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    [SOLVED] Serial GPS NTP Displays Incorrect Source on Dashboard

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • Dobby_D
      Dobby_
      last edited by

      If I block outbound pools, it seems to sync and will report .GPS. (stratum 0, PPS)

      In one of your pictures shown above you may be able to read something like, "Satellites in usage 8" (number of connected satellites)" so your gps is using that satellites
      for grabbing time from.

      ntp source.jpg

      Please see at the red arrow.

      #~. @Dobby

      Turris Omnia - 4 Ports - 2 GB RAM / TurrisOS 7 Release (Btrfs)
      PC Engines APU4D4 - 4 Ports - 4 GB RAM / pfSense CE 2.7.2 Release (ZFS)
      PC Engines APU6B4 - 4 Ports - 4 GB RAM / pfSense+ (Plus) 24.03_1 Release (ZFS)

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • E
        elvisimprsntr @stephenw10
        last edited by elvisimprsntr

        @stephenw10

        Here is the best write up I have read why there is an offset between the NMEA messages and PPS signal, and how to adjust the fudge 2 time to compensate for that difference. I am assuming the explanation is the same for the 16x and 18x.

        https://support.ntp.org/Support/ConfiguringNMEARefclocks#Section_6.1.12.2

        Obviously, one needs to infer the example ntp.conf settings to the fields in pfSense Serial GPS options. I am going to give it a try and see how well it works in practice.

        E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • E
          elvisimprsntr @elvisimprsntr
          last edited by elvisimprsntr

          @elvisimprsntr

          BACKGROUND

          I used the procedure at the following link to calibrate the NMEA messages vs PPS signal fudge 2 time. I also eliminated a 10' Cat5e extension cable with the hope of reducing the PPS jitter.

          https://support.ntp.org/Support/ConfiguringNMEARefclocks#Section_6.1.12.2

          SETTINGS

          Baud Rate: 38400
          NMEA Messages: GPGGA only
          Fudge 1: 0.0
          Fudge 2: 0.369

          Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 3.43.32 PM.png

          RESULTS

          Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 3.40.27 PM.png

          Screenshot 2023-04-13 at 3.40.58 PM.png

          I am still getting some PPS sync error messages, but I think that is because the 16x is skipping some messages. I don't think it's a wiring quality or length issue.

          Apr 13 14:02:30 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          Apr 13 14:05:58 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          Apr 13 14:32:22 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          Apr 13 15:22:30 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          Apr 13 15:30:46 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          Apr 13 15:39:50 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          Apr 13 15:47:34 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          Apr 13 15:56:06 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          Apr 13 15:57:42 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
          
          
          
          cat /dev/gps0 
          
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2503,W,1,08,1.0,18.6,M,-28.7,M,,*48
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2503,W,1,08,1.0,18.6,M,-28.7,M,,*46
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2502,W,1,08,1.0,18.6,M,-28.7,M,,*45
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2502,W,1,08,1.0,18.6,M,-28.7,M,,*49
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2502,W,1,08,1.0,18.5,M,-28.7,M,,*43
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2503,W,1,08,1.0,18.5,M,-28.7,M,,*49
           <- blank LF here
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2505,W,1,08,1.0,18.5,M,-28.7,M,,*4C
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2505,W,1,08,1.0,18.4,M,-28.7,M,,*48
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2504,W,1,08,1.0,18.4,M,-28.7,M,,*41
          $GPGGA,[REDACTED],N,08007.2504,W,1,08,1.0,18.4,M,-28.7,M,,*42
          
          
          
          C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • stephenw10S
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by

            Mmm, looks better though.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • E
              elvisimprsntr @elvisimprsntr
              last edited by elvisimprsntr

              For anyone who needs a Stratum 0 GPS+PPS source connected to pfSense, I have tested three different models of Garmin GPS receivers connected to appliances with a full DE9 RS232 port (PPS on DCD pin 1) and RJ45 COM port (PPS on CTS pin 8). Achieves less than 10 usec offset/jitter for less than $50 off evilBay.

              Instructions

              Garmin models tested:

              • GPS 16X LVS
              • GPS 18X LVC
              • GPS 19X HVS
              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                Nice write up! 👍

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • C
                  ccb056 @elvisimprsntr
                  last edited by

                  @elvisimprsntr said in [SOLVED] Serial GPS NTP Displays Incorrect Source on Dashboard:

                  @elvisimprsntr
                  I am still getting some PPS sync error messages, but I think that is because the 16x is skipping some messages. I don't think it's a wiring quality or length issue.

                  Apr 13 14:02:30 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  Apr 13 14:05:58 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  Apr 13 14:32:22 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  Apr 13 15:22:30 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  Apr 13 15:30:46 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  Apr 13 15:39:50 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  Apr 13 15:47:34 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  Apr 13 15:56:06 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  Apr 13 15:57:42 ntp ntpd[12395]: kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                  
                  

                  Have you been able to determine the source of the PPS Jitter exceeded error?
                  I've had the same error for years on my old setup (Garmin 18x LVC + Dell Optiplex)

                  What voltage is your PPS signal? ~3.5 volts?

                  I've recently started trying to migrate to a new N100 box off ebay, shipped from China, and I'm having the hardest time trying to get the Garmin 18x LVC setup working. Sometimes the NMEA sentences will come through for the first 1-2 minutes after boot, and then they stop.

                  Same exact setup was working fine in the Dell Optiplex

                  Not sure if it's due to the TTL output levels on the Garmin and the sensitivity of the RS-232 port on the PC?

                  1b53bedc-1db1-495d-bc27-bb132e9fe9fb-image.png

                  E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • E
                    elvisimprsntr @ccb056
                    last edited by elvisimprsntr

                    @ccb056 I still get the PPS jitter errors, just not as frequent. Doesn't seem to affect PPS synchronization.

                    Screenshot 2025-07-12 at 8.06.54 PM.png

                    Jul 12 15:54:26	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 11 19:40:42	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 11 10:37:14	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 11 02:35:22	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 11 02:09:06	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 11 00:40:02	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 10 19:40:10	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 9 23:17:22	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 9 21:42:42	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 9 11:08:02	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 9 10:56:42	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 9 09:53:38	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    Jul 9 09:41:46	ntpd	30926	kernel reports TIME_ERROR: 0x2307: PPS Time Sync wanted but PPS Jitter exceeded
                    

                    Not sure if it is related the Garmin pucks occasionally skipping NMEA messages. Per Garmin Tech Support, this is expected behavior.

                    cat /dev/gps0 
                    $GPGGA,001849,XXXX.5745,N,08007.2564,W,1,10,0.9,35.5,M,-28.7,M,,*44
                    $GPGGA,001850,XXXX.5745,N,08007.2564,W,1,10,0.9,35.5,M,-28.7,M,,*4C
                    $GPGGA,001851,XXXX.5746,N,08007.2564,W,1,10,0.9,35.6,M,-28.7,M,,*4D
                    $GPGGA,001852,XXXX.5746,N,08007.2564,W,1,10,0.9,35.7,M,-28.7,M,,*4F
                    $GPGGA,001853,XXXX.5747,N,08007.2564,W,1,10,0.9,35.8,M,-28.7,M,,*40
                    
                    $GPGGA,001855,XXXX.5747,N,08007.2564,W,1,09,1.0,36.0,M,-28.7,M,,*4D
                    $GPGGA,001856,XXXX.5748,N,08007.2564,W,1,09,1.0,36.0,M,-28.7,M,,*41
                    $GPGGA,001857,XXXX.5748,N,08007.2564,W,1,09,1.0,36.1,M,-28.7,M,,*41
                    
                    $GPGGA,001858,XXXX.5749,N,08007.2564,W,1,09,1.0,36.2,M,-28.7,M,,*4C
                    $GPGGA,001859,XXXX.5749,N,08007.2564,W,1,09,1.0,36.3,M,-28.7,M,,*4C
                    $GPGGA,001900,XXXX.5750,N,08007.2564,W,1,09,1.0,36.3,M,-28.7,M,,*49
                    
                    $GPGGA,001902,XXXX.5751,N,08007.2563,W,1,09,1.0,36.5,M,-28.7,M,,*4B
                    $GPGGA,001903,XXXX.5751,N,08007.2563,W,1,09,1.0,36.6,M,-28.7,M,,*49
                    
                    $GPGGA,001904,XXXX.5751,N,08007.2563,W,1,09,1.0,36.6,M,-28.7,M,,*4E
                    
                    dennypageD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • dennypageD
                      dennypage @elvisimprsntr
                      last edited by

                      @elvisimprsntr said in [SOLVED] Serial GPS NTP Displays Incorrect Source on Dashboard:

                      Not sure if it is related the Garmin pucks occasionally skipping NMEA messages. Per Garmin Tech Support, this is expected behavior.

                      Doesn't seem right to me. While skipping sentences might be okay for navigation, it isn't okay for timekeeping. If Garmin says that's expected, you should get a different receiver.

                      E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • E
                        elvisimprsntr @dennypage
                        last edited by

                        @dennypage Hasn't been a problem.

                        loopstats.jpg

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