Author Topic: GPS  (Read 21595 times)

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Offline mmorris

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GPS
« on: July 20, 2009, 07:14:54 PM »
Just got my GPS got the GlobalSat BU-353 USB receiver. Install the driver plug in the GPS ran the GPS Info software told me it was running on com 4  and was seeing 10 sat setting on the table. Went in to the device manger and changed the baud rate to 4800 like the instruction said to. Open up StrikeLink plug in the right com port click on Start GPS and was in. Checked on the StrikeStarUS site under stats and on the map and my block had change to green and an extra green dot was in the stats page under my station.
Info: I payed $41.94 with shipping for the GPS receiver. Just in case your shopping and wanted an Idea the cost yours might be better on the right day.
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Offline tomcj2

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Re: GPS
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2009, 09:04:05 PM »
What is the advantage of the GPS?

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Offline mackbig

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Re: GPS
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2009, 06:57:20 AM »
The only advantage is for strike timing.  Unless of course you are hooked to a laptop and in motion.

Andrew

What is the advantage of the GPS?

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline jchen

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Re: GPS
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2009, 07:55:47 AM »
So, instead of paying a list price of $1,500 for the Boltek unit, the GlobalSat is just as good, does the job, is easy to install and cost $1450 less?

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Offline SLOweather

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Re: GPS
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2009, 10:59:59 AM »
So, instead of paying a list price of $1,500 for the Boltek unit, the GlobalSat is just as good, does the job, is easy to install and cost $1450 less?

The Boltek GPS is if you want to join Boltek's new lightning network. The GlobalSat is if you want to join StrikeStar. Neither GPS is required for a stand-alone tracker not sending data to a network.

Offline racenet

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Re: GPS
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2009, 11:25:59 AM »
So, instead of paying a list price of $1,500 for the Boltek unit, the GlobalSat is just as good, does the job, is easy to install and cost $1450 less?

The Boltek GPS is if you want to join Boltek's new lightning network. The GlobalSat is if you want to join StrikeStar. Neither GPS is required for a stand-alone tracker not sending data to a network.

In addition, the GPS isn't required if you wish to send data to StrikeStar. You can send in your data without it. Adding it though improves your strike timing within the network.



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Offline port1

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Re: GPS
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2009, 04:46:19 AM »
Does yours get a fix indoors or does it need an unobstructed view of the sky?
 :?:
I'm referring to the GlobalSat BU-353 USB.

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Offline jmcmurry

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Re: GPS
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2009, 06:42:21 AM »
Mine is inside and works fine usually getting 9 sats and always at least 7.

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Offline Cienega32

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Re: GPS
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2009, 02:49:20 PM »
What happens if you remove the GPS short term - do those networks just fall back but keep you active; returning you to GPS status when it's returned to lightning service?

In other words, if you use it for occasional road trips.

Why won't the GlobalSat or any other other similarly based format work with the Boltek network? Does the Boltek GPS use a proprietary format?

Would any standard format(s) using GPS unit work with the StrikeStar net?


Reason for asking is I used to use DeLorme's BlueTooth GPS logger for road trips and it was great - buggy but great. Just turn it on and it logged everywhere you went. Then you could d/load the data into your mapping software and "watch" your travels which was cool when used in Topo software. Of course, it was also a real time GPS as well. Looking at the GlobalSat units and others, it seems that loggers are available.

Then again, the GlobalSat is cheap enough but I am pretty curious about those issues I asked about.

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Offline mackbig

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Re: GPS
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2009, 03:17:04 PM »
I dont use a GPS with mine, but the StrikeLink startup/login screen looks like it would just start normally if there was no GPS present.   So you should default back, to a non GPS connection.

Just an FYI, of the 191 stations on strikestar US, only 73 use a GPS, and currently 8 of those are showing yellow (there is no legend on the stats page, so not quite sure what yellow means, but probably means strikelink thinks there should be a GPS, but its not communicating..?)

http://www.strikestarus.com/StrikeStarUS_Stats.html

Andrew

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Offline SLOweather

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Re: GPS
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2009, 03:50:03 PM »
What happens if you remove the GPS short term - do those networks just fall back but keep you active; returning you to GPS status when it's returned to lightning service?

In other words, if you use it for occasional road trips.


Yup. You don't need to do anything.

Quote
Why won't the GlobalSat or any other other similarly based format work with the Boltek network? Does the Boltek GPS use a proprietary format?

No, it uses a high resolution GPS with nanosecond (?) accuracy.

Quote
Would any standard format(s) using GPS unit work with the StrikeStar net?

It depends. StrikeStar requires a timestamp sentence of some sort that's not available in all GPSes. You might want to search or ask on the Astrogenic forum at http://forum.astrogenic.com/.


Offline SLOweather

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Re: GPS
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2009, 03:51:33 PM »

Just an FYI, of the 191 stations on strikestar US, only 73 use a GPS, and currently 8 of those are showing yellow (there is no legend on the stats page, so not quite sure what yellow means, but probably means strikelink thinks there should be a GPS, but its not communicating..?)

http://www.strikestarus.com/StrikeStarUS_Stats.html

Andrew

I'm one of the yellows, and I think you're correct. I need to restart the GPS tonight when I get home.

Offline racenet

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Re: GPS
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2009, 03:57:19 PM »
Green = Sending data, with GPS
Yellow = Sending data in sync mode (no gps)
Red = Fault (not sending data)

 
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Offline mackbig

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Re: GPS
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2009, 05:00:18 PM »
Cool, good guess, I guess.

Its pretty straight forward for the CON and IPC columns, green good, red bad...
I have never seen red in the GPS column. 

Andrew


Green = Sending data, with GPS
Yellow = Sending data in sync mode (no gps)
Red = Fault (not sending data)

 

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline mackbig

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Re: GPS
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2009, 05:10:27 PM »
Chris
Did you special request SLO as your strikestar ID, or is that just what relko gave you...  I guess it fits, most id's are first three letters from city, unless there are conflicts or multi part names.....

Its too bad I am just outside the Toronto city limit, TOR would be a pretty good ID for lightning/storms/etc....

Andrew


I'm one of the yellows, and I think you're correct. I need to restart the GPS tonight when I get home.

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline SLOweather

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Re: GPS
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2009, 06:11:44 PM »
Relko or Rick assigned it. Also did CAM for the Cambria station I admin.

Chris
Did you special request SLO as your strikestar ID, or is that just what relko gave you...  I guess it fits, most id's are first three letters from city, unless there are conflicts or multi part names.....

Its too bad I am just outside the Toronto city limit, TOR would be a pretty good ID for lightning/storms/etc....

Andrew


I'm one of the yellows, and I think you're correct. I need to restart the GPS tonight when I get home.

Online SoMDWx

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Re: GPS
« Reply #16 on: July 25, 2009, 04:01:20 AM »
Just got my GPS got the GlobalSat BU-353 USB receiver. Install the driver plug in the GPS ran the GPS Info software told me it was running on com 4  and was seeing 10 sat setting on the table. Went in to the device manger and changed the baud rate to 4800 like the instruction said to. Open up StrikeLink plug in the right com port click on Start GPS and was in. Checked on the StrikeStarUS site under stats and on the map and my block had change to green and an extra green dot was in the stats page under my station.
Info: I payed $41.94 with shipping for the GPS receiver. Just in case your shopping and wanted an Idea the cost yours might be better on the right day.


Mine just came in the mail for the same price. Works great!

Online SoMDWx

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Re: GPS
« Reply #17 on: August 10, 2009, 01:41:49 PM »
Spoke a little too soon..

Seems my BU-353 and StrikeLink work for awhile then it stops getting data. I have to do an uninstall of the driver and then re-install it to get it to work again.... Not sure if it is StrikeLink or the BU-353 driver doing it...

Offline racenet

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Re: GPS
« Reply #18 on: August 10, 2009, 03:41:08 PM »
That happens to me every once in awhile. Just unplugging the GPS and plugging it back in and restarting Strikelink corrects the issue. I see no reason to be un-installing and re-installing the driver. Chances are good that causes more problems then not.



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Offline mmorris

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Re: GPS
« Reply #19 on: August 10, 2009, 06:50:58 PM »
you might check and see if your computer doesn't put the usb into a sleep mode some where in the device manager just a thought.
>>Miles<<  By from Portage Lakes, OH.
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Online SoMDWx

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Re: GPS
« Reply #20 on: August 10, 2009, 10:36:26 PM »
where do you check that?

EDIT: I found out where to turn off power management for the USB devices. Now testing............
« Last Edit: August 10, 2009, 10:42:50 PM by SoMDWx »

Online SoMDWx

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Re: GPS
« Reply #21 on: August 14, 2009, 01:11:56 PM »
Same problem.. Possibly a USB cable length issue. Now testing unit directly plugged into the rear of the PC. Ordered an active USB cable to boost line signals.

Jim

Offline port1

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Re: GPS
« Reply #22 on: August 17, 2009, 09:02:28 AM »
 :-(  After fiddling around with the driver for the BU-353 for several days, I called tech support.  Was walked through a driver installation twice, and it still stumped the tech.  "I'll have the engineers contact you, Henry..." was the reply.  They did get back to me, and said their device doesn't work with WinXP 64 bit, even though originally they said it would.   #-o
It works great on my Tablet PC which runs straight WinXP, though.
It's a fine sensor, just too bad it's not supported on my main PC.  The tech said the company would have to create a driver for WinXP 64 bit, and at this point I'm not going to hold my breath.  :roll:

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Online SoMDWx

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Re: GPS
« Reply #23 on: August 17, 2009, 10:31:26 PM »
UPDATE:

After testing several days with the unit plugged right into the back of the PC (worked fine), I just got my active hub cable and have it installed....

 [-o&lt;

So far , so good. Have the GPS receiver right by the window, picking up ~ 5-7 Sats.....

Cable could be the answer.....

Jim

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Re: GPS
« Reply #24 on: August 18, 2009, 09:09:54 PM »
Well it seems my intermittent conection with the BU-353 GPS receiver has been fixed by using an active USB cable....

 =D&gt;  =D&gt;  =D&gt;

Jim