Building A GPS Tracker – Come On Over Rover

This is actually a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) but the term Global Positioning System or GPS is much more widely known. So “GPS” lands in the Heading of this page. Building a GPS Tracker is fun, albeit this one requires some proximity to WiFi or Bluetooth to surreptitiously track someone.

This isn’t the device you want to track your cheating spouse with, although I guess there are ways to make it work if your vehicle has onboard WiFi.

Shoving a burner phone under the dash and powering it with the 5 volts is probably the easiest way to get location data if you have access to the interior of the car. Anyway, I digress. This post is not about tracking anyone but yourself and learning how to achieve 1 centimeter accuracy.

This is a learning tool and a very cool one at that. You could throw this in the bicycle bag and track your rides, and yet again, a dedicated bicycle computer won’t necessarily track better than this. But that bike computer does lots of other things and makes your information easier to access.

So why build and use one? it really goes back to understanding the technology. We all use GNSS or GPS daily without even knowing it. But how many of us possess even rudimentary knowledge of how it works? Finally, this would be a nifty tool if the world descends into anarchy.

Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Basics

Real Time Kinematic positioning is a way to achieve 1-3 centimeters of accuracy using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) or commonly referred to as GPS. GPS is specific to the satellite system established by the United States.

I’ve been dabbling with GNSS modules for a number of years. The accuracy with basic modules is usually around 3 meters which really isn’t bad to start with. However, the GPS you use in your car or phone knows what lane you are driving in. That of course requires a great degree of accuracy.

This blog is intended to be BASIC in nature. I’m not an expert. Yet. But I have learned some quick lessons that I want to pass on to anyone else wanting to dig into RTK.

Here’s a deeper explanation of the advantages of using RTKData networked stations provided by RTKData.com who have been most helpful in my education on this subject.

“RTKdata uses a single-station forwarding approach, meaning your rover receives corrections from one real, physical base station near you, selected automatically from a network of 20,000+ stations worldwide, rather than a synthesized virtual reference point calculated by interpolating between multiple stations.”

I can’t take credit for that statement since RTKData wrote it and provided it to me. That explanation is very concise and lays down the foundation for how networked RTK solutions can be superior to a single base station.

SparkFun LG290P Quadband GNSS RTK

I’ve been messing with GPS modules for a while now. I’m always on the hunt for the best bang for the buck or the best learning tool. I recently stumbled across the Sparkfun LG290P Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GNSS board.

RTK has the ability to geo locate you to within 1 CENTIMETER of your location. Most GNSS modules net you about a 3 meter tolerance.

That is crazy accurate. Many of these RTK engines cost big $$$. This module is based on the Quectel LG290P engine. The good news is that it is lighter, cheaper, and runs cooler than most other RTK modules. Sparkfun sets the cost at $189 which is amazing.

GNSS200L GNSS Receiver Review

After digging through my GPS storage box I realized that I have never reviewed my GNSS200L GNSS receiver. I got mine at GPSWebShop a couple of years ago.

The advantage to this is that it is a puck and simply connects via USB to Windows, Linux, or MacOS.

There are no FTDI’s or serial converters needed. Just one clean USB connection to a computer.

Additionally, another major advantage is that because it is an authentic U-blox chip there is tons of documentation for it. If you buy some GPS module that is a knock off you aren’t going to get any documentation for it.

Adafruit Ultimate GPS USB – Best Bargain GPS

I love messing around with GPS modules. And I’ve said it before……..hooking a GPS up to a computer is a rite of passage for techies. I’m always on a quest to find a great module at a great price. Enter the Adafruit Ultimate GPS USB version ($29.99).

My favorite GPS modules are from U-blox however they tend to be a bit on the expensive side. That being said they have very powerful proprietary software that makes module configuration a breeze.

Not so much with the Adafruit modules which are based on the MTK3333 chipset which is definitely a great GPS chip. I know that you are thinking that you can buy GPS modules on Amazon or AliExpress for way less than $30, and you would be right. That being said almost ALL OF THEM are knock-offs and do not contain the chipsets that they claim. Yes, they are GPS modules, and yes, they work, however they are counterfeits mostly. I don’t like to spend my money on fakes.

Also places like Adafruit provide you tons of documentation to include command sheets, data sheets, and schematics. You get exactly what they say you get.

Choosing a GPS Module

I tend to believe that connecting a GPS module to a computer is a rite of passage for techies. While grabbing your exact coordinates and seeing it on a map is big fun it doesn’t compare to learning about GNSS or GPS systems.

Probably the most useful thing you can do with a GPS module in a home lab is to use it as a time server. Pulses Per Second or PPS is ridiculously accurate. You can achieve this in your home lab relatively cheap.