GPS not working

[espruino-discuss2]

Posted at 2024-10-11 by ruvi

I got a Bangle.js 2 recently and I've been going through the tutorials.

I'm doing the Data Storage one and I realized the GPS doesn't seem to be working. I tried installing the official gpspoilog app, and it says "No Fix". I also tried the GPS Info app. It just keeps counting up for "Packets Received", but always says "Waiting for GPS fix". It also says "In view GP/BD/GL: 9 0 0".

Edit: Here is an example GPS-raw string:

$GNGGA,001626.000,,,,,0,00,25.5,,,,,,*79
$GPGSV,2,1,08,04,41,189,,07,49,311,28,08,67,149,25,09,55,237,18,0*68
$GPGSV,2,2,08,16,31,057,,21,05,153,,27,56,070,,30,19,303,,0*61
$BDGSV,1,1,00,0*74

I'm in Ohio, USA. I tried going outside as well, but it still didn't work.

Edit2: After about ten minutes, GPS Info shows that it got a fix. It says 4 satellites. Though no GPS time available.

Edit3: Okay, I installed Assisted GPS Updater and now it only takes about 10 seconds to get a fix, and it has the time.

[espruino-discuss2]

Posted at 2024-10-11 by @gfwilliams

Great, glad you got it sorted!

Yes, GPS will take quite a while to get a fix the first time unless you use the Assisted GPS updater - the GPS chip isn't that well documented so we're not able to directly feed it with the current time or estimated location, so it's got to try and figure out where in the world it is (and what the time is) which takes some time.

I'm surprised you didn't see the time before though - that should be one of the first things to appear as soon as it has even one satellite.

I just looked into this, and I know the watches we've been sending out for the last few months have a new firmware on the GPS chip (https://www.espruino.com/Bangle.js2+Technical#gps) which doesn't report the speed by default (the RMC packet). The assisted GPS updater does reconfigure it to include that RMC packet, but I just looked at this and actually that packet contains the time as well, so it seems the GPS on new watches won't report the time unless Assisted GPS has been run first (but then it's fine until the battery runs flat).

I'm just looking in to whether I can get a fix in for the 2v25 firmware so the firmware automatically configures GPS...

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Posted at 2024-10-11 by @gfwilliams

Ok, just fixed this - you won't have problems now (unless your battery runs down), but if you update to a 'cutting edge' build now (or 2v25 when released) then next time the GPS starts up and it's not reporting the speed/time packet, Bangle.js will automatically configure it

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Posted at 2024-10-11 by ruvi

Cool, thank you for fixing that so quickly!

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Posted at 2024-10-13 by ruvi

Just one question: If you set Bangle.setGPSPower(1) then close the app, does it stay on, running down the battery? Does an app like GPS Info turn off GPS if I close the app? I've been rebooting the watch to make sure it's off.

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Posted at 2024-10-14 by @gfwilliams

Bangle.js checks ~1 sec after loading the new app to see if GPS is needed, and if not turns it off (so if you're swapping apps GPS stays up)

So just quitting the app will turn the GPS off, no need to reboot!

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Posted at 2024-10-14 by ruvi

Good to know, thanks!