[ntp:questions] Configuring FreeBSD 6.2 for use with Garmin GPS 18 LVC
Dennis Hilberg, Jr.
timekeeper at dennishilberg.com.invalid
Thu Dec 20 17:42:06 UTC 2007
David J Taylor wrote:
> Dennis Hilberg, Jr. wrote:
> []
>> I knew you weren't joking. However, I need to solve my sudden
>> lack-of-signal issue before I do anything. GPS satellites don't
>> change orbits suddenly do they? Or at all?
> []
>> Dennis
>
> Dennis,
>
> Satellites do fail, and are replaced. Batteries wear out, thruster fuel
> comes exhausted and so forth.
>
> They do not change orbit suddenly, however....
>
> The Chinese recently did shoot down a satellite of their own in a much
> lower orbit, creating lots of debris which could affect other
> low-earth-orbit satellites. GPS satellites orbit higher than this, and
> are unlikely to be affected.
>
> You could use a terminal emulation program (in Windows, FreeBSD or
> whatever) to see what is coming down the line from the GPS18 LVC. I also
> have a Windows program which will plot the signal strength received from
> each of the 12 channels.
>
> One possibility may be that the GBS18 has switched to "Garmin" mode
> instead of NMEA mode.
>
> Cheers,
> David
Well I am getting signal, but it's intermittent. I know it's in NMEA mode
as I've tailed the clockstats file, and have run gpsd and used the 'cgps'
test client.
I have yet to move the GPS 18 LVC around to see if I can get a better signal
from somewhere else. It's just odd that it would work fine for a number of
months as is and then all of a sudden stop receiving a steady signal.
I will try your WXtrack program too.
--
Dennis Hilberg, Jr. timekeeper(at)dennishilberg(dot)com
NTP Server Information: http://saturn.dennishilberg.com/ntp.php
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