SDS150: GPS via Bluetooth?

[captaincraig44]

Is it a possibility to have your phones GPS info transferred to the radio over the Bluetooth connection? My camera takes its location info from my phone over its Bluetooth connection. I'm not nerdy enough to know if the chipset in the 150 is capable of this with a firmware update or not. It would certainly be a great update!

 

[J-Wrock]

No. The bluetooth feature only allows the phone to act as an external speaker and remote control for the SDS 150. The SDS 150 does have a built in GPS so not sure what advantage there would be with getting GPS data from the phone.

 

[nessnet]

Why?
The SDS150's GPS is very sensitive - I've been impressed by how good (and quick) it is.

Maybe in certain difficult GPS reception situations where A-GPS (cell towers send data like satellite orbits and exact time to your phone via the mobile network), but again, the SDS150's sensitivity is impressive, making these situations much less frequent.

 

[captaincraig44]

My thoughts were that using the position info over Bluetooth would be a power savings vs running a dedicated chipset on the radio.
Also, while the GPS in the 150 is not bad, it doesn't hold a candle next to a modern cellphone GPS. I can not get a fix on the 150 from a cold start indoors unless I put it on a window sill and even then, dependent upon the geometry it's not a certainty. My cellphone will get a cold fix from anywhere inside my house in a matter of a minute or less and hold it without fail. I've driven 10+ minutes with the 150 and it still hadn't locked onto satellites, despite showing full bars of signal on multiple birds. My car has a glass roof and the cellphone, again, has zero issues gaining a lock on the satellites in a matter of a few seconds.

Bottom line, GPS over Bluetooth would potentially save power while providing a quicker, more consistent position for the radio.

 

[J-Wrock]

My thoughts were that using the position info over Bluetooth would be a power savings vs running a dedicated chipset on the radio.
Also, while the GPS in the 150 is not bad, it doesn't hold a candle next to a modern cellphone GPS. I can not get a fix on the 150 from a cold start indoors unless I put it on a window sill and even then, dependent upon the geometry it's not a certainty. My cellphone will get a cold fix from anywhere inside my house in a matter of a minute or less and hold it without fail. I've driven 10+ minutes with the 150 and it still hadn't locked onto satellites, despite showing full bars of signal on multiple birds. My car has a glass roof and the cellphone, again, has zero issues gaining a lock on the satellites in a matter of a few seconds.

Bottom line, GPS over Bluetooth would potentially save power while providing a quicker, more consistent position for the radio.

The GPS feature, from what I understand, was designed for people traveling rather than being inside their homes. The issues you are describing sound like the second highest issue I ran into when working in tech support for automotive GPS devices for Garmin. I am not technical enough to understand why cell phone GPS locks on quicker than the SDS 150 / Garmin GPS units.

I am sure that Uniden will refine the GPS feature in future models, but I hear you loud and clear on the 150. I am in no way trying to argue or diminish what you have said and hope that feedback like yours will help improve things in the future. I am sorry to hear that it is not working as well as you had hoped given the expense of the radio.

 

[phask]

The GPS feature, from what I understand, was designed for people traveling rather than being inside their homes. The issues you are describing sound like the second highest issue I ran into when working in tech support for automotive GPS devices for Garmin. I am not technical enough to understand why cell phone GPS locks on quicker than the SDS 150 / Garmin GPS units.

I am sure that Uniden will refine the GPS feature in future models, but I hear you loud and clear on the 150. I am in no way trying to argue or diminish what you have said and hope that feedback like yours will help improve things in the future. I am sorry to hear that it is not working as well as you had hoped given the expense of the radio.

Just a guess, but most cellphones are never really turned off. One would need to do a complete off, change location and restart to compare.

They also use known tower locations to augment GPS and may use it until they get a fix (just a guess).

I run a now-old external GPS feeding a HP2; it has an instant fix from the same location where it was when it shut down. If I happen to turn it on and am miles away from where I shut it down, it may take 2 minutes - or 20 minutes- to get a fix.


SIDE NOTE - Marine unit (Humminbird) takes less than a minute to start, and it is always in a new area after shutdown.

 

[nessnet]

I repeat:
Cellphones use A-GPS (cell towers send data like satellite orbits and exact time to your phone via the mobile network). Unless Uniden puts a cellular chip set into a scanner, they will never have A-GPS.

I'm not sure why your SDS150 would take an extended time gettng a fix. My experience is not the same. I see a fix in less than a minute. A GPS chip set will remember it's last ephemeris data, so if it is moved or powered off for a while, it takes time to reload the data before a fix is obtained. Sometimes, they need sit for some time with a 'clear view' to let it reload the ephemeris dsta. Then, next time, it remembers it and it will obtain a fix much faster.

Patience grasshopper.....

 

[n0xvz]

Also, while the GPS in the 150 is not bad, it doesn't hold a candle next to a modern cellphone GPS.

You're comparing apples and tomatoes. Sure, they look like they might be the same thing, but they are not as @nessnet has explained.

 

[RobDLG]

It sounds like the real question is: "Does the current SDS150 firmware support A-GPS over Bluetooth?"

The answer appears to be "No", but it could conceivably be added to the firmware as a feature. There are already dedicated appliances and smartphone apps to serve A-GPS data over a Bluetooth connection.

BT GPS Provider & Track Logger - Apps on Google Play

Share GPS via Bluetooth & Devices, Record Tracks & Export GPX. No root required.

play.google.com

 

[captaincraig44]

It sounds like the real question is: "Does the current SDS150 firmware support A-GPS over Bluetooth?"

Does it matter? I would think that a simple location derived from the cellphone would be sufficient. The receiving device wouldn't care how that position was figured, would it? I know we're getting deep into the technical aspects here.

You're comparing apples and tomatoes. Sure, they look like they might be the same thing, but they are not as @nessnet has explained.

As far as the initial acquisition and position estimate to expedite the hard fix, yes, they operate differently. But if I move the 150 to an interior part of my house, it drops the GPS lock and this is reflected in the satellite signal strength. My cellphone will maintain the lock on the satellite signals and doesn't seem to have nearly as much of a drop on the signal strength. Obviously the raw satellite signals are not broadcast through the cell network and the cellphone isn't capable of ground based augmentation (formerly LAAS), so it would appear that the cellphone GPS receiver is substantially more sensitive than the 150s. All the more reason to at least hope that there might be an option to allow location over Bluetooth in the future. Seems like it would be an easy update, assuming the radio is capable of it, to add an option to take location data from the connected device and for U/Aware to send the data to the radio or not. If you wouldn't have a need for it, just disable it.

 

[I_Am_Infinite]

Does it matter? I would think that a simple location derived from the cellphone would be sufficient. The receiving device wouldn't care how that position was figured, would it? I know we're getting deep into the technical aspects here.



As far as the initial acquisition and position estimate to expedite the hard fix, yes, they operate differently. But if I move the 150 to an interior part of my house, it drops the GPS lock and this is reflected in the satellite signal strength. My cellphone will maintain the lock on the satellite signals and doesn't seem to have nearly as much of a drop on the signal strength. Obviously the raw satellite signals are not broadcast through the cell network and the cellphone isn't capable of ground based augmentation (formerly LAAS), so it would appear that the cellphone GPS receiver is substantially more sensitive than the 150s. All the more reason to at least hope that there might be an option to allow location over Bluetooth in the future. Seems like it would be an easy update, assuming the radio is capable of it, to add an option to take location data from the connected device and for U/Aware to send the data to the radio or not. If you wouldn't have a need for it, just disable it.

It's probably because the GPS receiver in ur phone Is simply a higher quality receiver. If a company can save money and make more profit, that's what they do. I'm sure there is corporations out there that have people that do only that, ways to maximize profits.

I'm not saying it as a jab, it's just how it works right now, I think in time that will change from that "greed" mentality of more, more, more to something different what that is I don't know but this greed will go away. I know some will say that will never happen and I can understand that, but I know it will at some point.

Again it's not a jab at uniden or any company but it's just how it is right now as I said. Do I like that they do it? Heck no to say the least but it is what it is for now.

It's like I noticed tictac's, u know the candy, breathe things, well the size of the container changed it's about a 1/4 less for the same 1$ price. Less for the same amount or less for more, that's what they are doing right now. It's not just them, it's happening with everything... It's like the billions that some companies make ain't enuf, they want more, more, more, it honestly makes me very angry.

But sorry went off topic but I think that covers why the GPS receiver in the 150 don't equal up to your phone. As far as Bluetooth for GPS I'm not smart enuf for all that.

 

[dmfalk]

To repeat, cellphones don't have a "better GPS receiver installed", they actually use their cell networks' positioning systems to pinpoint where you are. This is especially important for E-911 calls.

The SDS150 uses the same (type of) GPS receiver chip found in many devices (such as non-cellular tablets, like the Android tablet I own, or the LoRa/GNSS/GPS module you can buy for about $20 for the M5Stack CardPuter ADV. They're cheap, quite usable, and the GPS protocol is largely open to anyone to implement. (I still remember when GPS devices first went public, and sold for more than $3k, almost 40 years ago......)

 

[R0am3r]

To repeat, cellphones don't have a "better GPS receiver installed", they actually use their cell networks' positioning systems to pinpoint where you are. This is especially important for E-911 calls.

My Pixel 10 Pro has a built-in dual-band GNSS receiver that supports GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo for location tracking and navigation. And yah, it still delivers pinpoint accuracy while the phone is disconnected from the cell network (i.e., airplane mode).

 

[dmfalk]

A good way to check for real GPS on your smartphone is to go into your phone's app store and search for a free "GPS Test" app - There are several of them, then put your phone into airplane mode as above, and run the app. Most of these have a radar-like screen, and if the GPS is actually working, you should see satellite signals & positions. This can actually be fun as well as informative.

This works independently of any cellular or WiFi network positioning.

I've had multiple Android devices over the years, and about 1 in 5 had GPS. My cellphone, however, isn't a smartphone, and it doesn't have GPS, just network positioning.

All Android & iOS auto systems should have a GPS chip, for obvious reasons.