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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Can't get GPS dongle to work

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I've tried connecting the USB dongle directly to the Synscan hand controller of the HEQ5 Pro and it works.

I connect the dongle to StellarMate via a supplied USB2Serial cable with no markings and if I do an "lsusb" command it reports the "Prolific Technology PL2303 Serial Port" so it would seem that the INDI GPSD has something to talk to.

- I'm running Kstars/Ekos directly on the StellarMate with mouse and keyboard.

In my Ekos setup, I select USBD for Aux 1, start INDI and in the GPSD control panel it reports that its connected but all the other status is yellow. The console says GPS fix is in progress... and its stays that way. I've tried bringing the dongle to the field just in case it was a signal problem but it didnt work there either.

The logs don't report anything of any significance other than it appears to recognize and talk to the dongle. The only strange thing I saw was "indi_telescope_simulator snooping on GPS Simulator.GEOGRAPHIC_COORD". Why would there be a GPS simulator when I've connected a real one that successfully connected. I really don't understand the snooping business.
5 years 8 months ago #27184

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Replied by Helge on topic Can't get GPS dongle to work

Hi Greg,

Some time ago I had difficulties with my gps module, which was not an usb dongle. I received some hints in this forum which also may help you with the debugging, see thread:

indilib.org/forum/general/3068-astroberr...-breakout-board.html

Wish you good luck - weekend coming up, plenty of time for analysis! B)

Helge
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5 years 8 months ago #27187

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Did you use StellarMate Serial Port Assistant to assign a permanent designation to the GPS dongle?
5 years 8 months ago #27198

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Replied by Greg on topic Can't get GPS dongle to work

Yes, I followed the video tutorial but it doesn't seem to apply to the GPS. There is no connection tab in the control panel to enter serial port ID. The serial port is /dev/gps which I doubt can be in conflict with anything and the control panel says the GPS is connected without any issues.
Last edit: 5 years 8 months ago by Greg.
5 years 8 months ago #27207

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Ok I'm available online in stellarmate.com chat so come there and we'll check the issue.
5 years 8 months ago #27208

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Replied by Greg on topic Can't get GPS dongle to work


I ran killall gpsd. unplugged and plugged the gps to see /dev/gps show up. Then ran sudo cat /dev/gps and got nothing :(
5 years 8 months ago #27211

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Using cat on a block device usually doesn't produce any output. What do you get if you type

ls -l /dev/gps

? Also the dmesg command may be your friend. Unplug the gps dongle, wait a few seconds, open a terminal, plug in the dongle and type dmesg. At the bottom of the possibly long output should be log lines concerning your dongle.
5 years 8 months ago #27213

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Replied by Greg on topic Can't get GPS dongle to work


Thanks @wvreeven, I tried but just saw some report on the usb2serial device. I wasn't too effective yesterday. Tried when I had some mosquitos bothering me. Argh!

Looks like the baud rate is 4800. Found this document about the Synscan GPS dongle: www.michiana-astro.org/file/repository/S...ion_Rev_D_042210.pdf

Jasem is looking into it.
5 years 8 months ago #27260

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Replied by Greg on topic Can't get GPS dongle to work

@jasem, as you said, it looks like the dongle is not standard. I connected to a pc and after changing the baud to 4800, was able to communicate using GPS Utility but the messages were garbled. I checked again on its specs and its says the protocol is binary: "Protocol: SynScan Position, Velocity & Time II Binary Message"

I think the gps messages are ascii so I guess I'll give up on this device and maybe buy a USB GPS dongle. Thanks again for your help
Last edit: 5 years 8 months ago by Greg.
5 years 8 months ago #27278

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Replied by Greg on topic Can't get GPS dongle to work

So now I have a working GPS device. I have tested it in windows and its working fine. The data stream is not garbled binary but nice ASCII

I tried it on StellarMate and it worked too! (After I manually started gpsd). So I rebooted StellarMate and it didnt work . So I returned the SD card with StellarMate 1.3 and tried again and it still didnt work. So I thought maybe it needs Kstars to set it up so I ran Kstars/Ekos and it connected but no data like before.

So I checked the /etc/default/gps file and it did not list a device so I entered /dev/gps and rebooted and still not working.

EDIT: OK, my bad! I had to go through the serial port setup again - not just kstars. Now GPS is working, yeah! :blink:
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Last edit: 5 years 8 months ago by Greg.
5 years 8 months ago #27356

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