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GPS Hardware / Software for Surface 3?

midgrade

New Member
I received a Surface 3 (not pro) for Christmas this year, but I am afraid I will have to return it because of the lack of GPS. The main thing I need it for is locating real estate parcels. I use Google Maps / Earth extensively. I need to enter GPS points, draw polygons to show where the parcels are, and see my GPS position in real time, as I locate them in the field. I've been doing all of these things with my Android phone, but the screen is just too small, and I need to upgrade.

I'd like to keep the Surface, as I like the ability to run full Windows, but if I can't create maps and track my location in real time, it's useless to me. I know I can add an external GPS receiver, but are there any mapping programs available that do everything that Google Maps / Earth does?

Alternatively, I see that there's an Android app that allows you to use your phone as an external GPS over Bluetooth. Since the GPS signal on the phone is based on data/wifi/and GPS, if I connected to the phone's GPS/Data, then ran Google Maps on the Surface, would it be able to give real time location information as if it were running on a wireless data connection (because technically, it would be)?
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
Did you get one with LTE? If yes, then your map apps should work, If not you can pickup a small USB GPS dongle, we have threads on the subject, search the forum for GPS.
 
OP
M

midgrade

New Member
I just have the Wifi version. I saw all of the threads about adding the external GPS - I'm good with that, but nothing addresses mapping software that will perform the functions I am looking for. Google Maps will not provide real time location without a data connection in conjunction with GPS, so I need software that will allow me to edit and draw on maps, then plot my real time location on that map, using only the external GPS dongle without a 4G/3G data connection.
 
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