[aprssig] Garmin GPS35

[VE7GDH]

Stan N0YXV  wrote on Sept 27 2005

> Here is an output from one of my sessions.
>
> $GPGGA,001446,0000.0000,N,00000.0000,W,0,00,,,M,,M,,*48
> $GPRMC,001448,V,0000.0000,N,00000.0000,W,000.0,000.0,280905,007.2,W,N*09

What is powering the GPS35? Is the supply voltage within spec? I
would presume that because it at least outputting NMEA that it isn't
a power supply problem, but... ?

The nitty-gritty is that your GPS doesn't have a valid position. The "V" in
the $GPRMC sentence tells you this. The "00" after the longitude in the
$GPGGA sentence tells you that it sees zero satellites. Could the GPS "see 
the sky" when you captured this data from the GPS? If it could see a 
substantial portion of the sky, you probably have an internal problem with 
the GPS... i.e. it could be broken. If it really isn't functional, you could 
use it for a paper weight or take it apart and see if it could be fixed, but 
it would be somewhat unlikely that you would see any visual clues inside. 
However, if it just isn't working, you don't have anything to lose.

I don't know if you would learn more from the $GPGSV sentence, but
your GPS35 doesn't seem to be outputting that sentence.

I'm sure there are lots of sites that help interpret NMEA sentences, but
I did a search and came across this one:
http://home.mira.net/~gnb/gps/nmea.html#gpgga

73 es cul - Keith VE7GDH
--
"I may be lost, but I know exactly where I am!"