New Feature request GPS

[4rovers]

Hello,

I am pleased someone is taking this mode seriously and developing it further.

There are quite a few people in the boating community using this software, one of the drawbacks is the clunky way we have to handle APRS beacons, there only seems to be additional programs written in Python that can provide a way to have our position sent at regular intervals.

Currently users have to post a position when they arrive at a destination as calculating the grid while sailing can be difficult and time consuming, this does not allow them to display a true track of their station, when this program is so much more efficient than the alternatives.

I think JS8Call would be more accepted if the features of js8call utilities by M0AIX for aprs and the GPS timing features of wsjtx-js8call-autogrid could be included in the JS8Call program itself.

This would not only create a program that is more suitable for the mobile operators, but also make this a one stop solution for the portable hill top operators that may not have internet access for timing and may want to indicate to the world where they are operating from.

The U-BLOX usb gps devices present themselves as a serial port, some boats have NMEA serial interfaces as part of the on board systems while others have IP connectivity, so these would have to be considered.

If you have any questions regarding this please feel free to contact me.

Thank you for your consideration of this feature.

Regards

Vic

[wmiler]

I can see a use for the gps for location and timing, but I'm not sure we want to include the code to interface with the actual gps in js8call. That strike me as a bit of mission creep, and others do that aspect so much better.

[Chris-AC9KH]

I think I agree that setting the system clock and location with JS8 code interfaced with a serial gps device might seem like a good idea on paper, it's not practical. While iOS devices with built-in cellular do this automatically, specifically with the marine and aviation navigation charts and approach plates that are used on iPads, the "drivers" are not universal for desktop platforms that JS8Call supports. On MacOS this is simple - simply plug your iPhone or iPad into a Mac laptop with a serial cable and voila! you are in business, no need for any uBlox GPS device. The other two platforms, not so much. So it is something we are not going to implement at present.

[wmiler]

Yeah, that's going to work great when you are in blue water, great cell service.

[Chris-AC9KH]

Yeah, that's going to work great when you are in blue water, great cell service.

iPad does not rely on cell service. Neither does iPhone.

[4rovers]

Thanks for your reply, I doubt any sailor is going to go out and buy any Apple devices to make this software useful for them. I am sorry you feel that way about this opportunity to increase the user base, I doubt many will adopt it in the future, PSKMail added it, shame the transport layer was not as good as JS8. Good luck with any improvements. Regards Vic

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________________________________ From: Chris Olson ***@***.***> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2025 17:46 To: JS8Call-improved/JS8Call-improved ***@***.***> Cc: 4rovers ***@***.***>; Author ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [JS8Call-improved/JS8Call-improved] New Feature request GPS (Discussion #100) I think I agree that setting the system clock and location with JS8 code interfaced with a serial gps device might seem like a good idea on paper, it's not practical. While iOS devices with built-in cellular do this automatically, specifically with the marine and aviation navigation charts and approach plates that are used on iPads, the "driver" are not universal for desktop platforms that JS8Call supports. On MacOS this is simple - simply plug your iPhone or iPad into a Mac laptop with a serial cable and voila! you are in business, no need for any uBlox GPS device. The other two platforms, not so much. So it is something we are not going to implement at present. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#100 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AJQQI27BFUMWY7O2L3X6OWT4EK25VAVCNFSM6AAAAACPDL3MAOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKMZXGY3DCMY>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[wmiler]

So I'm going to stick my foot in a bit further, given that I run OpenCPN on a Ubuntu mini pc with gpsd; would having network-only access be viable in your use case?

My comment above was meant to use such a route. Ie I do Not want to roll gpsd into js8call, it's a duplication of effort and gpsd just works when it comes to marine/mobile uses on linux. As I recall, the one time I setup OpenCPN on windows years ago, I was able to interface to my gps receiver in a similar manner, I don't know for certain, but I imagine macOS can prolly run gpsd as a service. (Prolly not on iOS, but there is most likely a location api).

[4rovers]

There are quite a lot of people using windows, I know some /MM stations who use two USB U-Blox GPS devices, one for the PC timing the other for Position, with multiple bits of software to make it work, you really need to know your stuff to get this working, hence why so many just don't bother attempting to use JS8Call at sea.

The ones that do have had remarkable results, I worked a station while on route across the Atlantic from UK waters we were using 50W.

The M0AIX JS8Call utilities software connects to the serial port and then converts the lat/log to Grid and sends it to JS8Call, but uses Python.

If this is not something you want to do, I guess it won't happen.

[4rovers]

Thanks for your reply, I am sorry it is too much work for you, I think there are a large amount of people that would adopt JS8-Call if the software would just accept NMEA on a serial port as this is present on most craft now. I doubt many will be up for messing about with additional software to allow auto position reporting. Good luck with your improvements.

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________________________________ From: Wyatt Miler ***@***.***> Sent: 28 December 2025 19:11 To: JS8Call-improved/JS8Call-improved ***@***.***> Cc: 4rovers ***@***.***>; Author ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [JS8Call-improved/JS8Call-improved] New Feature request (Discussion #100) I can see a use for the gps for location and timing, but I'm not sure we want to include the code to interface with the actual gps in js8call. That strike me as a bit of mission creep, and others do that aspect so much better. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#100 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AJQQI22QYWTPS4OLPIG4YWT4EATOPAVCNFSM6AAAAACPDL3MAOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKMZVG44TSNQ>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[Chris-AC9KH]

Well, the majority of sailors (and professional pilots) already use Apple hardware, most specifically the iPad which is the only portable electronic device certified for use on the flight deck in commercial aviation with ForeFlight.

Many sailors now prefer the iPad over traditional chart plotters for the same reasons it is used in aviation. Premium hardware, more powerful than any PC laptop, built-in cellular and GPS accurate to within a few feet, can be bought for around $1,000.

So while your proposal is a valid use-case, it is a very small market in the big picture since there is already much better software for position reporting at sea for sailors on a long passage, including iPads interfaced with AIS transponders. APRS is not going to compete with the big commercial offerings. So while we may look at this in the future if we decide to add more bloat to the software, it is still a niche use-case that would become a literal nightmare trying to support on three platforms.

[Chris-AC9KH]

This might seem like an ignorant question. But why don't ham radio operators use WWV anymore? In the old days we used it to tune the master oscillator with a 300Hz heterodyne and could get it accurate to <0.5ppm by ear.

Nowadays people seem to think they have to use the internet, or GPS, or some other elaborate scheme to sync their clock for digital modes like JS8. You can sync your system and radio clocks accurate to within 50 milliseconds with WWV in the field. But they don't teach young ham operators about this anymore?

https://vimeo.com/1152073732

[wmiler]

In this case, you should just consider a blue water/coastal sailboat as a portable LAN. It already has the gps mounted to the boat and wired in. All the systems on board reference that unit in some manner. A full Raymarine or Garmin system is going to cost way too much and we aren't just talking the chartplotter (ie iPad). We aren't talking about million dollar yacht owners here. My friend's last boat was acquired for under $2k (Catalina 25, not blue water) and sank when the breakwater failed during a storm.

As far as WWV and friends go, for radio timing that's fine, but you already have a gps providing time and location, why not use it? I guess people are just going for what requires the least knowledge route, you hit a button in Windows and your clock is synced to a time source somewhere. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Ok, I'll stop belaboring the point now :)

[4rovers]

I totally agree with your comments, most people are using open CPN because it's free. AIS does not replace JS8Calls performance for world wide positioning. Most users are looking for an easy solution but when all is said, nothing will be done.

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________________________________ From: Wyatt Miler ***@***.***> Sent: 08 January 2026 16:18 To: JS8Call-improved/JS8Call-improved ***@***.***> Cc: 4rovers ***@***.***>; Author ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [JS8Call-improved/JS8Call-improved] New Feature request GPS (Discussion #100) In this case, you should just consider a blue water/coastal sailboat as a portable LAN. It already has the gps mounted to the boat and wired in. All the systems on board reference that unit in some manner. A full Raymarine or Garmin system is going to cost way too much and we aren't just talking the chartplotter (ie iPad). We aren't talking about million dollar yacht owners here. My friend's last boat was acquired for under $2k (Catalina 25, not blue water) and sank when the breakwater failed during a storm. As far as WWV and friends go, for radio timing that's fine, but you already have a gps providing time and location, why not use it? I guess people are just going for what requires the least knowledge route, you hit a button in Windows and your clock is synced to a time source somewhere. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Ok, I'll stop belaboring the point now :) — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#100 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AJQQI24FRCGWJVLJFTCZDZT4FZ7OPAVCNFSM6AAAAACPDL3MAOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKNBUGY3TAOA>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>