5.1.612 Geolocation TCP Issues after Win10 2004 Update

[Tolt]

Surface GO 2 LTE (Hoping this will be a sweet platform for OpenCPN)
Windows 10 Pro
OpenCPN beta 5.1.612

I had 5.1.612 humming along nicely with Geolocation TCP and Win10 1909. After the 2004 update, however, Geolocation TCP started acting strange. It gets a proper fix from the gps chip, sends the NMEA message, then stalls for 30 seconds. OpenCPN shows the connection for about 3 seconds, then disconnects for about 27 seconds. Repeats over and over. Makes no difference if WiFi is on or off. There is no SIM card (no LTE). Position sent every 30 seconds is spot-on.

Are there alternatives to using Geolocation TCP?

I worked with the betas while on a 1200 mile, L.A. to Seattle run over the last few weeks and got some wild behavior after the 2004 update. Among other things, I swear OpenCPN would occasionally connect with the Surface GPS Chip without Geolocation TCP. Instead of the green dot, I would get the 3 satellite bars, and a spot-on fix! When I got home a reimaged my HD to a Win10 1909 build. (I also had malware to flush.) I got 5.1.612 working perfectly with Geolocation TCP. Today I updated to 2004 again, and stopped testing when I saw this strange Geolocation TCP behavior. I have a strong GPS fix, tested with other software. All permissions are on.

Geolocation TCP readout:
6/19/2020 6:57:12 PM -07:00 sending NMEA:
$GPRMC,015712,A,4738.98,N,12154.95,W,,,200620,,*0F
6/19/2020 6:57:43 PM -07:00 sending NMEA:
$GPRMC,015743,A,4738.98,N,12154.95,W,,,200620,,*0B
6/19/2020 6:58:14 PM -07:00 sending NMEA:
$GPRMC,015814,A,4738.98,N,12154.95,W,,,200620,,*06
6/19/2020 6:58:45 PM -07:00 sending NMEA:
$GPRMC,015845,A,4738.98,N,12154.95,W,,,200620,,*02
6/19/2020 6:59:17 PM -07:00 sending NMEA:
$GPRMC,015917,A,4738.98,N,12154.95,W,,,200620,,*04
6/19/2020 6:59:50 PM -07:00 sending NMEA:
$GPRMC,015950,A,4738.98,N,12154.95,W,,,200620,,*07
6/19/2020 7:00:21 PM -07:00 sending NMEA:
$GPRMC,020021,A,4738.98,N,12154.95,W,,,200620,,*0E

[Tolt]

All is well! A subsequent Windows Update cleared up the problem. NMEA messages are spitting out once a second via Geolocation TCP!

[inigo45]

Hallo Tolt,


Surface GO LTE
Windows 11 Pro
OpenCPN 5.2.0


I would like know how to get the Geolocation TCP working. When I start the application it starts with two sentences and that was it. OpenCPN indicates just the red dot with no GPS signal so far.


Juergen

[Tolt]

Hello Jergen,

Make sure location permission is on for "Desktop Apps". On my Windows 10 machine, the switch is at Settings/Privacy/Location/Desktop Apps. On initial startup of, first, Geolocation TCP, then, OpenCPN, I get reliable gps connectivity. It's after the app is running for several minutes that I run into problems.

I have not had much luck with my setup's reliability. I get regular crashes, that might be related to Geolocation TCP. I would like to see OpenCPN accommodate GPS equipped PCs like ours in future releases, without having to use Geolocation TCP. When underway, OpenCPN is relegated to a "side project". Primary vector navigation is with an iPad and Navionics. The last trip I had OpenCPN running on, I was using OpenCPN 5.2.4.