What is the NMEA Output Format During Replay with LabSat 4

Updated on Mar 4, 2026

You can monitor the LabSat 4 NMEA output alongside the RF during replay. The NMEA output is available via the USB port on the rear panel of LabSat 4. Connect to a PC to view the output in a terminal program.

The NMEA output from LabSat 4 will resemble the screenshot below.  Highlighted within the red square is an individual packet of the NMEA string.
 

LabSat4_NMEAOutput_NMEAString

GGA NMEA Format Definition

$GPGGA_hhmmss.ss_llll.ll_a_yyyyy.yy_a_x_xx_x.x_x.x_M_x.x_M_x.x_xxxx*hh
 

1    = UTC of Position

2    = Latitude

3    = N or S

4    = Longitude

5    = E or W

6    = GPS quality indicator (0=invalid; 1=GPS fix; 2=Diff. GPS fix)

7    = Number of satellites in use [not those in view]

8    = Horizontal dilution of position

9    = Antenna altitude above/below mean sea level (geoid)

10   = Meters  (Antenna height unit)

11   = Geoidal separation (Diff. between WGS-84 earth ellipsoid and mean sea level.  -=geoid is below WGS-84 ellipsoid)

12   = Meters  (Units of geoidal separation)

13   = Age in seconds since last update from diff. reference station

14   = Diff. reference station ID#

15   = Checksum
 

GSA NMEA Format Definition

$GPGSA_A_3______16_18__22_24___3.6_2.1_2.2*3C

$GPGSA_A_3_19_28_14_18_27_22_31_39_____1.7_1.0_1.3*35
 

1    = Mode:

M=Manual, forced to operate in 2D or 3D

A=Automatic, 3D/2D

2    = Mode:

1=Fix not available

2=2D

3=3D

3-14 = IDs of SVs used in position fix (null for unused fields)

15   = PDOP

16   = HDOP

17   = VDOP
 

GSV NMEA Format Definition

$GPGSV_3_1_11_03_03_111_00_04_15_270_00_06_01_010_00_13_06_292_00*74

$GPGSV_3_2_11_14_25_170_00_16_57_208_39_18_67_296_40_19_40_246_00*74

$GPGSV_3_3_11_22_42_067_42_24_14_311_43_27_05_244_00____*4D

$GPGSV_1_1_13_02_02_213__03_-3_000__11_00_121__14_13_172_05*67

1     = Total number of messages of this type in this cycle

2     = Message number

3     = Total number of SVs in view

4     = SV PRN number

5     = Elevation in degrees, 90 maximum

6     = Azimuth, degrees from true north, 000 to 359

7     = SNR, 00-99 dB (null when not tracking)

8-11  = Information about second SV, same as field 4-7

12-15 = Information about third SV, same as field 4-7

16-19 = Information about fourth SV, same as field 4-7
 

GLL NMEA Format Definition

$GPGLL_3751.65_S_14507.36_E*77

$GPGLL_4916.45_N_12311.12_W_225444_A
 

4916.46_N          Latitude 49 deg. 16.45 min. North

12311.12_W       Longitude 123 deg. 11.12 min. West

225444              Fix taken at 22:54:44 UTC

A                        Data valid

$GPGLL_5133.81_N_00042.25_W*75

1     2     3     4    5

1  =  5133.81   Current latitude

2  =  N         North/South

3  =  00042.25  Current longitude

4  =  W         East/West

5  =  *75       checksum

RMC NMEA Format Definition

$GPRMC_081836_A_3751.65_S_14507.36_E_000.0_360.0_130998_011.3_E*62

$GPRMC_225446_A_4916.45_N_12311.12_W_000.5_054.7_191194_020.3_E*68
 

225446               Time of fix 22:54:46 UTC

A                         Navigation receiver warning A = OK, V = warning

4916.45_N           Latitude 49 deg. 16.45 min North

12311.12_W        Longitude 123 deg. 11.12 min West

000.5                  Speed over ground, Knots

054.7                  Course Made Good, True

191194               Date of fix  19 November 1994

020.3_E               Magnetic variation 20.3 deg East

*68                      Mandatory checksum
 

$GPRMC_220516_A_5133.82_N_00042.24_W_173.8_231.8_130694_004.2_W*70

1      2       3      4       5       6       7       8        9      10      11      12
 

      1 =  220516     Time Stamp

      2  = A          validity - A-ok, V-invalid

      3  = 5133.82    current Latitude

      4  = N          North/South

      5  = 00042.24   current Longitude

      6  = W          East/West

      7  = 173.8      Speed in knots

      8  = 231.8      True course

      9  = 130694     Date Stamp

      10 = 004.2      Variation

      11 = W          East/West

      12 = *70        checksum

$GPRMC_hhmmss.ss_A_llll.ll_a_yyyyy.yy_a_x.x_x.x_ddmmyy_x.x_a*hh

1    = UTC of position fix

2    = Data status (V=navigation receiver warning)

3    = Latitude of fix

4    = N or S

5    = Longitude of fix

6    = E or W

7    = Speed over ground in knots

8    = Track made good in degrees True

9    = UT date

10   = Magnetic variation degrees (Easterly var. subtracts from true course)

11   = E or W

12   = Checksum

VTG NMEA Format Definition

$GPVTG_360.0_T_348.7_M_000.0_N_000.0_K*43

$GPVTG_054.7_T_034.4_M_005.5_N_010.2_K
 

054.7_T      True track made good

034.4_M      Magnetic track made good

005.5_N      Ground speed, knots

010.2_K      Ground speed, Kilometers per hour
 

$GPVTG_t_T___s.ss_N_s.ss_K*hh

1    = Track made good

2    = Fixed text 'T' indicates that track made good is relative to true north

3    = not used

4    = not used

5    = Speed over ground in knots

6    = Fixed text 'N' indicates that speed over ground in in knots

7    = Speed over ground in kilometers/hour

8    = Fixed text 'K' indicates that speed over ground is in kilometers/hour

9    = Checksum