[aprssig] Very Cheap GPS Receiver That Works With VARAtrack

[Stephen H Smith]

I have tested this incredibly cheap (under USD $17 on Amazon) USB-connected GPS 
receiver with my VARAtrack system and it works perfectly!   This device, 
sometimes referred to as a GPS "mouse" or "dongle",  is based on the excellent 
Swiss-made "U-Blox GPS chip. It has a magnet on the base to stick on the roof 
of your vehicle.

The GPS status monitor tool "Visual GPS" shows it is receiving twice as many 
satellites as the workhorse GlobaSat BU-353 "puck" I normally use.  I suspect 
it is using more than one satellite constellation.   This device came in a 
shrink-wrap baggie with absolutely no documentation.

The U-Blox" website says this chip is capable of receiving all four GNSS 
(Global Navigation Satellite System) constellations:  the US GPS, the 
pan-European Galileo, the Russian Glonass and the Chinese Beidu systems.  I 
don't know which ones are enabled on this particular device.

I have embedded the driver for this device into my just-posted June 7th 
VARAtrack install image update, along side the existing Prolific driver that 
works with the ubiquitous GlobalSat BU-353 USB GPS.  Either one will now work 
automatically when plugged into the VARAtrack stick PC.

Amazon page for this device is:

<https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EROIUEW>



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com

EchoLink:  Node #  14400  [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page: http://wa8lmf.net

Live APRS Mapping on HF & VHF
<http://WA8LMF.net/map>

"Studio B" Ham Shack on Wheels
<http://WA8LMF.net/Aliner>

-- APRS over VARA  --
<http://wa8lmf.net/VARA/APRSoverVARA>

*HF    APRS-over-VARA   Frequencies
   40M   7.083.5  USB       30M   10.148.2  USB
*

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