Connecting to a laptop

[campdog]

Looking for a bit of help please.
I want to run a moving map on my laptop from my magellam merridian platinum.
Bought an adaptor to run via a usb port but have difficulty in finding the GPS .
Or if it does connect it drops out easily. Any help would be appreciated.

[Patrolman Pat]

I've read lots of issues with this problem. I run the same set up as you nad have never had it drop out yet. I believe the quality of the USB to Serial adapter can be the problem. Unfortunately I can't read the name on mine, I just bought one from my lovcal puter shop and probably just got lucky.

I always use the same USB port, it won't recognise it on others, and you have to open Ozi before turning on the GPS. I assume all the baud rates etc are set correctly.

[campdog]

I've read lots of issues with this problem. I run the same set up as you nad have never had it drop out yet. I believe the quality of the USB to Serial adapter can be the problem. Unfortunately I can't read the name on mine, I just bought one from my lovcal puter shop and probably just got lucky.

I always use the same USB port, it won't recognise it on others, and you have to open Ozi before turning on the GPS. I assume all the baud rates etc are set correctly.

I think the baud rate is set at 9600.
I got the adapter for about $25 last year. I jist got a new 12v adaptor with the serial port lead, should have got the one with the USB adaptor but was another $50.00.

[Corindi]

I have a serial to usb adaptor and have spent probaly 12 hours trying to make it work reliably. Gave up in the end. Works 1st go every go on the desktop via the serial.

Mine was better at a slower baud rate. I assume you have read about the NMEA settings?

[campdog]

I have a serial to usb adaptor and have spent probaly 12 hours trying to make it work reliably. Gave up in the end. Works 1st go every go on the desktop via the serial.

Mine was better at a slower baud rate. I assume you have read about the NMEA settings?

I think I read that the NMEA had to be turned off, is this right.?

[Patrolman Pat]

My settings on the lappy are
Com port - 4
Parity - None
Stop bits - 1
Upload/download Baud rate - 9600
NMEA Baud rate - 9600
serial port driver 2

That's with a Magellan Meridien, i believe it's the same as the platinum/gold etc series

[campdog]

My settings on the lappy are
Com port - 4
Parity - None
Stop bits - 1
Upload/download Baud rate - 9600
NMEA Baud rate - 9600
serial port driver 2

That's with a Magellan Meridien, i believe it's the same as the platinum/gold etc series

Looks pretty similar , but may need to change drivers.

[away]

Looking for a bit of help please.
I want to run a moving map on my laptop from my magellam merridian platinum.
Bought an adaptor to run via a usb port but have difficulty in finding the GPS .
Or if it does connect it drops out easily. Any help would be appreciated.

campdog, what Operating System are you running? There is a known problem with Windows2000 and serial connections. If you've got XP you should be OK.

Try this test

Go outside and start the GPS. Make sure it is tracking satellites and shows your current position on its display.

Connect it to your laptop using the USB Comm Port converter.

Go to Start/All Programs/Accessories/Communications/HyperTerminal

Run HyperTerminal and do the following:

The program will run and a dialog box will come up asking for a name for the connection. Type anything there. Example "Test" without the quote marks. Click OK.

In the next dialog window, ignore the top boxes and go straight to the box that says "connect using". In that box, enter the number of the Comm Port you believe you have set the USB to Serial adapter to. If the adapter is Comm5, then that's what you enter.

The next box is for the comm settings. This is the tricky bit. Go to Start, Control Panel, (if your display shows about six broad categories, click "switch to classic view" in the left-hand pane of the window. If your window displays a heap of icons, of which one is "System", click it)

Once you have opened the System area, click on the Hardware tab and then click Device Manager. Scroll down until you see "Ports (Comm and LPT)". Open this and highlight the Comm port that corresponds to the USB adapter you have installed. Now right-click it and click on "Properties". Click on "Port Settings"

You will now see how your USB comm port is configured. Use this information to fill in the dialog box in Hyperterminal. At this point go into the GPS settings and make sure that the Comm Port settings in it match the settings of your USB adapter. The GPS Comm Port number doesn't matter, but the Baud Rate, Stop bits, parity and other stuff does.

If you are happy that you have a match, Now Click OK in Hyperterminal. The screen in Hyperterminal will start to fill with NMEA "sentences" that look a little bit like english if you have all of your settings correct.

If you don't, nothing will happen, or the screen will fill with Gobbeldy Gook.

If this is the case, then set up a new connection in Hyperterminal and check the Comm Port settings again.

You will never get the GPS to work with any Mapping program until you have this bit working. Once you fiddle around with your settings and can see the NMEA sentences, you can close hyperterminal and open the Map software of your choice. Use the configuration settings of the Map software to match the settings you had in Hyperterminal.

So if you found that the Comm port was Comm5 and the baud rate was 4800 and the data bits were 8 and the parity was "none" and the stop bits were "1" and the Flow Control was "none", then that's what you set your software to.

If you do this right, I guarantee it will work.

Some software programs are not as well written and cannot use Comm Ports higher than Comm 4. If your software is like this, and your USB adapter cannot be made to be a Comm port lower than Comm 4, then there is a whole other procedure you need to got through to get it working.

[campdog]

campdog, what Operating System are you running? There is a known problem with Windows2000 and serial connections. If you've got XP you should be OK.

Try this test

Go outside and start the GPS. Make sure it is tracking satellites and shows your current position on its display.

Connect it to your laptop using the USB Comm Port converter.

Go to Start/All Programs/Accessories/Communications/HyperTerminal

Run HyperTerminal and do the following:

The program will run and a dialog box will come up asking for a name for the connection. Type anything there. Example "Test" without the quote marks. Click OK.

In the next dialog window, ignore the top boxes and go straight to the box that says "connect using". In that box, enter the number of the Comm Port you believe you have set the USB to Serial adapter to. If the adapter is Comm5, then that's what you enter.

The next box is for the comm settings. This is the tricky bit. Go to Start, Control Panel, (if your display shows about six broad categories, click "switch to classic view" in the left-hand pane of the window. If your window displays a heap of icons, of which one is "System", click it)

Once you have opened the System area, click on the Hardware tab and then click Device Manager. Scroll down until you see "Ports (Comm and LPT)". Open this and highlight the Comm port that corresponds to the USB adapter you have installed. Now right-click it and click on "Properties". Click on "Port Settings"

You will now see how your USB comm port is configured. Use this information to fill in the dialog box in Hyperterminal. At this point go into the GPS settings and make sure that the Comm Port settings in it match the settings of your USB adapter. The GPS Comm Port number doesn't matter, but the Baud Rate, Stop bits, parity and other stuff does.

If you are happy that you have a match, Now Click OK in Hyperterminal. The screen in Hyperterminal will start to fill with NMEA "sentences" that look a little bit like english if you have all of your settings correct.

If you don't, nothing will happen, or the screen will fill with Gobbeldy Gook.

If this is the case, then set up a new connection in Hyperterminal and check the Comm Port settings again.

You will never get the GPS to work with any Mapping program until you have this bit working. Once you fiddle around with your settings and can see the NMEA sentences, you can close hyperterminal and open the Map software of your choice. Use the configuration settings of the Map software to match the settings you had in Hyperterminal.

So if you found that the Comm port was Comm5 and the baud rate was 4800 and the data bits were 8 and the parity was "none" and the stop bits were "1" and the Flow Control was "none", then that's what you set your software to.

If you do this right, I guarantee it will work.

Some software programs are not as well written and cannot use Comm Ports higher than Comm 4. If your software is like this, and your USB adapter cannot be made to be a Comm port lower than Comm 4, then there is a whole other procedure you need to got through to get it working.

Thanks for the help, I will sit down later and give it a go. I will have a beer afterwards as it looks like I will need as many brain cells as I can round up.

[Patrolling Paddy]

I had similar probs with my serial-usb adaptor but with a garmin gps. With a little tip from the local computer accessory shop I went to the most basic 'no bells & whistles' unit and it solved all my problems ( the first one had led lights and all sorts of stuff). I think the one I have now is a Belkin. Don't know if it will help you out but it's worth a look.

[michaelcarey]

campdog, what Operating System are you running? There is a known problem with Windows2000 and serial connections. If you've got XP you should be OK.

Some software programs are not as well written and cannot use Comm Ports higher than Comm 4. If your software is like this, and your USB adapter cannot be made to be a Comm port lower than Comm 4, then there is a whole other procedure you need to got through to get it working.

You will also find that you need to plug the USB to serial adapter in the SAME USB socket each time. If you don't then Windows will assign a new COM port number and you will need to find it again.
I'm sure glad I bought a laptop with a proper serial port.