Really technical question here.

I'm try to solve a puzzling issue on Touche'.  I installed a Noland AM43
multiplexer to gather wind data from my Nexus instruments and send it to my
Simrad WP30 wheel pilot.  That works now.  However, in the process, the
WP30 is not receiving the waypoint arrival alarm.  When the WP30 was
interfaced directly to the GPS, it always deactivated "Nav" mode when we
got to 0.10 nm of a waypoint and the arrival alarm activated.  Now I hear
the GPS audible alarm but the WP30 keeps on steering.

I know the WP30 is receiving GPS data because it steers right past the
waypoint and gradually changes course and navigates dutifully to the next
waypoint in the route.  The Nexus instruments show all the correct data,
distance/bearing to waypoint, course to steer, cross track error, etc.

I have what I consider the appropriate sentences programmed into the Nexus
NMEA output slots; APA, APB, RMB, etc.

I want to read and log the data stream.  The AM43 has a USB port.

I have a Dell mini laptop with a Prolific PL2303 USB to Serial driver
installed. It usually shows on COM3.  I have two applications, GPSinfo and
DPort Lite (a lite version of Hyperterminal).  I can see the NMEA data
stream from my Globalsat BU-353 GPS adapter on both applications but I have
to unplug and re-plug the BU-353 in some mystical order for it to be seen
in DPort Lite.

Since there is no Wi-Fi or internet at my marina for troubleshooting, I
want some reasonable assurance that when I connect to the multiplexer, I
will see data.  I two questions for the cyber-minded folks.

1.  Is there a bombproof USB serial driver that will work every time with
DPort Lite without having to plug/unplug/reboot or place a chicken wing
under a cypress tree at full moon?

2.  Where in the APA, APB, RMB sentences is the arrival alarm data and what
characters signal on or off?

Thanks,

Dennis C.
Touche' 35-1 #83
Mandeville, LA
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