Simple Off-Road GPS Display on Laptop

I have just got a GlobalSat USB GPS receiver to interface to my Windows Laptop and mapping software. This works fine but what I want for some off-road activity is a simple laptop display of Speed, Average Speed, Altitude, Overall Trip distance and intermediate trip distance, and Lat/Lon.

Does anyone have any recommendations for inexpensive or free Windows software please?

This would also be useful to me when cruising inland waterways.

Thanks in advance.

David

Check out these freeware items:

Xport = virtual com port multiplier. Drives multiple items off just one gps feed...
XPort

Compass = Should have most/all of the features you are looking for. I think it requires Xport. I ended up building a display without the guages and supplying only text. If you want the files for that type display, let me know and we will figure out how to get them to you...
NMEA Compass

Here is the a screen shot of my "Text Compass" running below S & T. It is red on dark red to eliminate night blindness. Features/displays can be added or subtracted to make any custom display that you want.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Thanks,

I will give them a try. Compass looks to fit the job.

David

David,

Read the instructions for Compass... I am pretty sure it requires use of Xport... Your reply appeared to indicate that you were only considering Compass...

No, I realise that it needs both and have it just about up and running. All I have to do is to get a decent plain backgruond as my desktop icons are still showing through!

Thanks though.

David

David,

You will probably need to create the pane, yourself. I created mine in MS Paint... Make it any size or color that you like... I think it is saved as jpeg. You will need to look at the name of the background file that it is using and rename your new creation as this default name. This, of course, will require that you make up a new name for the original file so as to keep it. The program will default to the new background by the original background name. It may be as simple as opening the original background, highlighting the background area and changing it from clear to a color - then re-saving as described...

Let us know how it goes...