Topic: GPS (GlobalSat BU-353) updates the computer's clock?

[DaleReid]

I have just joined and read the gps threads about use to make the time of strike observations most accurate (short of the Boltek supertimer).

Does the BU-353 come with a driver that makes the computer clock synch with the received satellite time, is that why users here attach it to their stationary computer?  I wonder if it automatically sets the computer's clock to change second exactly with the start of the second as determined by the gps network, or just give a 'close' time?  Of course it would be exceptional if the little device had a register with super accurate time in it and the software could query the register to see exactly what time my receiver heard the strike, but that is what the Boltek one does as I understand it (and for a lot of bucks).

Just curious.

Are users still happy with this device as the best of breed, so to speak, or has something new and better come along since the original GPS thread was posted?

Thx.  Dale

[C5250]

It does not set the computer time (this was suggested as a feature request). When a GPS is available, that is used as the time source instead of the computers time.

[DaleReid]

So the software associated with the Boltek, or the Boltek driver, determines that a GPS is plugged in, and reads the time from there, nothing more I'd need to do if I had a usb gps plugged in?  Thanks for your timely (no pun) comments.  I'll see if I can get my system near a window and lock onto enough satelites to be valid.

[C5250]

AFAIK, only Astrogentic's NexStorm provides the option of using a GPS. Specifically, StrikeLink. Which would make sense, as the only real need for more accurate time is for triangulation purposes.

For me, the attached USB cable was too short to get than better then a foot or so from a window. But, after much experimenting, I did find that putting the GPS on a roughly 4x6" steel plate mounted on the wall made a huge improvement in reception.