrong?
So I am at this point too. Chris, us this 1 no stop bit ok? Does someone have a screenshot of putty settings for a session.

Right now I am not sure if the computer and Putty is my problem or my soldering.

Anyone know the answer to this question?
 
I eventually got it to work, I think the doc is wrong.

Are you running Windows 11? If so, you are supposed to have the "USB dongle", which is different from the serial cable Chris previously sold. I did get it to work by upgrading the driver to version 3.9.3, which worked. The latest version (4.0.8) does not work.
 
Thanks for the update. I am looking for the PL2303 driver and can't seem to find one now. Is that what you meant with 3.9.3, or was that an earlier Putty version?
 
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