Tech Gurus Get In Here!! PC/GPS question....

[indyjoe]

Almost all GPSes with the ability to connect via serial or USB can be configured to send NMEA data. This is just an ASCII string of data sent with a known configuration at a certain period.

I would see if the USB based <$40 devices can be made to work with this. Something like [ame]http://www.amazon.com/GPS-Waterproof-Receiver-Enabled-indicator/dp/B003YUF0GC/ref=sr_1_1?s=gps&srs=3029826011&ie=UTF8&qid=1344611633&sr=1-1[/ame]


For $34, if you can get it to work, then you are done for cheap. If not, return to Amazon. If you get that and need help configuring, let me know. We could meet somewhere and try to get it to work.

Looks like this page has drivers for that GPS if they aren't included: http://www.canadagps.com/BU-353spec.html


FYI - The Motorola M12+ was the latest and greatest GPS chipset.... In 2003. Everything I'm seeing on these two platforms are actually board level devices, rather than end user products. I believe it is Oncore GT+, rather than Encore. This is a board used for drones and other things.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

This is what I would do. Contact the software support team. Ask them more about the interfaces you need to support the gps hardware. Then ask them, if they know of any vendors of said hardware. Call one of the vendors (or all of them up to you) and ask them about their products and how they would work with your software. Then ask them, if they can provide support for the installation of said hardware. If they can't call up the company that makes the hardware. Talk to them, see if their device is what would be best suited for your need. Talking to tech support should give you all the answers you need. Once you have a viable option order the hardware. Call tech support. Be nice, patient, and appreciative and they will walk you through the whole ordeal. If that part gets to far above your head (no offense) call up a geek/nerd friend, offer him/her a cigar, hamburger, and a beer to come over and work with tech support to get your gear installed.


--advise coming from a geek, who worked in tech support for 6 years,and used to wardrive with gps tracking on a laptop in my Jeep

 

[netsecurity]

Almost all GPSes with the ability to connect via serial or USB can be configured to send NMEA data.

That's good info. I don't know much about GPS's, but I Googled it real quick and found that some GPS devices only send NMEA through serial and not USB, so a driver-like installation may still be necessary.

Here is a Garmin example of what I am describing:
https://support.garmin.com/support/...caseId={26ed0f20-1338-11de-76c5-000000000000}
"Our Garmin USB GPS units do not output NMEA data through the USB port, so you will need the Garmin program called Spanner to convert the signal.