USB-GPS Working in PilotAware

[captchaos]

I have been using the GPS off the ipad and collisionaware. However, the GPS fix in SD occasionally freezes and as I understand this may be because the fix is passed back to SD from PA. I have therefore ordered a GPS dongle to see if this improves things.

However, is there a way to have the PA unit use the GPS dongle for its fix and the ipad to use its internal GPS for its fix? This would be to ensure the SD nav is not impacted if the PA unit has a problem.

[scsirob]

My uBlox 6 GPS seems to work OK (using it with EasyVFR), except on the console I get massive amounts of "$GPTXT,01,01,01,NMEA unknown msg*58" lines logged, interleaved with valid NMEA messages. When I attach the GPS directly to my PC, all it generates is valid NMEA messages. What might this be?

[ianfallon]

My uBlox 6 GPS seems to work OK (using it with EasyVFR), except on the console I get massive amounts of "$GPTXT,01,01,01,NMEA unknown msg*58" lines logged, interleaved with valid NMEA messages. When I attach the GPS directly to my PC, all it generates is valid NMEA messages. What might this be?

Hi - I'm interested in the fact you're running EasyVFR - my friend has this and we can't get it to work. We always get no position info in Easy VFR on his iPad as soon as we try to use FLARM/PAW. Everything works fine with his unit on my SkyDemon or with his EasyVFR using the normal navigation by internal GPS in the iPad.

Pretty sure we've got everything set up right but am intrigued as to how yours is working and what we might have missed!

[scsirob]

My setup is a bit different. I run EasyVFR on a mini-PC with Windows 8.1 and a 7" touchscreen.


The image shows PocketFMS, I have updated the system since then.

EasyVFR connects to PAW using Ethernet, using the settings mentioned in the "First time booting" thread. When I connect, I get a green 'GPS Flarm' indicator.

Officially, EasyVFR does not support PAW yet, but that is about to change soon.

[ianfallon]

Ah - that explains it - great - thanks

[scsirob]

Anyone with ideas how to get rid of the "$GPTXT,01,01,01,NMEA unknown msg*58" messages? Is this a software issue, or perhaps a uBlox setting?

[Admin]

Anyone with ideas how to get rid of the "$GPTXT,01,01,01,NMEA unknown msg*58" messages? Is this a software issue, or perhaps a uBlox setting?

Hi Rob,
The parser throws out messages which cannot be successfully parsed.
This was so that nothing slips through the net, I can silence the GPTXT messages, there is actually no use in these messages for PAW

thx
Lee

[Flyguyal]

Took my pilot aware out for a spin at the weekend using the USB gps and it worked a treat.

[the_top_pilot]

Lee,

I am running the USB-GPS Dongle and it is working a treat. a lot less hassle than my GNS2000. One less thing to carry any worry about power for.

Steve

[fly2alpha]

I am a newbie with a non GPS iPad mini linked to a PAW unit with a u-blox7 GPS dongle in the PAW. I am running Sky Demon on the iPad and have powered up the PAW. The GPS has a pulsing green light OK. However, when I try to obtain the GPS data etc from the PAW using the Flarm setting I am getting an error message - Failed to establish a connection with the Butterfly Connect Unit - probably something simple and would be grateful for a steer on this.  Chris (G-BKGA/EGBE)

[Admin]

I am a newbie with a non GPS iPad mini linked to a PAW unit with a u-blox7 GPS dongle in the PAW. I am running Sky Demon on the iPad and have powered up the PAW. The GPS has a pulsing green light OK. However, when I try to obtain the GPS data etc from the PAW using the Flarm setting I am getting an error message - Failed to establish a connection with the Butterfly Connect Unit - probably something simple and would be grateful for a steer on this.  Chris (G-BKGA/EGBE)

May be a silly question, but you have connected to the PilotAware WiFi ?

What version are you using ?

Can you connect Safari to the address http://192.168.1.1 this is the internal web server.
Post a screenshot if you can

Thx
Lee

[fly2alpha]

Thanks Lee and yes to your queries. However, I have sorted it now - found the answer in your post on the 'First Time Booting' thread. I had simply not found your Sky Demon set up advice previously. Have followed that and everything sprang into life instantly! Air testing next and then going on to look into using the onboard PDA that I mentioned to you. I have ascertained that it has the RS232 interface ability and there is a dedicated lead that I am trying to source. Will let you know how I get on. Also looking into coupling to my Trig transponder, with ADS-B out. Regards, Chris   

[The Westmorland Flyer]

My U-Blox USB GPS arrived in this morning's post and was quickly added to system 1. Within a couple of minutes it had acquired 6 satellites and is now showing DGPS fix, 3D, 12 satellites. Altitude accuracy seems to be within 10ft or so, so it looks like EGNOS is working. Does "DGPS fix" mean that it's using EGNOS?

System 2 is complete just awaiting a licence number then I'll be able to start doing some flight tests. Exciting times

[DavidC]

I seem to be having a lot more trouble with my uBlox GPS dongle than many others.
It just won't pickup a signal (indoors, where the iPad works fine).

Attach diagnostic screen trace with error messages and iPad web status page.
Using latest 3 Oct software
When turning on Collision Aware App, it works fine and displays airliners in the vicinity with full callsign.

Config page has default setting for all USB ports.

Any suggestions?

[DavidC]

Got it working 

Which of
a) plugging the GPS dongle into the top right hand side USB port (looking into the sockets)
b) being patient enough to wait for it to download the ephemeris data (up to 15 mins on first/cold start someone said)
c) moving the dongle nearer the window

I don't know, but it seems to work. Will try it out for reliability on my next flight.