Icd-gps-153 Protocol May 2026
Devices like the Safran NetClock use ICD-GPS-153 messages to provide 1PPS (pulse-per-second) and time-of-day information to external equipment without requiring a full military-grade receiver for simple time-only tasks.
The protocol is a specialized serial interface standard primarily used in military and high-precision timing applications to facilitate communication between Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and external devices. What is ICD-GPS-153?
Also sent at 1 Hz, this message is essential for high-accuracy time synchronization between the GPS and the connected system. icd-gps-153 protocol
Basic message structures and emulation details are available in commercial manuals from manufacturers like Safran Navigation & Timing.
Tactical GPS systems and ground-based receiver modules (GB-GRAM) often feature multiple serial ports, where some are dedicated to ICD-GPS-153 for control/status and others to NMEA for standard position data. Accessing the Specification Devices like the Safran NetClock use ICD-GPS-153 messages
Because the protocol is often associated with military-grade GPS equipment, the full technical document is not always available for direct public download.
At its core, ICD-GPS-153 is an that defines the message format and functional requirements for a digital data interface. It is often referred to as part of the GPS Standard Serial Interface Protocol (GSSIP) suite. Also sent at 1 Hz, this message is
Unlike common consumer GPS protocols like NMEA-0183, which are human-readable ASCII text, ICD-GPS-153 is frequently used to handle sensitive or critical time and status information between specialized receivers (like or GB-GRAM modules) and host systems. Key Components and Message Types
To obtain the complete specification (e.g., ICD-GPS-153C), developers often must submit a GPS Technical Library Document Request through the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center . ICD-GPS-153 vs. NMEA-0183 ICD-GPS-153 Primary Use Military/Industrial Timing & Emulation Consumer/Marine Navigation Data Format Binary/Structured ASCII (GSSIP) ASCII "Sentences" Common Messages Time Transfer, Current Status $GPGGA, $GPRMC, $GPVTG Accessibility Controlled/Restricted Fully Public Interface Control Documents - GPS.gov