Connecting GPS to Laptop

GPS to PC question.

I am going on a transatlantic cruise next month I have three GPS receivers, a Garmin GPS V, a Nuvi 750 and a Delorm Blue Logger (No external antenna connection) I would like to find some PC software that has mapping of the Mediterranean Sea to the East coast of the US and that can talk to one of the GPS units. I have external antennas for both the Nuvi and GPS V so I know I should be able to get a signal most of the voyage. (I have doe it before) The other problem is that the GPS V has a serial connection but the laptop uses USB ports do how I get them connected? Also do not want to invest in expensive marine navigation software. Any ideas out there?

Thanks

Stewart

Hi Steward, welcome to the forums. The following link will bring you to a couple of pages long thread that may help at least in the mapping software selection: Is there laptop PC GPS navigation software for nautical use?

Stewart, are you looking for marine charts of that area you mentioned? Or is it sufficient that the maps show the shorlines and the major islands?

Garmin's Mobile PC includes a World Basemap that shows all the major islands (Azores, etc) and all of the world's land masses. In the countries around the Mediterranean Sea it shows major highways and city names. It does not include detailed road maps for anything outside North America.

tcassidy has a Nuvi 750 and he might be able to tell us if it can send the GPS signal to the PC and if Mobile PC can use that signal.

If you buy the version of Garmin Mobile PC that comes bundled with one of Garmin's GPS receivers you can get your choice of North America or Europe detailed roadmaps. Both will come with the same world basemap included. If you get the version that is bundled with a GPS receiver you can also add other maps to it. So, if you get the North America version you can buy Garmin's City Navigator Europe and add those detailed maps to Mobile PC. You can get Mobile PC bundled with either the GPS10x Bluetooth receiver or the GPS20x USB receiver.

...ken...

Stewart, here are a couple of screenshots of Garmin's Mobile PC World Basemap views of the Mediterranean area. One is zoomed out. The other is zoomed in so you can see a little detail of Sicily and southern Italy.

The resolution in Mobile PC on your own PC would be much better. These pictures had to be resized way down from their original size and resolution so they would fit the forum.

...ken...

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Here are some screenshots of roughly the same areas in the world basemaps that are included in Microsoft Streets and Trips. There is not very much detail. No highways or roads at all. Just geographic boundaries and city names.

...ken...

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Here are some screenshots of roughly the same areas from the world basemap included in DeLorme Street Atlas. This has some major highways as well as city names.

...ken...

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You can buy both Streets&Trips and StreetAtlas bundled with GPS receivers or just the software and maps. You might be able to figure out a way to use one of your receivers with either of these programs. The DeLorme receiver might work with StreetAtlas. It's easy enough to email DeLorme and ask them.

If the Nuvi 750 outputs a GPS signal through the USB connection you would be able to use it with either S&T or SA but you would need another software program (GPSGate) to do it.

To use the GPS V you would need to buy a USB-to-serial port adapter. If you do that, you're halfway to the price of a decent GPS receiver and you've still got a bunch of headaches ahead of you trying to get it to work. So that's not something I recommend.

...ken...

The Nuvi 750 can provide a GPS signal to a laptop with a bit of work. However, it will not directly support Mobile PC. It may work with PRoITM's modified version. I haven't tested that as I am unable to get that program to start.

Terry

After a reminder by Ken as to where ProITM's executable must be placed, I was able to use the Nuvi 750 directly with ProITM's modified version of Mobile PC. The Nuvi 750 is not usable while it is performing this function. It only shows a Garmin logo.

Terry

That's interesting that the Nuvi will function as either a navigation device or as a receiver but not both at once. My eTrex Legend HCx is happy to do both at the same time. I'm not sure what practical use that is, but it's kind of neat as a sanity check against what the laptop software is telling you.

...ken...

Yes, my old eMap and SPIII would do that too. I am not sure why the Nuvi even provides GPS data but assume it was included for testing and verification. The method of activating it suggests that.

Terry

Is that the activation process where you have to turn the device off, spit over your left shoulder three times and then turn the power back on while holding two of the buttons down, standing on one leg and whistling America the Beautiful until the logo appears? Or something like that.

...ken...

Power up the Nuvi. When it gets to the main screen, hold your finger on the battery level indicator for 10 seconds or so. It will go into the first test screen. Connect it to the laptop with a USB to mini cable and push the exit button on the bottom right of that test screen on the Nuvi.

On the laptop, start ProITM's Mobile PC. After seleting 'I Agree', click on the satellite icon in the top right corner and click the 'Disable' button. Choose 'Use USB GPS' and click the 'Enable' button. Click the 'globe' button in the bottom left corner

Go outside as the Nuvi does not work well indoors even if it is an MTK or some such new GPS chip.

I left out the part about dancing naked around a Maypole for simplicity sake.

Terry