Spectrum Master™ MS271xE User Guide : GPS (Option 31) : Activating the GPS Feature
 
Activating the GPS Feature
Attach the GPS antenna to the GPS Antenna connector on the top of the instrument.
1. Press the Shift key, then the System (8) key on the numeric keypad to display the System menu.
2. Press the GPS submenu key.
3. Activate GPS by pressing the GPS On/Off submenu key so that On is underlined. When GPS is first turned On, the GPS icon is displayed in red to indicate that fewer than four satellites are currently being tracked.
GPS Icon, Red
4. When the GPS receiver is tracking at least four satellites, the GPS icon changes to green. Latitude and longitude information is displayed in the title bar at the top of the display. Acquiring satellites may take as long as three minutes.
GPS Icon, Green
5. Press the GPS Info submenu key to display the following information:
Tracked satellites
Latitude and longitude
Altitude
UTC timing information
Fix available
Almanac complete
Antenna and receiver status
GPS antenna voltage and current
Refer to GPS Menu for details on the above GPS Info items.
After GPS location fix is attained, the internal reference oscillator begins to correct its frequency to match the GPS standard. After the internal frequency is adjusted to match the GPS standard, the status is indicated by “GPS High Accuracy” showing in the Status menu, which is displayed on the left side of the measurement display. When the GPS feature is not enabled, the reference source displays either “Internal Standard Accuracy” or a user‑selected external reference frequency in the Status menu.
Within three minutes of satellite acquisition, the reference oscillator will have an accuracy of better than 50 ppb (parts per billion).
In order to acquire data from the GPS satellites, you must have line‑of‑sight to the satellites, or the antenna must be placed outside with no obstructions.
If no GPS is connected, the Frequency Reference annotation reads Int Std Accy. When GPS is connected, with a fix, and the tuning process has completed (which may take a few minutes), the Frequency Reference annotation shows GPS Hi Accy. If GPS is subsequently lost (for example, GPS is turned off, disconnected, or there is no signal due to physical obstruction), the instrument goes back to Int Std Accy after a few moments.