No GPS fix / Windows 8.1 Dell Tablet
  • Hello,

    I'm using Navigator free successfull on a Windows 7 PC, very nice program.

    Now I've installed it on a Dell Tablet Venue 11 Pro with Intel Atom processor, Windows 8.1 and a Sierra Wireless Location Sensor.

    The Sierra Wireless Location Sensor ist displayed in Navigator as "Verbundenes Gerät", but there is no "Fix", so I can't use the Navigator for navigation.

    What can I do?

    Thanks
    racraz
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  • I have similar problem and would be grateful if this would be resolved. Any idea?

    Best regards,
    Antti
  • Hmm, yes it appears that MapFactor Navigator does not support Windows's "new" location API. Someone could have pointed that out to the poor fellow asking this before me, but I'll let the later googlers to know. I got this kinda working by installing GPS Reverse from http://www.turboirc.com/gps7/ .
  • I have tablet with Windows 8.1 on my desk and internal GPS is working
  • Strange, what GPS module does it have? Dell one has Sierra Wireless, and unfortunately while Bing maps and other useless MS stuff works, MapFactor navigator won't get fix. Still it does get the fix correctly when GPS Reverse translates it into COM port and in NMEA format. Downside in this is that it is still rather laggy and won't get direction info. I guess that could be subject to other thread.
  • I think Broadcom
  • what exactly do you mean when you say 'no fix'?
    do you get any message?
  • Hello,

    thanks for your reply. I mean that when I configure GPS, I can see attributes as follows:
    Connected device: Sierra Wireless Location Sensor
    Fix: No
    Satellites: N/A
    Time: 1.1.2001, 2:03:34
    Latitude: 0 00'00.0N
    Longitude: 0 00'00.0"E
    Altitude: 0 meters
    Speed: 0 km/h.

    When I upgraded the GPS device drivers I've got the com port to appear, but what ever the baud rate is, nothing will show up. It's attributes are as follows

    Connected device: COM3, 57600 baud
    Fix: No
    Satellites: N/A
    Time: N/A
    Latitude: N/A
    Longitude: N/A
    Altitude: N/A
    Speed: N/A

    When I connect via putty to serial port, I'll get following readings.
    $GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
    $GNGNS,,,,,,NN,,,,,,*53
    $GPVTG,,T,,M,,N,,K,N*2C
    $GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
    $GNGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*00
    $GPGGA,,,,,,0,,,,,,,,*66
    $PQXFI,,,,,,,,,,*56

    If I correctly translate this, GPGSA,A,1 -line means that no satellites are available and thus there are no fix. Meantime if I open the Bing Maps, I'll get the location correctly.
  • Bing can take position from wifi, it may not mean anything

    may be baud rate is wrong, check with GPS supplier
  • Hello,

    thank you for your reply. I've checked the sensor via Sensor Diagnostics Tool and it I can get satellites in view, but even though there are 16-20 satellites, it won't get any data. I would guess it is Dell/Sierra Wireless/Qualcomm driver problem. Just in case someone with Venue tablet comes across this thread, there is conversation about this on Dell support forum, for example this thread: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/mobile-devices/f/4586/p/19613453/20721357#20721357
  • Hello,

    I've kind of had the root of this thread resolved but still having problems and I'd like to continue in this thread as this is the same device.

    When I have the GPS device set as Sierra Wireless Location Sensor I can get location data correctly and the altitude and speed, but bearing is missing. Also there is the cross like symbol with ? in the middle of it moving on the map. When I'll try to reconfigure the GPS in navigator it'll show:

    Fix: No
    Satellites: N/A

    and all the other attributes are correct. This causes that the navigator won't actually navigate, but it'll just say "GPS signal lost!"

    If I use the GPS Reverse driver I'll get all the attributes correctly, but I'd rather not use any extra drivers in this fragile system. Also when I use Sensor Diagnostics Tool I can see the amount of satellites and the bearing and all, so I would say that this time the actual sensor and its driver works as intended.

    Do you have any clue?
  • Hello,

    a NMEA output grabbed from the Navigator:
    $GPGGA,065153.0,6013.1610,N,02448.9397,E,,,,36.000000,M,,,,,*31
    $GPRMC,065153.0,,6013.1610,N,02448.9397,E,1.08,259.00,050215,,*4E

    $GPGGA,065153.0,6013.1610,N,02448.9397,E,,,,36.000000,M,,,,,*31
    $GPRMC,065153.0,,6013.1610,N,02448.9397,E,1.08,259.00,050215,,*4E

    $GPGGA,065153.0,6013.1610,N,02448.9397,E,,,,36.000000,M,,,,,*31
    $GPRMC,065153.0,,6013.1610,N,02448.9397,E,1.08,259.00,050215,,*4E

    $GPGGA,065154.0,6013.1595,N,02448.9395,E,,,,38.000000,M,,,,,*34
    $GPRMC,065154.0,,6013.1595,N,02448.9395,E,2.16,154.00,050215,,*47

    $GPGGA,065154.0,6013.1595,N,02448.9395,E,,,,38.000000,M,,,,,*34
    $GPRMC,065154.0,,6013.1595,N,02448.9395,E,2.16,154.00,050215,,*47

    $GPGGA,065154.0,6013.1595,N,02448.9395,E,,,,38.000000,M,,,,,*34
    $GPRMC,065154.0,,6013.1595,N,02448.9395,E,2.16,154.00,050215,,*47

    $GPGGA,065154.0,6013.1595,N,02448.9395,E,,,,38.000000,M,,,,,*34
    $GPRMC,065154.0,,6013.1595,N,02448.9395,E,2.16,154.00,050215,,*47


    GPGGA doesn't show anything as fix quality, not even 0, just null. Same with GPRMC receiver validity is just null.
  • Quite a few days has passed and no-one has any ideas?
  • I think this may be question for Microsoft, or Sierra wireless
    we take it from location api
  • Hello, I'm also using Turboirc GPS Reverse to translate the new windows GPS API to NMEA, and when using that COM port output as GPS device I have the fix and every other parameters as supposed. The problem in this is that there is about five seconds of lag in locationing and it does not update as frequently as when used the windows api version. This is why I'd rather use the internal gps. This is mainly a problem only when navigating as it won't give voice directions as it thinks there is no fix.

    I'd guess MapFactor navigator parses the data differently and thus it says No Fix even though there definitely is fix.
  • Hello, so there is no help? It seems that the wireless sensor is working and sensor diagnostics tool tells me that it has fix and everything is fine, but Navigator still says no dix, even though it can get my location and directions correctly.
  • did you ask Microsoft?
  • Hello and thank you for your patience solving this problem

    No I did not as it does not seem to do anything with Microsoft nor the Sierra Wireless nor Dell.

    The other applications such ash Turboirc GPS Reverse that creates NMEA output through virtual COM port does give correct NMEA output with the Fix attribute correctly set. Also Sensor Diagnostics Tool tells me that everything is correct.

    Problem is that even though Navigator will show my movement, direction and location correctly, it thinks that it does not have the fix and no satellites. I can see the compass rose like symbol with question mark (?) in the middle of it. And that symbol moves on the map as I do. Is there some information I could provide to you?
  • Hello,

    I've been struggling with this with the local vendor and they confirmed that this is not a hardware issue. They had the same tool and they tested with few other softwares and claimed the GPS chip works as intended. I've already upgraded to windows 10, and I had also upgraded drivers for this.

    Now when I connect the GPS I can see that there is satellites and it even gets my exact location, but still "no fix". As said, this causes me to lose the voice guidance in navigation, as it simply whines about "GPS Signal is missing"

    I had an actis 7w next to my device and it had fix and same number of satellites, so it should work. I've attached two screenshots:

    image
    This is how I see the navigation currently.

    image
    Satellites and location, even time is correct but no fix, why?
  • 12 satellites does not mean fix, it could be that 10 of them have weak signal
    see what you get in hyperterminal
  • Hello,

    thank you (again) for a fast reply. As this is on windows10 (and previously on windows8), I can't connect to any COM-port as GPS is not used on that way anymore.

    I went outside with the tablet and got excact speed and movement, does not seem like a weak signal. When I was outside I got 14 satellites. Also that SensorDiagnosticTool I mentioned before shows that the sensor is ready and is able to provide output.
  • I have no experience with w10, may be someone else can help
  • There is no difference between w10 and w8 in this matter, so if you could please try to help based to your w8 experiances.

    If I'd install the GPS Reverse driver that creates a virtual COM port and translates communication into NMEA format I would receive a proper NMEA output generated from the Sierra Wireless Sensor. With PC Navigator I could save following:

    $GPGGA,153713.0,6013.2405,N,02458.4318,E,,14,,10.000000,M,,,,,*30
    $GPRMC,153713.0,,6013.2405,N,02458.4318,E,0.00,317.00,080815,,*4B

    On GPGGA the sixth part is GPS quality indicator (0=invalid; 1=GPS fix; 2=Diff. GPS fix), but for me it is null. On GPRMC the second part is Navigation receiver warning A = OK, V = warning, but for me it is also null. Other parameters are fine.

    With GPS Reverse driver installed I could get proper NMEA output with correct fix and otherways similar output.
  • By the way, Sensor Diagnostics Tool reported 26 satellites in view and 21 of them being in use, but navigator only said 14, which is the maximum I've seen. Any ideas why would that be?
  • Hello,

    I installed mapfactor to my laptop with Windows 10. Funny thing here is that it has no satellites in wiev, but it sure can get fix.

    image
  • Facing the same issue and really it's very irritating for me. I was very excited to work on it for this purpose I especially bought an adjustable desk from flexispot desk coupon code, now after facing this issue and happiness has gone.





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