GPS Device Setup
Fusion can work with any type of GPS device at long as it meets the following criteria:
- Supports the NMEA 0183 protocol using ASCII characters.
- Presents itself to the computer as a serial device.
- Automatically starts sending information to the computer when powered up.
- Sends new position data to the computer at least once per second.
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Please consult the Resource Guide for more information on GPS devices. |
Setup Fields
- Port. Choose the port the GPS device is connected to. If you make changes to ports in the operating system while this window is open, click the Refresh Port List button. Fusion will ask the operating system for available ports and any new ones can be chosen from the list.
- Baud Rate - Encoding. All of these settings need to match what the GPS device is expecting. You will need to see the device manual or contact the manufacturer if you are not sure what these settings should be. If you and the manufacturer are unsure what the Encoding field should be, leave it set to ISO-8859-1.
- Termination String. The GPS device will send a special sequence of characters after each NMEA command so Fusion knows when the last part of a command string has been sent. This sequence needs to be entered here.
- ASCII. If the termination string characters can be entered directly, you can turn the ASCII checkbox off. However, usually these strings include characters that cannot be entered directly. In that case leave this option on and enter the ASCII equivalent for each character. If there is more than one character, separate each character by a comma (ex. 13,10).
- Feed Guard. When this option is checked, the Feed Guard feature will be turned on. This feature works by not allowing the truck driver to make bunk calls or deliver feed to the selected pen unless the truck is known by Fusion to be physically near it.
- Delivery Guide. This option turns on the Delivery Guide feature which can be used to help truck drivers deliver feed at a rate that reduces the need to reverse the direction of the truck.
If you are having trouble figuring out what the Termination String field should be we refer you to the Resource Guide which goes into more depth.
Accuracy
The position data Fusion uses can only be as accurate as the GPS device feeding it data. Newer GPS devices are usually accurate to within 1-2 meters. More expensive units have additional corrections that make them accurate to a few centimeters. We recommend placing the GPS device on top of the truck cab, on the same side as the discharge chute, and in a position that gives it the most wide open view of the sky in all directions as possible. If there are multiple truck at a location, try to position the device so it is a similar distance and angle from the discharge chute between trucks.
It is especially important to understand that features such as Feed Guard and Delivery Guide will only work properly when the feedlot has been accurately mapped and when the GPS device itself is sufficiently accurate and consistent.
Connecting
If a GPS device has been configured, Fusion Truck will try to connect to it when Fusion Truck launches. You can view the connection status in the top right hand corner of the Fusion Truck Main Menu window. If you have just configured a GPS device, or if it has lost the connection, you can ask Fusion to attempt to connect to the device by using .
Getting Here
You can open this window by clicking the appropriate Setup… button in the Physical Computer Management window.
Related Topics
