Getting GPS data on DragonBoard410c - Debian #283

Hello,

I am running the Debian #283 and I would like to retrieve GPS data from the onboard WGR7640 device.

With a serial console (or with a simple C program) I can open /dev/ttyGPS0 and get this data:

$GPVTG,,T,,M,,N,,K,N*2C
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
$GPVTG,,T,,M,,N,,K,N*2C
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,,,,,,,,*66
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
$GPVTG,,T,,M,,N,,K,N*2C
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,,,,,,,,*66
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
$GPVTG,,T,,M,,N,,K,N*2C
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,,,,,,,,*66
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
$GPVTG,,T,,M,,N,,K,N*2C
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,,,,,,,,*66
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
$GPVTG,,T,,M,,N,,K,N*2C
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,,,,,,,,*66
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
$GPVTG,,T,,M,,N,,K,N*2C
$GPGSA,A,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,*1E
$GPGGA,,,,,,0,,,,,,,,*66
$GPRMC,,V,,,,,,,,,,N*53
....

and so on…
However this data is of course poor of information. Right now I cannot move the board outside of my office to test the GPS outdoor.

The Dragonboard410c has an onboard antenna as shown into the schematics at page 33, so it should catch some data…

Looking at the WGR7640 docs

I don’t see any further command set to control the device.

Is there any additional setup that must be applied to receive useful data ?
Thank you in advance.

Regards,
Simon

When the release notes say that the sensitivity of the onboard antenna is low, I’m afraid they really mean it! I doubt there is much prospect of getting any useful GPS information with the board located indoors.

Or put another way… I’ve never moved my board outside and I’ve never had any GPS information from it!

1 Like

Hello @danielt,

You are right. I did not pay too much attention on the ‘quiet low’.
I will test it outdoor.
Thank you.

Simon