Every kit carries a GPS receiver and the software to read it. What differs is whether an external antenna is required, and when a position fix matters.
What the position is used for
The unit publishes its own position alongside detections so that the sensor appears in the right place on a TAK map and detections are referenced to a known location. Detection itself does not depend on a GPS fix — a unit with no fix still detects and reports aircraft. If accurate unit position is required for your deployment, confirm GPS lock as part of commissioning.
Antenna requirements
Drop-In The GPS puck antenna supplied with the kit should be installed. The enclosure has no sky view of its own, so without the external puck the unit will not achieve a reliable position fix. The port is directly below the DC terminal block. Route the cable clear of the antenna ports and place the puck where it has a clear view of the sky.
Mobile An external GPS antenna is optional. It improves position accuracy and lock time, and is worth fitting when the case is inside a vehicle or building.
Torque the SMA connector to 3–5 in-lb, or hand-tight by the connector nut only.
Checking for a fix
The GPS daemon runs on every kit. To read five sentences from it:
gpspipe -w -n 5A fix shows a mode of 2 or 3 with latitude and longitude in the output. A mode of 1 means the receiver is alive but has no fix yet. Allow several minutes for a first lock, longer if the antenna has a partial sky view.
If the Console is installed, the GPS tab shows the same information without the command line.
If there is no data at all
No data is different from no fix. If gpspipe returns nothing, confirm the receiver is present:
ls /dev/ttyACM* /dev/ttyUSB*If no device node is listed, the receiver is not enumerated. Include the output of lsusb in a support request.
Where the position goes
Unit position and status are published internally on port 4225 and carried into the Cursor on Target output by dragonsync, so a TAK client sees the unit’s own marker along with detections. No configuration is required.
Related
- WarDragon User Guide, Section 3.1 — antennas and placement
- WarDragon User Guide, Section 10.7 — GPS troubleshooting
- WarDragon Drop-In Installation Guide, Section 5.1 — GPS puck installation