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Author Topic: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?  (Read 381 times)

KW4CQ

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What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« on: January 28, 2023, 11:59:29 AM »

There are dozens of USB GPS dongles on Amazon and elsewhere on the web these days and and they are very inexpensive.  Can anyone recommend a good one that works with a Windows 10 desktop PC?
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WO7R

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2023, 01:34:33 PM »

I've found them to be hit or miss.  I bought the super cheap 8 dollar ones, the ones that look like thumb drives, but I had to buy three to get one to work.

That said, the one that does work seems to work very well.
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KW4CQ

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2023, 02:53:28 PM »

Yes.  I've noticed a lot of people having trouble getting set up properly or set up at all.  Perhaps for FT8 purposes syncing to a network time source would be preferable.
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WO7R

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2023, 05:51:04 PM »

Sure, NTS is preferable, but there are still places in the world where internet service is spotty / unreliable.

These little dongles (I spent 24 bucks, recall, on three because I couldn't be bothered to do returns on such a paltry thing) could be a real difference maker in an environment like that.

You do have to learn which messages to monitor though.  There are dozens of them, with varying applicability.  There was a class of them that seemed to be (for some reason -- maybe my bug or environment) about a half second off of real time.  But, if you find ourself consistently off half a second for FT8 work, you can implement a manual correction or just switch messages.  There are a lot of messages that return TOD.  I found that a little obnoxious, but in the end, it's a minor hiccup.

I bought mine as a cheap experiment more than for real use.  It also gives pretty accurate latitude and longitude and fairly accurate elevation (precise elevation requires a local correction because the earth isn't a perfect sphere and the eight dollar chip, at least, lacks the extensive data base that apparently exists somewhere to make the correction -- without it, you can be a fair bit off).
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VE3VEE

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2023, 07:11:36 PM »

If you insert a USB GPS dongle directly (without an extension cable) to your laptop, it may not work well, or it may take a long time to acquire good signal. It is better if you use at least a few feet long USB extension cable to keep the GPS unit further away from your laptop to minimize interference.

Also keep in mind that GPS receivers may not work well inside your house. If you are trying to use it indoor, try to at least position the unit close to a window, but even that may not guarantee a success because GPS receivers need to have a good fix on at least three satellites in different directions which may not always be possible in an indoor environment.

Also, keep in mind that when you just received a GPS unit that was last time used many kilometres from your location, it may take several minutes to get a good fix on satellites in your new location. Just keep it turned on and wait patiently. Normally, a GPS receiver should start working within about 45 seconds from cold start, but if you are starting it for the very first time in a new location, it may take many more minutes. Be patient.

It has been about 10 years since I stopped playing with GPS units, but those days (and likely today as well, I would recommend GlobalSat BU-353-S4 USB as a very decent USB GPS receiver.

Marvin VE3VEE
« Last Edit: January 28, 2023, 07:15:38 PM by VE3VEE »
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KJ4Z

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2023, 07:22:37 PM »

I have used many of the cheapest GPS dongles and never had any trouble with any of them for positioning.  For timing, you may need to look for something with a PPS output but this is beyond my knowledge or interest.

Ironically I would suggest getting the most generic unit you can find, as those are usually built to reference designs using bog standard configurations and chips and thus will be well supported by your host machine out of the box -- usually.  In particular, all the cheap ones I've ever encountered used standard serial over USB drivers so no additional installation required.  Just plug them in and they show up as a serial port.  Not having to install unknown software from an unknown vendor is a huge plus.

I've never had trouble from any unit containing a u-blox GPS receiver.  The manufacturer of the dongle is almost irrelevant at that point.

Edit: I've used several of the "VK-162" units and while it says a driver install is required, it never was for me.  I was using them with linux.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2023, 07:26:16 PM by KJ4Z »
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VE3NEA

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2023, 09:44:36 AM »

About a decade ago I used  Garmin GPS 18x LVC with my ToyNtp server to achieve sub-millisecond timing accuracy. This was required for the Faros software to distinguish between the short path and long path propagation delay. The unit was connected to a physical COM port, with the PPS signal wired to the CD pin.

If I had to do this now, I would try some cheap GPS unit with PPS, such as this, with a RS232/USB converter that supports the DCD line.
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KG4RUL

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2023, 01:49:46 PM »

On Amazon: HiLetgo VK172 G-Mouse USB GPS/GLONASS USB GPS Receiver for Windows 10/8/7/VISTA/XP

It agrees with three other, considerably more expensive, GPS receivers I have and, acquires the satellites equally as fast.
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KB8GAE

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2023, 04:53:09 AM »

This video of a presentation by KO8SCA explains what 3Y0J will use at 38 minute in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4blDDQQ1JQ

They chose an Industrial Qualcom SIRF USB GPS & Glonass concurrent reciever.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294792958898

Software is NMEA TIme2 GPS and Jt Sync

73 Rich KB8GAE
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K3NRX

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2023, 05:00:18 AM »

I curious. Without coming off as sounding like a self appointed website Gestapo/Cop, I still would like to ask. This topic has absolutely what to do with DXing? Please advise.

V
K3NRX
« Last Edit: January 30, 2023, 05:03:50 AM by K3NRX »
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KW4CQ

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2023, 06:14:16 AM »

I curious. Without coming off as sounding like a self appointed website Gestapo/Cop, I still would like to ask. This topic has absolutely what to do with DXing? Please advise.

V
K3NRX

Yes, you are quite right.  I inadvertently listed this under the wrong topic.  Please forgive me for this grevious trangression.  I hope I haven't offended you.
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K3NRX

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Re: What is the best choice of a USB GPS Dongle?
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2023, 03:37:46 PM »

Ha ha ha ha ha ha….No you’re not….and I’m not “offended” just curious as to the thinking regarding posting a topic in a thread for a completely different subject….kind of like why people would continue to spot an incorrect call sign on the cluster, when they actually should be listening to the station on the air….hmmm, I think I found another topic for the forum!

V
K3NRX
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