diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 4c1f56843..c6d773a1a 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ until the phone pulls those packets.  Ever so often power on bluetooth just so w
 
 # Low priority
 
+* fix GPS.zeroOffset calculation it is wrong
+* handle millis() rollover in GPS.getTime - otherwise we will break after 50 days
 * reneable the bluetooth battely level service on the T-BEAM, because we can read battery level there
 * report esp32 device code bugs back to the mothership via android
 
diff --git a/src/GPS.cpp b/src/GPS.cpp
index 31e26ff7d..79b6eca58 100644
--- a/src/GPS.cpp
+++ b/src/GPS.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 
 #include "GPS.h"
 
+// stuff that really should be in in the instance instead...
 HardwareSerial _serial_gps(GPS_SERIAL_NUM);
+uint32_t timeStartMsec; // Once we have a GPS lock, this is where we hold the initial msec clock that corresponds to that time
+uint64_t zeroOffset;    // GPS based time in millis since 1970 - only updated once on initial lock
 
 GPS gps;
 
@@ -16,27 +19,49 @@ void GPS::setup()
 #endif
 }
 
+// for the time being we need to rapidly read from the serial port to prevent overruns
 void GPS::loop()
 {
     PeriodicTask::loop();
 
-#ifdef GPX_RX_PIN
+#ifdef GPS_RX_PIN
     while (_serial_gps.available())
     {
-        _gps.encode(_serial_gps.read());
+        encode(_serial_gps.read());
+    }
+
+    if (!timeStartMsec && time.isValid() && date.isValid())
+    {
+        timeStartMsec = millis();
+
+        // FIXME, this is a shit not right version of the standard def of unix time!!!
+        zeroOffset = 1000LL * (time.second() + time.minute() * 60 + time.hour() * 60 * 60 +
+                               24 * 60 * 60 * (date.month() * 31 + date.day() + 365 * (date.year() - 1970))) +
+                     time.centisecond() * 10;
+
+        DEBUG_MSG("Setting time zero %lld", zeroOffset);
     }
 #endif
 }
 
-void GPS::doTask()
-{
+uint64_t GPS::getTime() {
+    return (millis() - timeStartMsec) * 1000LL + zeroOffset;
 }
 
-String GPS::getTime()
+void GPS::doTask()
+{
+    if (location.isValid() && location.isUpdated())
+    { // we only notify if position has changed
+        // DEBUG_MSG("new gps pos\n");
+        notifyObservers();
+    }
+}
+
+
+String GPS::getTimeStr()
 {
     static char t[12]; // used to sprintf for Serial output
 
     snprintf(t, sizeof(t), "%02d:%02d:%02d", time.hour(), time.minute(), time.second());
     return t;
 }
-
diff --git a/src/GPS.h b/src/GPS.h
index b82cc714e..48a81ed88 100644
--- a/src/GPS.h
+++ b/src/GPS.h
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ class GPS : public PeriodicTask, public Observable, public TinyGPSPlus
 public:
     GPS();
 
-    String getTime();
+    /// Return time since 1970 in msecs.  Until we have a GPS lock we will be returning time based at zero
+    uint64_t getTime();
+
+    String getTimeStr();
 
     void setup();
 
diff --git a/src/NodeDB.cpp b/src/NodeDB.cpp
index 9debc47cf..bc9ea0620 100644
--- a/src/NodeDB.cpp
+++ b/src/NodeDB.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "configuration.h"
 #include "mesh-pb-constants.h"
 #include "NodeDB.h"
+#include "GPS.h"
 
 MyNodeInfo myNodeInfo = MyNodeInfo_init_zero;
 NodeDB nodeDB;
@@ -34,11 +35,6 @@ static NodeNum getDesiredNodeNum()
     return r;
 }
 
-/// return number msecs since 1970
-uint64_t getCurrentTime()
-{
-    return 4403; // FIXME
-}
 
 
 NodeDB::NodeDB() 
@@ -60,7 +56,7 @@ void NodeDB::init() {
     NodeInfo *info = getOrCreateNode(getNodeNum());
     info->user = owner;
     info->has_user = true;
-    info->last_seen = getCurrentTime();
+    info->last_seen = 0; // haven't heard a real message yet
 }
 
 const NodeInfo *NodeDB::readNextInfo()
@@ -87,7 +83,7 @@ void NodeDB::updateFrom(const MeshPacket &mp)
             if (oldNumNodes != numNodes)
                 updateGUI = true; // we just created a nodeinfo
 
-            info->last_seen = getCurrentTime();
+            info->last_seen = gps.getTime();
 
             switch (p.which_variant)
             {
diff --git a/src/PeriodicTask.h b/src/PeriodicTask.h
index 5c92f7c7c..fa68e8059 100644
--- a/src/PeriodicTask.h
+++ b/src/PeriodicTask.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public:
             // FIXME, this lets period slightly drift based on scheduling - not sure if that is always good
             prevMsec = now;
 
-            DEBUG_MSG("Calling periodic task\n");
+            // DEBUG_MSG("Calling periodic task\n");
             doTask();
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/configuration.h b/src/configuration.h
index 5ac76bf51..523de668c 100644
--- a/src/configuration.h
+++ b/src/configuration.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #if defined(T_BEAM_V10)
 #define GPS_RX_PIN      34
 #ifdef USE_JTAG
-#define GPS_TX_PIN      -1 // We can't send bytes to the GPS while using JTAG (not a big deal)
+#define GPS_TX_PIN      -1 
 #else
 #define GPS_TX_PIN      12
 #endif
diff --git a/src/screen.ino b/src/screen.ino
index 4081dc3c9..755149320 100644
--- a/src/screen.ino
+++ b/src/screen.ino
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ void _screen_header() {
 
     // Datetime
     display->setTextAlignment(TEXT_ALIGN_CENTER);
-    display->drawString(display->getWidth()/2, 2, gps.getTime());
+    display->drawString(display->getWidth()/2, 2, gps.getTimeStr());
 
     // Satellite count
     display->setTextAlignment(TEXT_ALIGN_RIGHT);
@@ -135,7 +135,6 @@ void screen_loop() {
         if (axp.isVbusRemoveIRQ()) {
             baChStatus = "No Charging";
         }
-        DEBUG_MSG("%s\n", baChStatus); //Prints charging status to screen
         // This is not a GPIO actually connected on the tbeam board
         // digitalWrite(2, !digitalRead(2));
         axp.clearIRQ();