NMEA is the format that pretty much all GPS modules use to communicate. Understanding NMEA is essential to working with GPS!

• All about NMEA
• MTK Packet checksum generator

• Trimble's GPS tutorial
• Garmin's GPS tutorial

If you want to connect the GPS directly to your computer, you can use special software that makes it easy to configure the modules

• SirfDemo v3.82
• SirfDemo software tutorial (for Sirf chipset GPSes)
• SirfDemo User guide (for Sirf chipset GPSes)
• MiniGPS (for ETek EB-85)

Here are some of the nice projects/products that inspired me to build this shield

• Arduino GPS module from Libellium
• OHARARP waterproof GPS logger
• Sparkfun GPS logger