Hi, I have been running CE for many years on a below-deck Windows FitPC, using Remote Desktop on my iPad to control/view from the helm. Finally got tired of the communication snafus, and got a Microsoft Surface Go with cellular on which I run CE at the helm, linking thru my network to Nemo and the NMEA2000 instruments.
I’d like to be able to use CE even if the network went down, using the internal GPS.
Other nav programs can access and use the GPS data, but CE does not recognize it.
Are there plans to support the native GPS in a windows pc running CE ?
I don’t have experience with the Surface Go. I use Coastal Explorer on a Dell Lattitude 7220 rugged Windows tablet which has internal GPS receiver.
My unit was a refurb, which was delivered to me with the GPS antenna cable not connected to the GPS chip. Once that got sorted out, I had no trouble with Coastal Explorer seeing and using the internal GPS.
The issue might be a driver issue. Coastal Explorer needs NEMA position sentences. Unless your Surface Go has a driver that outputs NMEA data you are going to have problems,
The 7220 is on the boat and I am not. I don’t remember now whether I had to track down a separate driver. In trouble shooting the no gps-data problem, I found the GPScomplete driver package. I don’t remember whether I ended up needing that, or if I was able to use Dell drivers.
The GPScomplete sensor package can take GPS data and makes sure it outputs the neeeded nmea sentences.
https://www.gpssensordrivers.com/
1 Like
I have tried the gpscomplete drivers, and still can’t get CE to find my location. I understand microsoft has put all location data, whether from the internal gps chip or wifi location, behind something called iLocation.
iLocation data seems to include the source - satellite, wifi, etc. in the body.
gps complete can see the iLocation, but CE does not appear in the windows privacy settings as an app that can access location.
Is it possible to make CE for windows support iLocation? Maybe filter out non-satellite data?
Hi GrooverKing,
I’ve not heard of “iLocation.” I’ve hard of Location Services, and it works as you described, but the only apps that can access Location Services are apps that are obtained through the Microsoft Store, and Coastal Explorer isn’t in the Microsoft Store. There are reasons we aren’t using that path, so unless we change our mind we cannot access Location Services. We do support it, but ever since Microsoft changed their policy, we cannot access it.
You need to use the GPScomplete drivers to create a virtual COM port, eg COM9. Then allow CE
to discover it. The code is a bit brittle, but it works.