[aprssig] GPS & Display Ideas

[KF4LVZ]

On 2019-08-20 14:23, Stephen H. Smith via aprssig wrote:

> 
> Basically,  NO to all these questions...
> 
> 1)    Most of these devices have NO WAY to export data from their
> internal GPS devices.
> 
> 2)    All the ham APRS radios require classic 4800-baud RS-232
> *SERIAL*    NMEA-0183-format   GPS data input on a physical serial
> port.   Not Bluetooth.  Not USB.  REAL serial only.
> 
> 3)    Cell phones normally don't have classic serial ports.  If there
> was any way to get GPS data out of a phone or tablet, it will be in a
> proprietary binary format  via USB or Bluetooth. (Rather than the
> plain-text generic NMEA ASCII output all  ham APRS gear requires)   
> Further, Apple "i-Gadgets" without cellular radios in them (ipods and
> low-end WiFi-only iPads) have no GPS receiver in them at all.   Not sure
> about Android non-cellular tablets.

Not actually true.  There are several apps on Google Play that will
connect to the phone's GPS (which emits NMEA if configured) and can send
to a Bluetooth serial dongle (Serial to Bluetooth adapter) that would
hang on the radio's GPS input port.  Preconfigure the dongle for 4800
baud and you can send the NMEA right into the radio.  A mapping program
on the phone could still get the GPS data to place the location.  If
APRSDroid accepted objects via a serial port then another Bluetooth
dongle or a USB-On-The-Go adapter with a USB serial adapter would let
the TNC connect to the phone.  Or let APRSDroid beacon out over the TNC
directly.  Many options available if someone wants to recycle an
otherwise unused phone.



Two programs with just a 10 second search of Google Play (plenty of
others out there, this has been done before):
Share GPS
Bluetooth GPS output