I bought two of the SenseCAP T1000 E Trackers and have them flashed with the latest Meshtastic Firmware. The issue I am having is that they are both showing their position to be almost a mile away from where they are actually located. I am using them with my iPhone and iPad. When viewing the Mesh Map screen I can see my other HelTec V3 and RAKWireless nodes and they are displaying at the correct location on the map.
I have looked and looked in the settings and configuration screens and can find nothing that will make these two T1000 E show their correct GPS locations on the map. This makes them useless for a Tracking device.
What am I missing?
In the screenshot both T1000 E trackers are displaying on top of each other, almost a mile to the left of where their actual location is, (the other node to the right) is where they should be showing up at.
Hey Keith! I had a similar problem when I first set up my devices, and hereās what I found helpful.
First, ensure that the trackers have a clear view of the sky for optimal GPS signal reception. If they are indoors or obstructed, this can lead to inaccurate readings. Additionally, consider reverting to an earlier firmware version if the latest update has caused GPS performance issues, as Iāve noticed that some updates can introduce bugs that affect location accuracy. You might also want to check the settings in the Meshtastic app to ensure that the GPS settings are correctly configured and that the trackers are not in a low-power mode that could affect their ability to update their position.
Yes if I might addā¦ the top side is opposite the power connectorā¦ keep the top side to the skyā¦ also drive it around in a carā¦ put it on dashboard so it can see the sky as best as possible
Donāt always update to the newest firmwareās
If you do always use Meshtastic web flasher
Make sure to select the exact correct device
Selecting the wrong device firmware or generic device firmware is the best way to buy yourself a brick
If you understand how gps worksā¦ it takes almost 30
Minutes for the ephemeral to downloadā¦ this is 30 minutes of uninterrupted vision to the starsā¦ if this does not happen your accuracy will not be exact
It sounds like your device is working great
I plug into cigarette lighter and place on dashboard in front of windshield and let it sitā¦ just make sure
It canāt fall down the vent hole
This Position issue seems to appear only when I have a node connected to either my iPhone or iPad.
In the map below the Keith Mobile node which is in my truck with an external antenna was connected to my iPhone via Bluetooth and is showing an Incorrect location on the Mesh Map.
The top image is looking at the Mesh Map with the Web Client, the lower image is the Mesh Map viewed on my iPhone. In the lower image you can see the breadcrumbs the SenseCap node left as I was driving around.
The Keith Home node and the other nodes near it were all showing at the correct position location at my residence. At the time none of those nodes were connected to an external device, they were using their internal GPS modules, or they were set to Fixed Location.
If I connect my nodes to an Android device via Bluetooth they show up on the Mesh Map in the correct location. I have set each node to a position precision of exact and a value of 32 using the Python CLI and or the Android app.
I have set the position precision on the Channels to precise for the Primary and all secondary channels.
It appears that only when I have a node connected to an Apple device does the GPS position become skewed. So, I donāt think it is a SenseCAP T1000 E issue but rather an iOS application issue.
I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this odd behavior while using an iOS device attached to their nodes? If this is an iOS issue, I have not been able to find much documentation on it in the various online Meshtastic sites.
Well dang, I still can attach or embed images in my postā¦
Iām using an iPad to connect to my SenseCap T1000 E and the app only permits setting the approximate GPS location (in the āChannelsā settings) to a minimum of 1,5 km. My exact location and the location on the Mash Map differ by about 2.2 km.
Hi there,
Having worked on a RADAR base in Turkey and with tracking the space shuttle and GPS sats among everything else experienced ā¦ ss20ās the Black Sea ;-p etc, etcā¦ I know you donāt mind some 411 About GPS Lock Time
That statement is somewhat misleading but does have some truth to it. Hereās how it works:
First-Time Lock (Cold Start)
If your GPS receiver has no prior data (e.g., itās been off for a long time or moved far from its last known position), it needs to download the ephemeris data from the satellites.
This download takes 30 seconds to a few minutes (not 30 minutes!) under clear sky conditions.
If reception is poor (e.g., in a city or under a tree canopy), it might take up to 12-15 minutes, but 30 minutes is extreme.
Warm Start (After Recent Use)
If the GPS remembers its last position and still has valid ephemeris and almanac data, it can lock in seconds (typically 5-30 seconds).
Most modern GPS units use Assisted GPS (A-GPS), where ephemeris data is downloaded from a server via the internet instead of waiting for satellites, which can speed up fixes to just a few seconds.
Ephemeris Data (Not 30 Min)
GPS satellites broadcast new ephemeris data every 30 seconds.
The full almanac (coarse satellite position data) updates every 12.5 minutes, but itās valid for a long time.
Your GPS does not need to wait 30 minutes; even with a fresh startup, 10-15 minutes max in terrible conditions.
Factors That Affect Lock Time
Signal Obstructions: Buildings, trees, tunnels, bad weather
Antenna Quality: External antennas help in weak signal areas
Movement: If moving fast (car, plane), cold start can take longer
A-GPS: If connected to the internet, it downloads satellite data in seconds instead of waiting
Some old standalone GPS devices (pre-2005) or very bad conditions might stretch the time, but modern GPS locks in under a minute under normal conditions.
some manufacture are big and put the time up front some do NOT!! YMMV
HTH
GL PJ
āSpaceTrackerā
The Air530 is very fast, the Xiao comes in 2nd in my testing experience. Plus the Ceramic antenna is 1/4 the size. Go figure.
did the trick. index 0 is is my primary channel (the only channel thatās available in the EU). That sets the precision to 32 bits. Looks good on the Mesh Map on my iPad now!
lolā¦ not the ones i getā¦ elevation for example in out 2 gps setupā¦ 2 identical devices at nearly the exact location ā¦ within inchesā¦ and one says elevation is 10 meters (30 feet) very goodā¦ the other 100ās of metersā¦ what da?
I hate to highjack but I canāt see any way to create a new post in this category. Iām having no end of issues since my device is not recognized on any of my computers. I can deal with that later but wonder mostly about how to set up actual tracking for a map showing where the unit has been. All I see is current position.
Again, my apologies.
Thanks. I mean that whenever I plug my T1000 into any computer I get the message āThe recently added USB device is not recognized.ā or something similar. Hence, I donāt think I have the ability to load new Meshtastic files to it.
No amount of searching for drivers has come up with anything. I have an older desktop but get the same on my new mini Win 11.
Yeah. I was hoping to see the extra drive to work with but no joy. Just my luck.
Like getting hit with duty processing fees and accumulated exchange rates. So far, itās one expensive toy that I canāt seem to play with.
If I could see the most basic trail on a map Iād have hope. I have no idea how to activate that, let alone temperature or altitude readings.
some 411 About GPS Lock Time
PJ 
