I would suggest the end of the era of a cabled GPS device needs a bit
more exposure. While personal hand-held navigation units like the Geko
and other-like dedicated devices still need serial connections,
Bluetooth versions do not. Either the UI device has Bluetooth built in
(most smart phones, PDAs and leading PDNs)or you can buy a Bluetooth\USB
dongle for $40 for your laptop that will manage up to seven other
Bluetooth devices in a LAN diameter of 30-40 meters.
I would suggest you then consider any number of Bluetooth GPS devices.
Cost for a 3m RMS static average accuracy statistic with WAAS capable
navigation, that is rechargeable, manages up to 20 GPS satellites by
massively correlated synchronization, providing 8 hours duration, and
10m Bluetoothed GPS transceiver comes in around $295US ($120 street) for
SiRFstarIII GPS-chipped units.
For Nokia and other Symbian OS users, a smartphone navigation
application like MgMaps.com can give you state-of-the-art personal
navigation with on-the-fly access to internet map sources like Google
Maps, Yahoo, Open Maps, and others. For $150 and an appropriate
smartphone data service, you have an excellent GPS unit plus a personal
navigating application able to access worldwide road/image/hybrid
backgrounds. And you can also download KML tracks. PDNs and PDAs with
like features would cost you as much as $700 with maps delivered on a CD
map pack. And if you want to add your mobile personal location
Bluetooth GPS to a lap top, just add a Bluetooth USB port - $50.
Bluetooth versus USB-serial adapted connection should be, IMHO, the
norm. Yes, there is a bit to learn about Bluetooth pairing
configurations for security reason as well as allowing more automatic
connection to other peripherals within your personal Bluetooth aura. It
is getting more easy as time goes by; the apps themselves take care of
the Bluetooth connection.
MidNight Mapper
aka neil
http://redhen-iswhere.blogspot.com
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David
Reid
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 4:28 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; 'Mapinfo-L'
Subject: RE: [MI-L] GeoTracker and Garmin GPSMap76CSx
Tony,
I'm still using a Garmin 12cx but I'm sure the communication protocols
would
still be the same.
Although I'm not running MI 8.5, I recently received a new laptop and
was
forced, kicking and screaming to leave Windows 2000 and finally accept
Windows XP AND the fact that my new laptop had no serial port either,
so I
too had to get a USB/serial adapter.
At first, I had similar problems but mine manifested by making the
pointing
device go berserk. I found that XP was recognizing my GPS as some kind
of
"Microsoft Ball Point" pointing device. I don't recall the exact device
name
and I just carried my laptop to the truck and tried to find this in
Device
manager and reproduce the problem but I think what fixed everything else
eliminated that issue too.
My fix was quite simple and that was to find a usable COM port to assign
to
my USB adapter/GPS, that was COM 6. You would accomplish this in the
Windows
Device Manager. Then, just as with a normal serial port connection, open
Geotracker Options and select the appropriate COM port you set
previously.
Just make sure that the version of Geotracker that came on your Mapinfo
install disc is version 3.2 or greater. The older versions only
recognized
COM ports 1-4.
As far as the communications protocols, the USB connection is not
dependant
on those, only the communication between Geotracker and your GPS. I'm
running Geotracker 3.2 and the only two protocols available are NMEA
0183
and Trimble TSIP. My Garmin 12cx has two or three NMEA protocols but no
Trimble and I presume yours would be the same. You may need to choose
different NMEA settings on your GPS until you hit on just the right one.
One
of the NMEA protocols on my Gar 12, will cause very erratic behavior
with
Geotracker.
Hope this helps,
David Reid
Colbert County 9-1-1
Colbert County, Alabama
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tony
Baylis
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 12:28 AM
To: Mapinfo-L
Subject: Re: [MI-L] GeoTracker and Garmin GPSMap76CSx
Thanks to Mike and Jon for your help but unfortunately I have had no
success. All things I had tried except maybe the definitive step
through.
I shall keep working on it and let everyone know when I work it out.
Tony
Cummings, Mike wrote:
Check the settings/configuration of your GPS. If I remember
correctly, to
use a USB connection the GPS should be set to the garmin protocols & not
NMEA 0183.
________________________________
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Tony
Baylis
Sent: Wed 10/18/2006 5:01 PM
To: mapinfo-l@lists.directionsmag.com
Subject: [MI-L] GeoTracker and Garmin GPSMap76CSx
Morning all,
Interesting rumour Bill...maybe it all got too hard!!!
My problem is with the GeoTracker shipped with MapInfo V8.5 and
connecting my Garmin GPSMap 76CSx to it for real time tracking in the
field. This is the first time I have tried connecting via GeoTracker
and I keep getting a 'Status is unavailable...' signal in the
GeoTracker dialogue.
The GPS is connected via USB as the laptop does not have a serial
port.
I do have connection to the laptop via another application but
cannot into GeoTracker.
I have gone through the 'help' file, done the preferences stuff but
with no success. Any assistance would be great.
Tony
Tony Baylis
Resource and Exploration Mapping
Suite 8, 290 Boundary St
Spring Hill QLD 4000
Ph 3832 1600
Fax 3832 1603
Mob 0419 759 131
Email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
www resexmap.com.au
_______________________________________________
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MapInfo-L@lists.directionsmag.com
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--
Tony Baylis
Spatial Information Specialist
Resource and Exploration Mapping
Suite 8, 290 Boundary St
Spring Hill QLD 4000
Ph 3832 1600
Fax 3832 1603
Mob 0419 759 131
Email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
www resexmap.com.au
_______________________________________________
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