PP and local GPS

[IanH]

PlanPlotter allows connection of a GPS receiver to plot position. Has anyone managed to do this?

i bought a receiver with a Ublox chip connected via USB - it quickly locates my position even indoors but no success transferring that position to PP 

Google Earth reads the data and shows my location.

Maybe I need a different receiver? So what works with PP?

Ian

[Triple7]

Hi Ian,

I've never tried it but looking at the help file, it mentions selecting 'Local GPS' in the I/O Options dialog box. Have you done that? Have you set the Port No. and Baud rate under Options>>Home Location>>Local GPS setup?

I'd wager you have, but that's all I can suggest.

Good luck,

Tim

[IanH]

Tim

I read and re-read the PP help files  .

There is very little on the internet about this - what turned out to be the most useful was a video of some guy using a Garmin GPS in an E195 to plot his position. He used a program "GpsGate" to convert Garmin to NMEA (!!) which is what PP needs.

I Played around with that in desperation and found a setting that allowed a GPS fix from the receiver output to be sent to PP and that worked (=GPS label on PP map). Further reading suggested that too much data is being sent by the receiver (both NMEA and native Ublox) which PP does not understand. GpsGate had grabbed the relevant stuff and sent just that to PP.

So delving into the configuration program (if you think PP is complicated, it is just a good starting point for other things!!), I switched off everything so that just NMEA was being sent and finally about 10 minutes ago, a "GPS" label and a yellow triangle appeared.

Ok - next step is to connect the GPS to my laptop, get my wife to drive somewhere and see whether the GPS label moves. If so, i am ready for a cruise next month plotting my position on airways maps in PP so I can figure out which trail is what.
If not, back to the drawing board.

Ian

PS this is what I bought: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GN-800G-USB-GPS-Receiver-with-magnetic-base-Ublox-8-Win-7-8-10-Linux-Ras-Pi/192807265631

[Andrewmer]

Hi Ian,

I have a long train trip in Canada coming up so having a GPS to plot my position sounded useful. I have bought the one you suggested but could use some tips on how to set up my laptop to feed PP.

You mentioned the configuration program - I wasn't sure if this was within GpsGate or PP?

Any information on how you got GPS to work would be gratefully received.

Thanks,
Andy

[IanH]

If you bought the GN-800G, then you need to download the control software.

The link I bought it from has a varity of possible downloads:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GN-800G-USB-GPS-Receiver-with-magnetic-base-Ublox-8-Win-7-8-10-Linux-Ras-Pi/192807265631?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Just go with downloading https://www.u-blox.com/sites/default/files/ublox-GNSS_u-center_windows_v8.25.zip and install it.

Ian

[IanH]

EDIT: Open this post in Firefox to see the images. No longer visible in Chrome or Edge.


The UBlox software is comprehensive (or is that incomprehensible?).

<<now with screen shots to explain better>>

First step is to connect the GPS device and start the u_Cente software. Select Receiver from the top menu bar. Then select Port.  Hopefully with the GPS connected it will offer a virtual COM port (COM2? COM4?, etc). If yes, click on the COM port shown. If not you need to go into Device Manager to check what COM ports are allocated. If none are allocated, probably need to install one of the drivers from the web page www.u-blox.com/sites/default/files/ubloxGnss_sensorDeviceDriver_windows_3264_v2.40.exe


Once connected to a COM port, the device should start to acquire data and show your position in one of the windows. Make sure View/Docked Windows/Data is checked so it shows.

That indicates the receiver is working ok. 

However that is not enough to get it working with PP. There is a massive outout from the device, but only a small proportion is understandable by PP. I used GPSGate to prove the system was working but later found the way to filter what PP did not understand.

There are just two parameters that need to be adjusted from the u-Centre software. Sadly these do not both seem to be saved to the hardware (not sure why) so I had to check/update them each time I wanted to use the GPS device with PP.

So from the top menu select View/Configuration View

1st setting: select NMEA

You need to have the setup as shown (0/1/1) - this means that just GP data is sent to PP.


On bottom menu select "Send" to update device.


2nd setting: select PRT (ports)

For Protocol out, choose NMEA not the default UBX+NMEA


On bottom menu select "Send" to update device.

At this point select Receiver from top menu and Port/Disconnect to allow PP to connect.

PP options are simple.

In Options/Home Location/Local GPS Setup
Enter Comms port number as used to connect to uBlox software


In "Input/Output" Settings
Check Local GPS


In "Chart Options" to show current location:
Check Plot GPS location as aircraft
Check Centre chart on GPS location


Start PP and you should see the current GPS location. If PP crashes, make sure you have ADSB data input!

If you close down PP once a local GPS location is used, it uses that as home location so you can disconnect the GPS to save laptop battery. Obviously if you are moving you wil need ot refresh occasionally 

This worked as expected on the recent cruise. What I had not allowed for was the higher upper air temperature in the tropics = NO TRAILS    Looking at FR24, there should have been lots of overflights during the days at sea but no trails and the high levels of haze meant only those directly overhead were visible. At least I knew where I was when in port and hence could figure out the approach paths to the local airports but given the excursions at each location, not much spotting. Enjoyed the holiday with a bit of spotting. 

[acarslogger]

Hi Andy,

Re I have a long train trip in Canada coming up so having a GPS to plot my position sounded useful. ...
Depending on the design of the carriages you may, or may not received GPS.
See https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/33729/why-does-gps-not-work-in-a-train .

I sometimes have problems here in the UK trying to get 'maps.me' to show my GPS position.

Regards
Stuart

[Andrewmer]

Ian - Thanks for your amazingly detailed instructions. I seem to have installed/configured everything correctly. The only thing I seem to be missing is a "home location" aircraft symbol, but that will have to wait.

Stuart - that Faraday chap has a lot to answer for. Thanks for the heads-up, we should have panoramic windows so may be lucky.

Regards,
Andy