For digital mode operators : GPS2Time software

[VK4ADC]

GPS2Time - a means of sync-ing your computer clock using a GPS Receiver. 

Free software that will work under Windows 7+ and allows GPS data to set your computer's clock within 1 second - with an auto-update period option if wanted. 

Great for operating on digital modes while portable and where cellular coverage is not available.

Read the full description on the web page at http://www.vk4adc.com/web/software-proje...1-gps2time  with the download link about half-way down the page.

PS: 
This application will also help those who were interested in a solution to the Forum post titled PC time accuracy with no internet access with a locally developed and FREE package.


Version updated to 1.0.0.3 on 14 April 2018

[VK4WDM]

Wow Doug, this looks really good! 

As stated in an earlier thread, we don't have any internet access at the RAAF Townsville Aviation Centre. Just a question, can I down-load the software onto a disk or data stick and take it into the centre to load it on to the computer there? Getting permission to take the computer home and bringing back in can be difficult.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4ADC]

Wayne

As it says on the description web page, 'all is fair' unless you place the software itself on another web site.
A link to it is fine but as I add features or solve bugs, any copy on another site will quickly be outdated.

I am continuing to refine it but any version should do the computer time-setting, just later versions will be better in some way or another.

The  software itself is copyright VK4ADC, in effect it is Freeware.

73 Doug VK4ADC

Similarly, my other current software project "WSJT-X Log File Viewer" is available under the same constraints, and may be of interest if you get going on FT8.

[VK6TU]

Doug,
Went to look at your page for the GPS prog, keep getting a error message - Using $this when not in object context 

Even the home page is not working same error

73 from Michael
VK6TU

[VK4ADC]

Michael

Been away for a few days and did a CMS software update just before I left. Obviously it has caused the problem 'cos it wasn't doing it beforehand. Will have to see if there is an easy fix but will post here when resolved.

There should be an update of GPS2Time within another week or two - the software changes have been done but not tested enough as yet.

73 Doug

**** UPDATE : CMS patch applied and web site now appears as normal. (4.56PM 27/5/18)

[VK6TU]

Michael

Been away for a few days and did a CMS software update just before I left. Obviously it has caused the problem 'cos it wasn't doing it beforehand. Will have to see if there is an easy fix but will post here when resolved.

There should be an update of GPS2Time within another week or two - the software changes have been done but not tested enough as yet.

73 Doug

**** UPDATE : CMS patch applied and web site now appears as normal. (4.56PM 27/5/18)

Doug,
Thanks site working correctly again, will wait till you post the update before downloading a copy.

Haven't got the GPS letup yet either.

73 from Michael

[VK4ADC]

GPS2Time V1.0.0.5 is now available for download from http://www.vk4adc.com/web/software-proje...1-gps2time

Version date is 03/06/2018.

[VK2CSW]

Hi Doug,

I am currently tinkering with an Arduino clone Pro Micro and a GPS module (when it arrives).

From the notes on your website you essentially watch (or sniff) the com port and the parse the NMEA string to get the data to update the clock. Is that correct?

My tinkering is around setting up the Pro Micro to read the GPS module and then print the appropriate NMEA string to the USB port.

I am doing this for two reasons, the first being to learn a bit more about Arduino and GPS (although I have written .Net apps to do the clock update before the hardware bit is new).

Secondly, a clone Pro Micro costs about $6 or $7 from China, and the GPS module isn't much more than that. For under $20 you could have a GPS time signal that runs off your USB port and would keep your PC on time when off the grid.

Colin

[VK4ADC]

Colin

Most common GPS receivers output at least 5 data strings in NMEA format every second, sometimes more in a format native to the basic GPS receive engine.  I am a little unsure why you would want to use an Arduino (of any flavour) to reprocess NMEA data to put it onto a USB port (a pseudo-COM port).   Reprocessing will take critically important time when you are trying to get as close as possible to the true GPS incremental time change from one second to the next (within a few milliseconds). The faster the baud rate of the data from the GPS receiver to the PC, the lower the timing discrepancy. At a 56 Kbaud data rate, the error I measured was under 70mS in total.

All you really need to do is use a serial to USB adapter device to turn the serial TTL/CMOS levels from the receiver into USB-compatible signals - something like an FTDI FT232RL would do the job nicely.  The Arduino Serial to USB adapter XC4464 module from Jaycar is not FTDI-based but has drivers available that work Win7-10 and will do the same job.

Above all, you still need to process the NMEA data in the PC to be able to set the clock, do grid square calcs etc.  Oh wait, that's what my GPS2Time software already does from a raw data stream from a cheap-ex GPS receiver module with another cheap-ex serial/USB device in between - OR - buy a cheap-ex GPS receiver with a USB lead out of it...

Doug

[VK2CSW]

Now where would the fun be in doing things the easy and logical way?

TBH I have a handful of Pro Micro's hanging around the workbench...

I guess this is a solution in search of a problem.  

I might do a bit of ebaying for a USB GPS module, meanwhile I'll keep playing around with the Arduino idea - because I have started thinking about it and ordered the bits.  Also, I've just realised the module I've ordered will need logic level shifting, so there is something else to play with. 

[VK4ADC]

GPS2Time has now been updated to version 1.0.0.7 and now has support for both DD/MM/YY and MM/DD/YY regional date formats (as retrieved from Windows Regional Settings) so will work in most countries. Other major date formats may be added upon request.

A 'DST on' tick box has been added to allow correct time-setting where Daylight Savings Time is available. 
If DST is not used (eg QLD always at UTC+10), there is no time offset effect but users in NSW or VIC ( UTC+10 except when on DST = UTC+11) will see the time advance by one hour when the computer's clock is set with the box ticked.

Just a reminder that you do need to re-select the COM port each time you start the software - before the Run GPS button can be activated to actually retrieve and process the GPS data stream.. You also need to start the software in Administrator mode to be able to actually set the computer's clock.

http://www.vk4adc.com/web/software-proje...1-gps2time 

Still free software !!!

[VK4ADC]

My GPS2Time (V1.0.0.17) and GPS2TimeXP software utilities have had a final release (hopefully) on 2nd October 2019.

GPS2Time works on Win7 and up, and now includes an ability to move the PC clock up to 5 seconds ahead or behind actual time - useful where someone's clock is well out of whack on FT8 or other digital mode !  Adjust the time offset setting on the program display until you can decode, tell them of the error and then press the Reset button to set your PC back to correct time.  It MUST be run with Administrator privileges (read the web page) else it can't set the PC clock.

GPS2TimeXP has been created to allow use on WinXP where different time-setting system calls are required. Note : Administrator level access is not required under XP. 
It also includes the ability to move the PC clock up to 5 seconds ahead or behind actual time.

I recently used GPS2Time while operating HF portable on FT8 in northern NSW and the DT (Delta Time - or timing error) value was usually zero or +0.1 second. Well within the 1-second requirement for digital modes timing.

Recent software adjustments now allow successful use with a range of Language settings in Windows / Control Panel / Regional.

Download links are on the VK4ADC web site at https://www.vk4adc.com/web/software-proj...1-gps2time
Read the text there describing the software and it's use - it will answer a lot of dumb questions so that I don't need to respond to them ....



PS a good example of people who should use the likes of this software :

044700  -8  0.0 1194 ~  CQ VK6AS OF77     Australia   NO
044700  -5  0.1 1298 ~  RX3DD RM0C PN78               NO
044700  2  0.4 2003 ~  CQ UA0ZAM QO93     AS Russia   MAYBE
------------------------------------ 20m
044715 -14  0.7 1396 ~  KG6JDX BG4UYS PM02            YES
044715 -11  0.5 2182 ~  UA3PAB JA2FMY -13             YES
------------------------------------ 20m
044730 -13  0.0 1193 ~  CQ VK6AS OF77     Australia   NO
044730  -4  0.1 1297 ~  RX3DD RM0C PN78               NO
044730  1  0.4 2002 ~  RA3RFT UA0ZAM -17              MAYBE
------------------------------------ 20m
044745 -15  0.7  954 ~  JT1BZ JR2CBE PM85             YES
044745 -19  0.2 1508 ~  CQ BX2AGV PL05     Taiwan     NO
044745 -20 -0.1 1589 ~  RA6AVP BH8OCW -22             NO
------------------------------------ 20m
044800 -13  0.0 1193 ~  CQ VK6AS OF77     Australia   NO
044800  2  0.4 2002 ~  RA3RFT UA0ZAM -17              MAYBE
------------------------------------ 20m
044815 -13  0.1 1451 ~  9M2SAF JG1JEO R-11            NO

Time was synch'd using GPS2Time software on my PC....., DT is third column from Left (Timing error)

[VK4ADC]

I have been doing some checks on the 'sync-ing' ability of my GPS2Time software (V1.0.0.18) during the course of the day today (for over 9 hours) using NTPMonitor web-based software to log the variations, and a cheap-ex USB GPS dongle.

The typical timing error is between 105 and 120mS of UTC, well within the 1-second accuracy required for most digital modes like FT8 or contest logging... Not as good as straight 'time utilities' that use the internet to sync, but good for portable operation where there is no WWW access.

I did a couple of screen prints to illustrate the overall stability.  I suspect that a few of the 'glitch' points occurred while I was using the PC for very intense CPU processes and might have delayed the measurement process.

   
The timing versus three stratum 1 to 4 sources.


   
The GPS2Time software display on screen.

[VK4ADC]

Be warned : If you are contemplating buying a "VK-162 GPS mouse" via eBay then read the following :

'
You might be interested in a problem I have encountered, when I tried to buy a ‘backup’ VK-162. 
The first ‘VK-162’ I bought on eBay works well – I repeated the order but what arrived was marked differently – instead of just ‘G-Mouse’ it is marked ‘G-Mouse’ then on the next line ‘BD&GPS’.   I can’t get any PC to even recognise this second VK-162 as a USB device.
I bought a 3rd one and it’s the same as the 2nd one – neither of them work!   I think the BD refers to the Chinese Beidou No.1 satellite, so maybe these BD&GPS ones are not U-blox 7 inside, but some Chinese clone?  I can’t find any driver software for them at all, so they are probably duds....
73    Chris    GM3WOJ
'

It could be that it just needs to be set into NMEA mode to fix it, but without Windows drivers that makes that hard to achieve !!

I recently (3 weeks ago) bought another one myself via eBay and mine does NOT have the extra lettering and - more importantly - it works.
Mine came from 'duomin_87' under a listing " VK-162 Notebook Usb GPS Navigation Module Support", supplied from within Australia.