APRS AND NOKIA N95 FOR GPS SIGNAL

I thought I would share this with all you guys.

I am a newbie to APRS and have been playing about with it the past couple of days and have managed to use the built-in GPS from my Nokia N95 mobile phone to provide the much needed GPS signal from the phone via bluetooth to my computer for use in APRSPoint, UI-View32, APRS+SA, MapPOINT, and AutoROUTE.

All that is needed is a freeware application called ExtGPS from ( http://www.symarctic.com/beta/static.php?page=extgps_downloa d) to be installed onto the Nokia N95 which then broadcasts itself as a Bluetooth Modem with a Com Port Number.  You then go into your "My Bluetooth Places" on your PC, View Devices in Range, Right Click on your paired N95 phone and select "Connect Symarctic ExtGPS" it then connects to your phone and confirms which Com Port number it is using. This Com Port number is the one you select in the APRS Software.  If the Com Port Number is not shown in the APRS Software menu try simply entering (e.g. com6).

The Nokia N95 does use Assisted GPS by connecting the phone to the internet to confirm and supplement the positioning.  I use Web'n'Walk from T-Mobile for the internet so there are no other data charges.

Pretty impressive I think.  Looking on the APRS software screen it showns up my position albeit a few metres out, this may be acceptable for some situations.

73  Martin MM0DUN

Ray

The tests I carried out were indoors at my work with my phone sitting on my testbench beside the window - so obviously not a full satellite lock was gained as the window faces west.

On the map when zoomed in it showed me located across the street from my location - I would say all-in-all it was out by approx 40m.

I have yet to test on the notebook in the car when in an open area as I have been too busy at the moment to do this but I would expect better results although not 100% accurate but possibly acceptable for most situations.

Jeff

There was no error as such just not exact positioning.

Due to being indoors and that the N95 uses assisted GPS.  Will try outdoors and report back on result.  The UiView I use does not have a great own, the mapping I was using was in MapPoint Euro 2004 and AutoRoute 2004 right down to street level.

Martin.

Yep

that was our conclusion so we went through every option and made them match and my unit was reloaded with the same mapping.

As I said I'm not that bothered as its only used for an APRS box to be put in a 'tail end vehicle' or so.

Ray