Connecting to an External GPS Device

Avenza Maps Pro subscribers can connect an external GPS to their mobile device in order to improve the accuracy of their GPS fixes. This allows you to attain much greater accuracy than your smartphone alone is able to achieve. Support for external GPS receivers has been expanded to include Bad Elf, Emlid, EOS, Lecia, Juniper, and Trimble devices. 

Android - Connecting to an External GPS Device

Android users have the option to connect to their external GPS receiver via Bluetooth connection, or using a Mock Location via a third-party GPS app. Please note that Bluetooth connection will only be successful with the following supported brands: Bad Elf, Emlid, EOS, Lecia, Juniper, and Trimble. 

Bluetooth Connection 

In order to work with Avenza Maps, your Bluetooth must be enabled in order to allow the receiver to connect with your phone or tablet. If Bluetooth is not enabled, you will be prompted to allow a Bluetooth connection when adjusting the location source to 'Any Source' or 'External Sources'. 

Connecting your device

1. Ensure Bluetooth is enabled for the Android device you wish to connect the external GPS receiver to. 
2. From the Library screen, tap the three dots at the top right > Settings > GPS Settings > Location source. 
3. Choose your location source:
   1. Use Any Source: Uses both external GPS sources and device-based location services. If an external GPS device is paired, the external source will take priority until it is disconnected. If no external device is detected, Avenza Maps will fall back to the internal GPS automatically. 
   2. Use Only External Sources: Uses only the location information from the paired external receiver. If no paired device is detected, users will be notified that location-based activities have stopped. 
4. Your device should now be paired successfully, as indicated by a green satellite icon .

If Bluetooth is not enabled, you will be prompted to enable it when adjusting the location source. 

Users can also adjust the location source for their external GPS receiver from the Map View, via the Location tab as shown below. 

If the Bluetooth connection is lost or turned off with the receiver still connected, you will be prompted to re-enable it. 

Third-Party GPS App Connection (Mock Location) 

 Connecting an external GPS receiver to Avenza Maps using a mock location app is useful for devices that are not supported, or for those devices that cannot connect directly. Please note that connecting the receiver this way will be less accurate than the NMEA connection. 

Setting the Mock Location Service

In order to use an external GPS device on an Android device, you must set the "Mock Location app" for the device to use.  This setting is available in your device settings, separate from Avenza Maps, and requires you to enable Developer Mode. Depending on your specific device, the steps to enable Developer Mode may vary slightly, but for most devices, this can be done using the steps below:

To enable Developer Mode:

1. Go to your device settings
2. Go to "About phone"
3. Locate the build number for your device
4. Tap this build number the required number of times (this varies based on make and model, but when you start tapping you should see an indicator of how many more taps are required)
5. Once you have completed the required number of taps, you should receive a prompt that you are now in Developer Mode

To set the Mock Location app:

1. Once you are in Developer Mode, search your device settings for Mock Location (you should see an option for "Select a mock location app"), or go to System > Developer Options and scroll down to the "Select a mock location app"
2. Tap the "Select a mock location app"
3. Select the corresponding app for the GPS device you are using (e.g. Trimble Mobile Manager).  
4. Once set, and when your device is connected to the correct app for the device, you will then be able to use it with Avenza Maps

NOTE: When finished using Avenza Maps and your GPS device, please be sure to turn off the Mock Location setting in the Developer Options so that you can use your phone or tablet's internal GPS chip to provide location services.

Connecting your device

1. From the Library screen, tap the three dots at the top right > Settings > GPS Settings > Location source. 
2. Select 'Third-party GPS app' as your location source. 
3. Your device should now be paired successfully, as indicated by a green satellite icon .

iOS - Connecting to an External GPS Device

In order to work with Avenza Maps, your Bluetooth must be enabled in order to allow the receiver to connect with your phone or tablet. You will also want to ensure the correct location source is selected in order to receive data from the external GPS receiver. 

Connecting your device

1. From the Library screen, tap Settings located at the bottom right > GPS Settings > Location source. 
2. Choose your location source:
   1. Use Any Source: Uses both external GPS sources and device-based location services. If an external GPS device is paired, the external source will take priority until it is disconnected. If no external device is detected, Avenza Maps will fall back to the internal GPS automatically. 
   2. Use Only External Sources: Uses only the location information from the paired external receiver. If no paired device is detected, users will be notified that location-based activities have stopped. 
3. Your device should now be paired successfully, as indicated by a green satellite icon .

Users can also adjust the location source for their external GPS receiver from the Map View, via the Location tab as shown below. 

If an external GPS receiver is detected but the GPS settings of the device are set to 'Internal source', users will see a warning message prompting them to adjust their settings or disconnect the external GPS device.