Re: Attempting to access the GD-8200 GPS

[James Browning]

On 07/14/2022 5:27 PM PDT Stuart Blake Tener <stuart.tener@bh90210.net> wrote:

 

I am running Kali Linux on a General Dynamics (Itronix) GD-8200 laptop, which I recently became aware has a GPS board in it with a Leadtek LR9548S (module) as one of the board's components.

I am not familiar with that one.

I installed the suite of gpsd and its associative utilities thereupon, however I am trying to get my arms around fully configuring gpsd so I can leverage it to it's maximal extent. Towards the end of this epistle I shall instantiate the /etc/default/gpsd file that I am using. Any suggestions that might allow me to more greatly optimize it would be most greatly appreciated.

We don't ship or use a /etc/default/gpsd; it looks Debianish vaguely, though.

1) After attempting to use gpsmon, I noticed it wrote some json on the screen then drew curses right on top of it in a very unaesthetic manner. I presume this may be related to the TERM variable I am using, which is "xterm-256color", the default for the GNOME terminal application. Moreover, gpsmon spews all these binary sentences that I'd like to turn off the output on as well, is there a manner by which I can achieve this also?

Use cgps instead or xgps. gpsmon uses secret sauce decoders of its own that get updated roughly never.

2) Is seems there is no way to get GPS sentences from the receiver unless gpsd uses 4800 baud, is there a way to get gpsd to use a higher baud (and for the GPS receiver to abide by it too)?

You would need a manual to be sure. However, I find the `gpsctl -s ${baud}` work on supported hardware.

3) My GPS receiver seems to be having some problems, as I get GPS sentences from it but no longitudinal or latitudinal data. Is there a manner by which I can "reset" the GPS so it obtains the new almanac and ephemeral data? If so, is this a function gpsd can handle for me? I know that a GPS needs to be reset sometimes if it has not been used in a while or was moved (whilst powered off) a great distance. I would presume that gpsd could assert such a command but I stand absent any guidance or documentation that is indicative of a methodology that could function in pursuance of effectuating such a condition or state.

It should update the almanac and assorted data automatically. Use cgps; some missing data fields will probably fill in on supported devices.

Maybe the GPS receiver board needs to be replaced? I suspect it may need to be, as it stands absent positional data nor is it noticing any more than a singular satellite. Can anyone suggest any meaningful diagnostic procedures I can exact to determine authoritatively what might be underpinning instigate to the lack of functionality described herein above?

There is this script gpsdebug (IIRC) which is on the website. People in Europe aren't supposed to use it on some ridiculous notion that it records the location of people. I would suggest taking a walk if the duly elected idiots promulgate such.

4) What, if any, inexpensive USB GPS receiver could I use that would offer PPS functionality?
5) How can I determine if my current GPS can support and/or configure PPS functionality

I don't know about your device. I recall Gary Miller chatting that he might have a few PPS-enabled u-blox 5 USB GPS mice available. I would suggest trying to get something like a Navisys GR701-W. Almost no GPS receivers have PPS.

# Devices gpsd should collect to at boot time.

# They need to be read/writable, either by user gpsd or the group dialout.

DEVICES="/dev/ttyS2"

 

# Other options you want to pass to gpsd

GPSD_OPTIONS="-n --speed 4800"

 

# Automatically hot add/remove USB GPS devices via gpsdctl

USBAUTO="true"

 

Thanks in advance to anyone that can offer some guidance and I pray everyone here successfully can avoid the China Virus and the thugs running amuck these days.