External GPS Units

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You can connect an external GPS to your device to improve the accuracy of your GPS fixes. This allows you to attain much greater accuracy than your smartphone alone is able to achieve.

Whilst Avenza Maps does not directly interface with an external GPS, it does not mean that you are not getting the more accurate readings in the app. Avenza Maps receives its location fixes from the device’s location stream. This can consist of GPS fixes that have been attained via a mix of Satellite, Network, and Wifi or a mix of these. We do not alter these values in any way so any external GPS that is able to update the location stream will work with Avenza Maps.

On Android, you can use developer settings to mock the GPS provider but this is not an option on iOS devices so not all brands work with iOS.

 

Bad Elf

IOS

As long as the Bad Elf device is paired properly with your device, the improved location fixes from the Bad Elf will update the device’s location stream that Avenza Maps pulls its location information from. This is because the fixes are shared with the operating system and not to the app directly.

Android

In order to connect any external GPS device to an Android, you will need to pair the device to your Android and use a 3rd party app called Bluetooth GPS along with enabling mock GPS provider/location. Using mock locations to feed data is the standard protocol for external receivers due to how Android connects to external services. Bad Elf has some great help documentation on enabling mock location so I recommend that you check this out.

You will then have to make a connection to the Bad Elf GPS receiver through the Bluetooth GPS app in order for the improved fixes to be accessible by Avenza Maps.

 

Garmin

Android

Garmin provides the following information on how to pair and use the Garmin GLO with an Android device. Please follow these steps;

Download and Install Bluetooth GPS from the Google Play Store.

1. Make sure the GLO is turned on:

  • On your Android device, touch "Settings".
  • Touch "Bluetooth".
  • Under "Devices", locate the GLO and touch to pair.

2. Once the GLO is paired, locate the Bluetooth GPS app and launch.

  • Touch the box to "Enable Mock GPS Provider" box within the app. Note: You may be taken to an Android settings page with an option to "Allow mock locations". If so, touch to check this option and then press the back button on the phone.
  1. From within the Bluetooth GPS app, press menu (location may vary), then "Settings".
  2. Under "Service Settings", Touch the "Reconnect" checkbox
  3. Under "Connection Problems Related", touch the checkbox for "Use Insecure Connection".
  4. Press the "Back" button on your Android device.
  5. From the home screen of the Bluetooth GPS app, touch the "Connect" button to the right of the Garmin GLO. If you see data filling up the fields below, then everything is working properly.

To test further and ensure that GPS data is being received, touch the "Status" and "Map" tabs at the top of the application.

  • Status: Displays satellite information.
  • Map: Displays your location on a map.

At this point, the Bluetooth GPS application can be closed and location information should be obtained in other apps.

Depending on your android device, once connected to the Garmin GLO, you can completely disable the internal GPS receiver. You can change this in the settings on your phone. The exact steps may vary by phone:

  1. Open "Settings" on your Android device.
  2. Locate your option for "Location", "Privacy and Security" or something similar.
  3. Most phones will have 3 options - use GPS and networks, networks only and GPS only. Select the option for the network only. This will effectively disable the GPS on the phone.

Trimble

Though you can connect a Trimble device to your iPhone or iPad, currently, Trimble external GPS devices do not feed their more accurate location fixes to Avenza Maps on iOS devices. This is something that we are actively looking into to try and resolve. For this reason, the following instructions will apply to Android Devices only.

Trimble R1 for Android Only

1. From the Google play store, install Trimble GNSS status

2. Click on settings -Developer options - select Trimble GNSS as the Mock Location provider Mock Location is available in the “hidden” Developer Mode menu on your device:

  •  Go to your “Settings”, “Systems”, “About Device” and tap multiple times on “Build number” and activate the Developer Mode. A new “Developer Options” menu will be available under “Settings” / “Systems”
  • In the “Developer Options” menu, scroll down to “Debugging” and activate the “Allow mock locations”.

3. Click on settings – location and make sure the location Method is set to high accuracy which will use both GPS and Wifi to estimate your location

4. The first time you use an R1 GNSS receiver, you must pair it with your device.

  • Tap GNSS Status to launch the GNSS Status utility.
  • Tap Select new receiver. The device you are using searches for receivers within range.
  • When the required receiver appears in the Select Receiver list, tap it, and then tap the connection icon to the right of the receiver ID to pair

5. Open Avenza maps, click on the map you want to view and click on GPS icon, the GPS compass will turn blue indicating you had a location fix

Trimble Catalyst for Android Only

1. Make sure your android device is compatible with Trimble Catalyst. Trimble has tested and verified Trimble Catalyst compatibility with the following Android-powered phones and tablets https://geospatial.trimble.com/recommended-devices

2. From the Google Play Store make sure you install Trimble Mobile Manager and Trimble catalyst service Installing Trimble Mobile Manager and Catalyst Service;

  • Open the Google Play Store app
  • Search for Trimble Mobile Manager
  • Tap install
  • Open the app
  • Allow TMM to access photos, media, and files on your device
  • Create a Trimble ID and sign in to Trimble Mobile Manager

 

 

3. Click on settings -Developer options - select Trimble Mobile Manager as the Mock Location provider Mock Location is available in the “hidden” Developer Mode menu on your device:

  • Go to your “Settings”, “Systems”, “About Device” and tap multiple times on “Build number” and activate the Developer Mode. A new “Developer Options” menu will be available under “Settings” / “Systems”
  • In the “Developer Options” menu, scroll down to “Debugging” and activate the “Allow mock locations”.

4. Click on settings – location and make sure location Method is set to high accuracy which will use both GPS and Wifi to estimate your location

5. Open Trimble Mobile Manager and make sure you activate the location Sharing and connect to catalyst 

 

 6. Open Avenza maps, click on the map you want to view and click on GPS icon, the GPS compass will turn blue indicating you had a location fix

Trimble TDC150, 100, TDC600, Nomad 5 for Android Only

  1. In the Apps screen, tap Settings then tap Location
  2. Slide the Location slider to On
  3. Tap Mode then select the High accuracy: High accuracy uses GNSS satellites, WLAN, and cellular networks to determine your location
  4. Tap SBAS mode to turn it on
  5. Tap Location mode then select the Location mode you want the device to use GPS + GLONASS
  6. Open Avenza maps, click on the map you want to view and click on GPS icon, the GPS compass will turn blue indicating you had a location fix

 

SXBlue II + GNSS GPS Unit

SXBlue provides the following information on how to pair and use SXBlue II + GNSS GPS unit within an Android device or iOS device and to ensure that you are receiving fixes from the GPS unit we recommend you follow these steps:

  • Avenza Maps App > Settings > GPS > Location Source Setting > Use Only External Sources.

The accuracy of the fixes in that window can be check by using the GPS log. You can follow these steps:

  • Avenza Maps App > Settings > General > Debug Settings > Enable GPS Logging.

Please note that the GPS Log isn't retroactive, so you will need to let it run for a bit and then follow these steps:

  • Avenza Maps App > Settings > General > Debug Settings > Email Log  (to yourself) and it will give you the information about the fixes you are receiving.

Please note: In order to connect any external GPS device to an Android, you will need to pair the device to your Android and use a 3rd party app called Bluetooth GPS along with enabling mock GPS provider/location. Using mock locations to feed data is the standard protocol for external receivers due to how Android connects to external services. 

 

 

 

 

Please note that Avenza Maps does not have an affiliation with the companies that manufacture these devices.

 

 

 

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