.. only:: html
.. index:: GPS tracking
.. _`sec_gpstracking`:
Live GPS tracking
==================
.. only:: html
.. contents::
:local:
To activate live GPS tracking in QGIS, you need to select :menuselection:`View
--> Panels` |checkbox| :guilabel:`GPS Information Panel` or press :kbd:`Ctrl+0`.
You will get a new docked window on the left side of the canvas.
There are four possible screens in this GPS tracking window:
* |metadata| GPS position coordinates and an interface for manually entering
vertices and features
* |gpsTrackBarChart| GPS signal strength of satellite connections
* |options| GPS options screen (see figure_gps_options_)
With a plugged-in GPS receiver (has to be supported by your operating system),
a simple click on :guilabel:`Connect` connects the GPS to QGIS. A second click (now
on :guilabel:`Disconnect`) disconnects the GPS receiver from your computer. For GNU/Linux,
gpsd support is integrated to support connection to most GPS receivers. Therefore,
you first have to configure gpsd properly to connect QGIS to it.
.. warning::
If you want to record your position to the canvas, you have to create a new
vector layer first and switch it to editable status to be able to record your
track.
Position and additional attributes
----------------------------------
|metadata| If the GPS is receiving signals from satellites, you will
see your position in latitude, longitude and altitude together with additional
attributes.
.. _figure_gps_position:
.. figure:: img/gpstrack_main.png
:align: center
GPS tracking position and additional attributes
GPS signal strength
-------------------
|gpsTrackBarChart| Here, you can see the signal strength of the satellites you
are receiving signals from.
.. _figure_gps_strength:
.. figure:: img/gpstrack_strength.png
:align: center
GPS tracking signal strength
GPS options
-----------
|options| In case of connection problems, you can switch between:
* |radioButtonOn| :guilabel:`Autodetect`
* |radioButtonOff| :guilabel:`Internal`
* |radioButtonOff| :guilabel:`Serial device`
* |radioButtonOff| :guilabel:`gpsd` (selecting the Host, Port and Device your
GPS is connected to)
A click on :guilabel:`Connect` again initiates the connection to the GPS receiver.
.. _figure_gps_options:
.. figure:: img/gpstrack_options.png
:align: center
GPS tracking options window
You can activate |checkbox| :menuselection:`Automatically save added features`
when you are in editing mode. Or you can activate |checkbox|
:guilabel:`Automatically add points` to the map canvas with a certain width
and color.
Activating |checkbox| :guilabel:`Cursor`, you can use a slider |slider| to shrink
and grow the position cursor on the canvas.
You can also set an :guilabel:`Acquisition interval (seconds)` and a
:guilabel:`Distance threshold (meters)` parameters to keep the cursor still
active when the receiver is in static conditions.
Activating |radioButtonOn| :guilabel:`Map centering` allows you to decide in which
way the canvas will be updated. This includes 'always', 'when leaving', if your
recorded coordinates start to move out of the canvas, or 'never', to keep map
extent.
Finally, you can activate |checkbox| :guilabel:`Log file` and define a path
and a file where log messages about the GPS tracking are logged.
If you want to set a feature manually, you have to go back to |metadata|
:sup:`Position` and click on :guilabel:`Add Point` or :guilabel:`Add Track Point`.
Connect to a Bluetooth GPS for live tracking
--------------------------------------------
With QGIS you can connect a Bluetooth GPS for field data collection. To perform
this task you need a GPS Bluetooth device and a Bluetooth receiver on your
computer.
At first you must let your GPS device be recognized and paired to the computer.
Turn on the GPS, go to the Bluetooth icon on your notification area and search
for a New Device.
On the right side of the Device selection mask make sure that all devices are
selected so your GPS unit will probably appear among those available. In the
next step a serial connection service should be available, select it and click
on :guilabel:`Configure` button.
Remember the number of the COM port assigned to the GPS connection as resulting
by the Bluetooth properties.
After the GPS has been recognized, make the pairing for the connection. Usually
the authorization code is ``0000``.
Now open :guilabel:`GPS information` panel and switch to |options| GPS
options screen. Select the COM port assigned to the GPS connection and click
the :guilabel:`Connect`. After a while a cursor indicating your position should
appear.
If QGIS can't receive GPS data, then you should restart your GPS device, wait
5-10 seconds then try to connect again. Usually this solution work. If you
receive again a connection error make sure you don't have another Bluetooth
receiver near you, paired with the same GPS unit.
Using GPSMAP 60cs
-----------------
MS Windows
..........
Easiest way to make it work is to use a middleware (freeware, not open) called
`GPSGate `_.
Launch the program, make it scan for GPS devices (works for both USB and BT
ones) and then in QGIS just click :guilabel:`Connect` in the Live tracking panel
using the |radioButtonOn| :guilabel:`Autodetect` mode.
Ubuntu/Mint GNU/Linux
.....................
As for Windows the easiest way is to use a server in the middle, in this case
GPSD, so
::
sudo apt install gpsd
Then load the ``garmin_gps`` kernel module
::
sudo modprobe garmin_gps
And then connect the unit. Then check with ``dmesg`` the actual device being
used bu the unit, for example ``/dev/ttyUSB0``. Now you can launch gpsd
::
gpsd /dev/ttyUSB0
And finally connect with the QGIS live tracking tool.
Using BTGP-38KM datalogger (only Bluetooth)
-------------------------------------------
Using GPSD (under Linux) or GPSGate (under Windows) is effortless.
Using BlueMax GPS-4044 datalogger (both BT and USB)
---------------------------------------------------
MS Windows
..........
The live tracking works for both USB and BT modes, by using GPSGate or even
without it, just use the |radioButtonOn| :guilabel:`Autodetect` mode, or point
the tool the right port.
Ubuntu/Mint GNU/Linux
.....................
**For USB**
The live tracking works both with GPSD
::
gpsd /dev/ttyACM3
or without it, by connecting the QGIS live tracking tool directly to the
device (for example ``/dev/ttyACM3``).
**For Bluetooth**
The live tracking works both with GPSD
::
gpsd /dev/rfcomm0
or without it, by connecting the QGIS live tracking tool directly to the device
(for example ``/dev/rfcomm0``).
.. Substitutions definitions - AVOID EDITING PAST THIS LINE
This will be automatically updated by the find_set_subst.py script.
If you need to create a new substitution manually,
please add it also to the substitutions.txt file in the
source folder.
.. |checkbox| image:: /static/common/checkbox.png
:width: 1.3em
.. |gpsTrackBarChart| image:: /static/common/gpstrack_barchart.png
:width: 1.5em
.. |metadata| image:: /static/common/metadata.png
:width: 1.5em
.. |options| image:: /static/common/mActionOptions.png
:width: 1em
.. |radioButtonOff| image:: /static/common/radiobuttonoff.png
:width: 1.5em
.. |radioButtonOn| image:: /static/common/radiobuttonon.png
:width: 1.5em
.. |slider| image:: /static/common/slider.png