GPSD-Compatible GPSes

gpsd should work with any GPS using an RS232C or USB interface that advertises NMEA-0183 compliance. Here are some notes on hardware we have tested. Hyperlinks lead to technical information. The "Works with" column is the last gpsd version with which this GPS is known to have been successfully tested.

Name Compatibility Chipset Interface Vendor Works with NMEA version Sentences Notes
HI-204S Excellent SiRF-II + PL2303 USB Haicom 2.24 2.2 GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPVTG		 SiRF formware level 231ES. Haicom provided a test unit. Manual states incorrectly that VTG is off by default.
HI-204E Excellent Evermore BBP1202 USB Haicom 2.6 2.2 GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPVTG		 Probably uses PL2303 but we have not verified this.
Haicom HI-303S Good Haicom RS232 SiRFII XTrac 2.25 NMEA V2.2 GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPVTG		 NMEA works, but (oddly) SiRF binary does not. (SiRF binary may be available on the auxiliary serisl port, but this is unconfirmed.) This device seems to ignore the $PSRF100 mode switch. Denis Perchine <dyp@perchine.com>
BU-303 Excellent SiRF-II + PL2303 USB GlobalSat; OEMed as NaviLock, Hyperdata 2.24 2.2 GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGLL,
GPVTG		 GlobalSat provided three test units, SiRF firmware level 231ES. Older versions of the BU-303 had a design defect that made it likely to fail if subjected to vibration or mechanical shock, but this was fixed in September 2004. There is a CF version of this called the BU-307; we have a report that it works but no test hardware.
TripNav 200 Excellent SiRF-II + FTDI USB Rayming 2.16 2.2 GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGLL,
GPVTG		 We tested a version with Sirf Firmare level 231ES. The FTDI USB-to-serial chip is supported only as alpha software not yet incorporated into the Linux kernel. Rayming says it's thinking of moving this product to the PL2303.
EarthMate Good Zodiac RS-232 DeLorme 2.0 2.2? PRWIZCH,
GPGSA,
GPRMC		 The old Zodiac version spoke Rockwell binary protocol. These models have been discontinued but are still common.
EarthMate USB Good SiRFII (GPS2e/LP-7451) + Cypress M8 (CY7C64013) USB DeLorme 2.5 2.2 GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGLL,
GPVTG		 This is the replacement for the old Zodiac version that spoke Rockwell binary protocol. Some other sentences can be enabled. Requires a 2.6.10 or better kernel for the Cypress support.
FV-18 Good FV-18 RS-232 (5V TTL) San Jose Navigation 2.0 2.3 GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPVTG,
GPZDA,
GPDTM,
GPGLL		 Special gpsd support uses 8N2 and requests sentences that gpsd requires. OEM module only, not a retail version.
RoyalTek Sapphire USB Good SiRF-II USB RoyalTek 1.97 2.2 GPGGA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGLL,
GPVTG,
GPGSA		 There's an RS232 variant as well, not yet tested.
TripMate Good Zodiac RS-232 DeLorme 1.97 ? GPRMC,
GPGSA,
GPGGA,
GPGSV, PRWIRID, PRWIZCH		 Discontinued sometime before November 1998. Takes optional latitude/longitude initialization.
Garmin 48 Excellent Garmin RS-232 Garmin 2.3 2.0 PGRME,
GPGLL, PGRMZ, PGRMM,
GPBOD,
GPRTE,
GPWPL, GPRMC,
GPRMB,
GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV 		Garmin 12XL and 45 are nearly identical and should work as well.
Details on Garmin's proprietary protocol can be found here.
Garmin GPS-16 Good Garmin RS-232 Garmin 2.7 2.0 PGRME,
GPGLL, PGRMZ, PGRMM,
GPBOD,
GPRTE,
GPWPL, GPRMC,
GPRMB,
GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV 		DGPS information in GPGGA sentence is not returned. Magnetic variation information is not available in binary mode. Garmin uses a nonstandard 16-bit SNR scale for signal quality in GSA. Can be switched to NMEA 3.0 with PGRMC1. Reported by Ron Marosko, Jr. <rmarosko@wirelessfrontier.net> and Amaury Jacquot <sxpert@esitcom.org>.
Garmin GPS-18 Good Garmin USB & RS-232 Garmin 2.5 ? GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGLL 		The USB version rquires -T g and the Linux kernel garmin_usb driver; the RS232 version emits NMEA and is found by normal autoconfiguration. DOP (Dilution of Precision) information is not available (Garmin protocol includes EPE only); thus the USB version can plug in EPE information, but the RS232 version omits the DOP fields entirely. DGPS information in GPGGA sentence is not returned. Speed and course over ground are calculated from the north/east velocity and may not be accurate. Magnetic variation information is not available. Garmin uses a nonstandard 16-bit SNR scale.
Garmin Geko 201 Good Garmin RS-232 Garmin 2.13 3.0 PGRME,
GPGLL
, PGRMZ,
GPBOD,
GPRTE, GPRMC,
GPRMB,
GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV 		Submitted by Jose Luis Domingo Lopez <jdomingo&x40;24x7linux.com>
TechWay TP-051 Good SiRF-II? + PL2303 USB Techway 2.3 ? GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGGA,
GPGSA 		Advertises that it's waterproof.
Billionton CF GPS Good SiRF-II CF Billionton 2.16 2.2 GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGSA,
GPGGA 		Uses SiRF firmware version 220.006.000ES. Accepts WAAS Mode Disable $PSRF108,00*02 and WAAS Mode Enable $PSRF108,01*03 controls. Reported by Oleg Gusev <oleg@crista.uni-wuppertal.de<.
GPS-6010 USB Good SiRF-II+PL2302 USB Rikaline 2.20 2.2 GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGSA,
GPGGA,
GPGLL, 		Uses SiRF firmware version 2.3.2-GSW2-2.05.024-C1Prod1.1. Manufacturer claims it is waterproof (1 meter), WAAS and EGNOS are supported. Reported by Olli Salonen <olli(cabbala.net>.
BT-318 Good SiRF-II Bluetooth GlobalSat 2.20 2.2 GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGSA,
GPGGA,
GPVTG, 		Reported by Frank Nicholas <frank(nicholasfamilycentral.com>.
Pharos GPS-360 Good Pharos USB SiRFII + PL2303 2.23 2.3 GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGLL,
GPGSA,
GPGGA,
GPVTG. 		The Pharos comes with adaptors for SDIO, CF, USB and plain RS232. Microsoft Streets and Trips includes a Pharos with USB adaptor. Reported by Robert Pouliot <krynos@saturnus.com>
NSA U3 Excellent SiRF-StarIIe/LP + PL2303 USB NaviSky 2.24 ? GPGGA,
GPGLL,
GPGSA,
GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPVTG		 Included with Rand McNally's horrible Windows navigation software. Reported by Jeff Francis &<jeff@gritch.org>
Magellan EC-10X Good Magellan RS232 Old Rockwell 2.24 ? GPGRMB,
GPRMC		 It was cool in its day, now it's a dinosaur mainly good for regression testing. NMEA time is accurate to about 500mS. Reported by Gary E. Miller <gem@rellim.com>.
Holux G320 Poor SiRF-II Bluetooth Holux 2.19 2.2 GPGLL,
GPRMC,
GPGGA,
GPGSA,
GPGSV 		4 color LED showing: Bluetooth, Navigation Update and Battery and Charger Status Indication. FLASH based program memory. Firmware upgradeable through serial interface. Water resistant.
Oncore GT+ Good Motorola RS232 or TTL Motorola 2.20 2.2 GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGSA,
GPGGA,
GPVTG,
GPZDA. 		RTCM input, no WAAS. In binary mode can deliver differential correction for another Oncore GT+. Similar Motorola Oncore UT timing receiver has less functions but better timing accuracy. Reported by Wojciech Kazubski <wk(ire.pw.edu.pl>.
Trimble Lassen SK Good Trimble 5V TTL Colossus RF ASIC, Scorpion DSP 2.26 2.1 GPGGA, GPVTG Rob Janssen
Magellan Meridian Platinum Excellent Magellan RS232 Motorola 2.21 v1.5 APA, v1.5 XTE, v2.1 GSA GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGLL,
GPGSA,
GPGGA,
PMGNST. 		Reported by Chris S. Newell <chris@newellfamily.net>.
Holux GM-210 Good Holux RS232 Holux 2.24 ? GPGSV,
GPRMC,
GPGLL,
GPGSA,
GPGGA,
GPVTG. 		Reported by Patrick L. McGillan <pmcgillan@pateri.com>.
GM-38/12V Bad San Jose Navigation RS232 2.21 ? ? Reports bad checksum when it doesn't have a fix. Reported by Angus Ainslie <angusa@deltatee.com>.

We want to extend this table. To report on a GPS, please tell us the following:

  1. The GPS model name
  2. Whether or not it works
  3. If possible, an URL to a technical reference on it
  4. The GPS and (if applicable) USB-to-serial chip it uses. (Look at the output of lsusb(1), it may identify the USB-to-serial chip. If it gives a vendor and product ID, send us those numbers.)
  5. The interface type (RS232, USB, CF)
  6. The vendor
  7. Version of gpsd you tested with
  8. NMEA version it emits, or '?' if the documentation doesn't say
  9. A list of NMEA sentences it emits
  10. Notes on the device

You should be able to determine many of these things by running gpsprof -f cycle against the device and looking at the output.

Notes on chipset support:

For vendor protocol protocol manuals see our Programmer's References page.

PL2303: support is broken in late 2.4 Linux kernels (it broke after 2.4.18) but good in 2.6.8 and later.

RS232 levels:

TTL level RS-232 uses 0v and +5v, ordinary RS-232 uses -12v to -5v and +5v to +12 volts for the signal (IIRC). These are not compatible, and attempting to combine them can zorch your GPS. Converters do exist, see Google.

Untested Hardware:

Here is a list of the vendors we don't yet have test hardware from. An annoyingly large percentage of these outfits do not advertise email contact addresses on their websites. If you have test results for any of this hardware, please tell us. Most are straight NMEA and will probably work fine.

Name Contact address Products Notes
DeLorme ? Earthmate Now SiRF-II-based
Deluo billing@deluo.com Deluo GPS Pro Looks like another SiRF-II unit. Advertises Linux 2.4 support. USB and RS232-DB9 adaptors sold separately.
Garmin sales@garmin.com eTrex, foreTrex, GPS12, GPS72, GPS76 All handhelds with consoles. These guys are focused on the aviation market.
Laipac ? G-10 Another SiRF unit.
Leadtek gps@leadtek.com GPS9531, GPS9532, GPS9543 SiRF-II, uses R232C via RJ11 jack. One illustration of the 9531 seems to show the RJ11 plugged into an adaptor that goes to USB and DB9 connectors. The 9534 is a CF card.
Magellan ? Roadmate, eXplorist, Meridian, SportTrack, MLR Handhelds with consoles.
Rikaline ? GPS-6012, GPS-6010-X5 The 6012 uses their own chipset; the others are SiRF-II. All ship with PS/2 connectors, presumably going to RS232 or USB adaptors.
Royaltek ? Sapphire, Onyx Sapphire is tested. There are two Onyx models: RFG-1000 and RFG-2000. The first one uses some 8-channel chipset, while the second - UNAV 12-channel (AFAIK without WAAS/EGNOS support), made of UNAV uN8021C RF frontend and uN8031B baseband processor (data sheets Ma href='http://www.unav-micro.com/data_sheets.htm'>here) and designed by Fastrax. Fastrax claims 1/4s message rate support like the ANTARIS from u-blox, although it is not clear if the "consumer" firmware is capable of that.