GPS for Use with Laptop and OpenCPN

[Cheechako]

The little pucks from Ebay or else where seem to work fine.

[Sailor_Hutch]

"The original BU-353 GPS dongle used a SirfStar III module ..." I hate to pile on, but I guess this one seems to be a consensus. Works like a charm for me, but I've noticed that it has to be pretty close to one of my windows.

[AedanC]

NEMAGps for iOS works fine and I think it's free but I can't check right now.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Sailor_Hutch

"The original BU-353 GPS dongle used a SirfStar III module ..." I hate to pile on, but I guess this one seems to be a consensus. Works like a charm for me, but I've noticed that it has to be pretty close to one of my windows.

I have had mine working in the back of a basement with a house above - anecdotes are not always useful. The specs for the various modules are available online, so when evaluating a GPS puck first determine the module inside, then look up the spec and compare with others. Just keep in mind that for some things smaller negative numbers are best. OTOH most current GPS pucks will work just fine.

Greg

[Simi 60]

Setting up opencpn now and neep a puck for laptop..
Looking at getting one of these cheapies now, do they track ALL satellites as in US, Russian and euro?

[Simi 60]

Some of the bu353 say WAAS 20 channel, some say 56 channel as do most of the unbranded cheapies.
Pretty sure I don't want WAAS in Southern hemisphere.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Setting up opencpn now and neep a puck for laptop..
Looking at getting one of these cheapies now, do they track ALL satellites as in US, Russian and euro?

Euro does not have running sat system, Ruskis and Chinese do.

None of the pucks I have used received anything but GPS. Maybe the newest BU does, look up their site.

Garmins standalone receiver (19x) gets GLONASS and there is another make too but I lost the name. You can google it up.

Cheers,
b.

[Alita49DS]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Euro does not have running sat system, Ruskis and Chinese do.

None of the pucks I have used received anything but GPS. Maybe the newest BU does, look up their site.

Garmins standalone receiver (19x) gets GLONASS and there is another make too but I lost the name. You can google it up.

Cheers,
b.

That is not right. The Questscan QG157 USB one that costs peanuts gets both the US GPS and the Russian Glosnass signals.

Must be BT ones that do the same as the chips are probably common.

[Simi 60]

Ended up ordering the vk162 gmouse for $15

Specification: Support DGPS [WAAS, EGNOS and MSAS] Tracking Channels: 50

It was on the opencpn list of tried and working units.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Euro does not have running sat system,

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is the first pan-European satellite navigation system. It augments the US GPS satellite navigation system and makes it suitable for safety critical applications such as flying aircraft or navigating ships through narrow channels.Aug 2, 2013

What is EGNOS? / EGNOS / Navigation / Our Activities / ESA

[Simi 60]

Egnos is only 3 sats to supplement US GPS so probably of little use in Oz.

Glonass is what I need, my cheap phones and tablets get glonass and GPS and work fine.
My standalone plotter always shows WAAS and seems to lose signal at the most inconvenient times.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is the first pan-European satellite navigation system. It augments the US GPS satellite navigation system and makes it suitable for safety critical applications such as flying aircraft or navigating ships through narrow channels.Aug 2, 2013

What is EGNOS? / EGNOS / Navigation / Our Activities / ESA

You are mixing up things like WAAS/EGNOS and GPS/Galileo. One is a sat nav system the other is an augmentation system.

When you talk EUR sat nav system it is called Gallieo, it does not provide public service yet and god only knows when and if it will.

The systems to use are the gps, the glonass (ruskis) the beidou (chinese). I receive all of them on my USD 50 smartphone.

I cannot see any device for small boats that use Galileo. Samsung Galaxy 8 can in theory receive the signals but we tested this here and not a single App on Google Play was able to make use of this theoretical capability. Galaxy 8 at USD 800 is an expensive puck though, even if it ever starts using Gallileo.

Cheers,
b.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Alita49DS

That is not right. The Questscan QG157 USB one that costs peanuts gets both the US GPS and the Russian Glosnass signals.

Must be BT ones that do the same as the chips are probably common.

Google returts no hits.

Please repost the link.

I did not say they do not exist, I said I did not see any.

Cheers,
b.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Ended up ordering the vk162 gmouse for $15

That's a good price. There are many product names available, which mean little. If you want to know the specs/capabilities it is best to identify the module inside and search for that. This product is using a Ublox GPS module - Ublox is a well-respected supplier so a good choice. The description I found indicates that the module is either a 6010 or 7020 - they probably are switching to the newer module as stocks of the older one are gone. The cutting edge is the 8 series, no doubt at a higher price, so this is a current volume production. This module can receive GLONASS as well as GPS - if you want to use that you may have to switch it on but I don't think there is any advantage.

Truth be told, pretty much any GPS puck will do the job. More sensitive receivers might pick up more satellites when used inside, and newer modules tend to use less power, but these are at the margins.

Greg

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

You are mixing up things like WAAS/EGNOS and GPS/Galileo. One is a sat nav system the other is an augmentation system.

He is basically quoting from the ESA's brochure, found on the link provided. It is an ESA PR piece, which puffs up their contribution and downplays the US. EGNOS is a copy of the US WAAS system with the same I/O, duplicating the engineering in the EU (Thales) instead of buying from the US suppliers of WAAS. It includes many ground stations in the EU to determine the errors/corrections, which are uploaded to 3 European satellites (with other primary uses) which have "packages" that receive and then transmit the corrections. It represents a valuable contribution to GPS positioning accuracy in the European area but I agree that it is a very big stretch to take credit for the navigation system.

Galileo? When first mooted it was planned to be more accurate than GPS, and it was going to be a paid service for all. In the extended time it has been under development the US has upgraded their constellation to a newer generation of satellites leaving little or no improvement in results for Galileo, and with free GPS, GLONASS, and Beidu it cannot charge most users for access. It is looking more like an expensive vanity project than a service that fills a need.

Greg