GPS / GNSS Settings
The GPS / GNSS settings screen controls how Mapit GIS receives and processes position data — including which receiver is used, how it connects, accuracy filtering, height correction, position averaging, and tracking intervals.
- Android
- iOS
On Android, these settings are spread across two screens:
- External GNSS — receiver source and connection (Bluetooth, BLE, TCP, USB, companion apps). See External GNSS Settings.
- Survey Settings — accuracy threshold, antenna height, position averaging. See Survey Settings.
- Miscellaneous Settings — GPS tracking time and distance intervals. See Miscellaneous Settings.
Go to Settings > GNSS > GPS / GNSS to access these options.
GPS source
Select which GNSS provider to use for positioning.
| Source | Description | Subscription |
|---|---|---|
| Internal GPS | The device's built-in GNSS receiver. | Free |
| TCP/IP NMEA | NMEA stream over a TCP socket. | Pro |
| Bluetooth BLE | BLE receivers using the Nordic UART Service (e.g. u-blox, Emlid, ArduSimple). | Pro |
| External Accessory | MFi-certified receivers via Apple's ExternalAccessory framework (e.g. Eos Arrow, Juniper Systems Geode, Spire). | Pro |
| Trimble Mobile Manager | Receive positions from the Trimble Mobile Manager companion app. | Pro |
For guidance on connecting a receiver, see Connecting a Receiver.
Auto-start
Default: Off
When enabled, the selected GPS source starts automatically when the app launches. For Internal GPS, location tracking begins immediately. For external sources, the app attempts to connect to the last used device or address.
Connection status
A read-only indicator showing the current state of the GPS connection:
- Disconnected (grey) — no active connection
- Connecting (orange) — connection in progress
- Connected (green) — receiving position data
- Error (red) — connection failed
Fix quality
Displayed only when connected and receiving position data. Shows the current GNSS fix type:
| Fix type | Typical accuracy |
|---|---|
| No Fix | No position available |
| GPS | 3 – 5 m |
| DGPS | 0.5 – 2 m |
| PPS | < 1 m |
| RTK Fixed | 1 – 2 cm |
| RTK Float | 10 – 50 cm |
| Estimated | Varies |
| Manual | User-defined |
| Simulation | Simulated |
TCP/IP NMEA configuration
Visible only when TCP/IP NMEA is selected as the GPS source.
Host
Default: localhost
The hostname or IP address of the NMEA stream source. Enter the address of your GNSS receiver or the device running an NMEA relay.
Port
Default: 5000
The TCP port number to connect to. Valid range is 0 – 65535.
Auto-reconnect
Default: On
Automatically reconnects to the TCP stream if the connection drops unexpectedly. The app retries after a short delay.
Use the Connect / Disconnect button to manually control the connection.
Bluetooth BLE configuration
Visible only when Bluetooth BLE is selected as the GPS source.
Tap Select Device to scan for and select a BLE GNSS receiver. The device must advertise the Nordic UART Service (NUS). Use the Connect / Disconnect button to manage the connection.
BLE is also the transport used for forwarding RTCM corrections from the NTRIP client to RTK receivers. See NTRIP Corrections Settings.
External Accessory (MFi) configuration
Visible only when External Accessory is selected as the GPS source. This uses Apple's ExternalAccessory framework, which requires MFi (Made for iPhone/iPad) certification.
Currently whitelisted receivers include the Eos Arrow series, Juniper Systems Geode, and Spire receivers. Tap Select Device to choose from connected MFi accessories.
For information on MFi certification requirements and pending manufacturers, see External GNSS Settings.
Accuracy threshold
Default: Off
When enabled, positions that do not meet the specified horizontal accuracy are rejected and not used for point collection.
Accuracy threshold value
Default: 5.0 m (when enabled)
Enter the maximum acceptable horizontal accuracy in metres. Positions with worse accuracy than this value are ignored. For example, setting 2.0 means only positions accurate to 2 metres or better are accepted.
Antenna height
Default: 0 m
The height of your GNSS antenna above the ground in metres. This value is subtracted from the measured altitude to give the ground-level elevation.
Set this to your survey pole height when using an external receiver on a pole. Set to 0 when the receiver is at ground level or when altitude correction is not needed.
Position averaging
Position averaging requires a Mapit Pro subscription.
Default: Off
When enabled, multiple GPS readings are collected and averaged to produce a more accurate position. Instead of recording a single fix, the app collects several samples and computes the mean.
Averaging count
Range: 2 – 100 | Default: 10
The number of position samples to average for each point. Higher values produce better accuracy but take longer to collect. A value of 10 – 20 is a good balance for most fieldwork.
GPS tracking intervals
Control how frequently positions are recorded during GPS tracking (automatic vertex recording along a route).
Time interval
Range: 0 – 60 seconds | Default: 2 s
The minimum time that must pass between automatic vertex recordings. Set to 0 to disable time-based filtering.
Distance interval
Range: 0 – 100 metres | Default: 2 m
The minimum distance you must travel before a new vertex is recorded. Set to 0 to disable distance-based filtering.
Both conditions must be met before a new vertex is added. For dense track recording, use low values for both. For sparse recording (e.g. while driving), increase both to avoid excessive points.
Read next:
- External GNSS Settings — full reference for all connection methods and MFi details
- NTRIP Corrections Settings — stream RTK corrections to your receiver
- Survey Settings — field-workflow options (data entry, prefixes, distance and bearing, exports)
- GPS Info and Satellites — reading the live fix quality and satellite list
- RTK and Fix Types — what RTK Float and RTK Fixed mean