diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 4a46f3b..5d877a9 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@
     "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "python3",
     "modulename": "${workspaceFolderBasename}",
     "distname": "${workspaceFolderBasename}",
-    "moduleversion": "1.1.7"
+    "moduleversion": "1.1.8"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index 9b945b3..49b05b0 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # pygnssutils Release Notes
 
+### RELEASE 1.1.8
+
+ENHANCEMENTS:
+
+1. gnssmqttclient updated to support `pyspartn>=1.0.5` (see [pyspartn Release Notes](https://github.com/semuconsulting/pyspartn/blob/main/RELEASE_NOTES.md) for new functionality).
+
 ### RELEASE 1.1.7
 
 ENHANCEMENTS:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8e35ebd..7714397 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ name = "pygnssutils"
 authors = [{ name = "semuadmin", email = "semuadmin@semuconsulting.com" }]
 maintainers = [{ name = "semuadmin", email = "semuadmin@semuconsulting.com" }]
 description = "GNSS Command Line Utilities"
-version = "1.1.7"
+version = "1.1.8"
 license = { file = "LICENSE" }
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.9"
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "certifi>=2024.0.0",
     "paho-mqtt>=1.6.0",  # waiting for >=2.0.0 in Conda
     "pyserial>=3.5",
-    "pyspartn>=1.0.4",
+    "pyspartn>=1.0.5",
     "pyubx2>=1.2.48",
 ]
 
diff --git a/src/pygnssutils/_version.py b/src/pygnssutils/_version.py
index ea5621a..349da3f 100644
--- a/src/pygnssutils/_version.py
+++ b/src/pygnssutils/_version.py
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@
 :license: BSD 3-Clause
 """
 
-__version__ = "1.1.7"
+__version__ = "1.1.8"
diff --git a/src/pygnssutils/gnssmqttclient.py b/src/pygnssutils/gnssmqttclient.py
index 63a8dce..8476404 100644
--- a/src/pygnssutils/gnssmqttclient.py
+++ b/src/pygnssutils/gnssmqttclient.py
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 # pylint: disable=invalid-name
 
 import socket
-from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from io import BufferedWriter, BytesIO, TextIOWrapper
 from logging import getLogger
 from os import getenv, path
@@ -42,6 +41,8 @@
 import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
 from paho.mqtt import __version__ as PAHO_MQTT_VERSION
 from pyspartn import (
+    ERRLOG,
+    SPARTNDecryptionError,
     SPARTNMessageError,
     SPARTNParseError,
     SPARTNReader,
@@ -62,12 +63,16 @@
     TOPIC_DATA,
     TOPIC_FREQ,
     TOPIC_KEY,
+    VERBOSITY_MEDIUM,
 )
+from pygnssutils.helpers import set_logging
 from pygnssutils.mqttmessage import MQTTMessage
 
 TIMEOUT = 8
 DLGTSPARTN = "SPARTN Configuration"
 
+_global_timetags = {}  # for want of a better approach
+
 
 class GNSSMQTTClient:
     """
@@ -83,7 +88,10 @@ def __init__(self, app=None, **kwargs):
 
         self.__app = app  # Reference to calling application class (if applicable)
         # configure logger with name "pygnssutils" in calling module
+        verbosity = int(kwargs.pop("verbosity", VERBOSITY_MEDIUM))
+        logtofile = kwargs.pop("logtofile", "")
         self.logger = getLogger(__name__)
+        set_logging(getLogger("pyspartn"), verbosity, logtofile)
         self._validargs = True
         clientid = getenv(ENV_MQTT_CLIENTID, default="enter-client-id")
 
@@ -106,7 +114,7 @@ def __init__(self, app=None, **kwargs):
             ),
             "spartndecode": 0,
             "spartnkey": getenv(ENV_MQTT_KEY, default=None),
-            "spartnbasedate": datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+            "spartnbasedate": None,
             "output": None,
         }
 
@@ -368,6 +376,7 @@ def on_message(client, userdata, msg):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
         :param object msg: SPARTN or UBX message topic content
         """
 
+        global _global_timetags
         output = userdata["output"]
         app = userdata["app"]
         msglogger = userdata["logger"]
@@ -418,12 +427,24 @@ def do_write(raw: bytes, parsed: object):
                 decode=userdata["decode"],
                 key=userdata["key"],
                 basedate=userdata["basedate"],
+                timetags=_global_timetags,
+                quitonerror=ERRLOG,
             )
             try:
                 for raw, parsed in spr:
                     do_write(raw, parsed)
-            except (SPARTNMessageError, SPARTNParseError, SPARTNStreamError):
-                parsed = f"MQTT SPARTNParseError {msg.topic} {msg.payload}"
+                _global_timetags = spr.timetags
+            except (
+                SPARTNMessageError,
+                SPARTNParseError,
+                SPARTNStreamError,
+            ) as err:
+                msglogger.error(err)
+                parsed = f"{msg.topic} {err}"
+                do_write(msg.payload, parsed)
+            except SPARTNDecryptionError as err:
+                msglogger.error(err)
+                parsed = f"{msg.topic} {err}"
                 do_write(msg.payload, parsed)
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/src/pygnssutils/gnssmqttclient_cli.py b/src/pygnssutils/gnssmqttclient_cli.py
index 6fd7859..e8e4a58 100644
--- a/src/pygnssutils/gnssmqttclient_cli.py
+++ b/src/pygnssutils/gnssmqttclient_cli.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 """
 
 from argparse import ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter, ArgumentParser
-from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from os import getenv, path
 from pathlib import Path
 from queue import Queue
@@ -167,8 +166,13 @@ def main():
     ap.add_argument(
         "--spartnbasedate",
         required=False,
-        help="Decryption basedate for encrypted payloads",
-        default=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+        help=(
+            "Decryption basedate for encrypted payloads (-1 = current datetime, "
+            "0 = use timetags from data stream, "
+            "other integer = 32-bit gnssTimeTag value)"
+        ),
+        type=int,
+        default=-1,
     )
     ap.add_argument(
         "--waittime",
@@ -211,6 +215,9 @@ def main():
     )
     kwargs = set_common_args("gnssmqttclient", ap)
 
+    if kwargs.get("spartnbasedate", 0) == -1:
+        kwargs["spartnbasedate"] = None  # will default to current datetime in pyspartn
+
     kwargs["errevent"] = Event()
     cliout = int(kwargs.pop("clioutput", OUTPUT_NONE))
     try:
diff --git a/src/pygnssutils/gnssntripclient.py b/src/pygnssutils/gnssntripclient.py
index 9324160..796fc7d 100644
--- a/src/pygnssutils/gnssntripclient.py
+++ b/src/pygnssutils/gnssntripclient.py
@@ -63,8 +63,9 @@
     NTRIP2,
     NTRIP_EVENT,
     OUTPORT_NTRIP,
+    VERBOSITY_MEDIUM,
 )
-from pygnssutils.helpers import find_mp_distance, ipprot2int
+from pygnssutils.helpers import find_mp_distance, ipprot2int, set_logging
 from pygnssutils.socketwrapper import SocketWrapper
 
 TIMEOUT = 3
@@ -100,7 +101,11 @@ def __init__(
 
         self.__app = app  # Reference to calling application class (if applicable)
         # configure logger with name "pygnssutils" in calling module
+        self.verbosity = int(kwargs.pop("verbosity", VERBOSITY_MEDIUM))
+        self.logtofile = kwargs.pop("logtofile", "")
         self.logger = getLogger(__name__)
+        for module in ("pyrtcm", "pyspartn"):
+            set_logging(getLogger(module), self.verbosity, self.logtofile)
         self._ntripqueue = Queue()
         # initialise and persist settings to allow any calling app to retrieve them
         self._settings = {}