Connect GPS to PC using USB?

[Jsp]

My Furuno GPS can be connected to a PC by a serial cable. The wiring
diagram can be viewed on the GPS itself. But: my laptop doesn't have a
serial port. Is there a way to make a USB-cable instead? (And to have
some chartplotting program recognize this)?

Jsp

 

[William G. Andersen]

I think computer stores sell cables that will have USB at your PC end and
serial connector at the other so you can use it as is or as a changeover
from serial to USB.

 

[Jack Erbes]

My Furuno GPS can be connected to a PC by a serial cable. The wiring
diagram can be viewed on the GPS itself. But: my laptop doesn't have a
serial port. Is there a way to make a USB-cable instead? (And to have
some chartplotting program recognize this)?

What you need is called a serial to USB adapter or converter.

You can find them at places like CompUSA, Fryes, Circuit City, Best Buy,
Staples, etc. The ones made by Belkin seem to be widely acceptable, I
have never found a serial input (including a number of GPS NMEA inputs)
that would not work with the one I have.

It is a short (10" or so) cable with a USB plug on one end and a small
housing with a DB9P connector (looks just like your missing serial port
socket) on the other.

The Belkin I have (model F5U109) also has three LEDs (RX, TX, LINK) to
indicate status of the serial connection and traffic flow.

If you are into shopping around for one, try eBay. There are hundreds
of them for sale there every day. A search for "serial usb" will turn up
a bunch.

Jack

 

[Jsp]

I got mine at the Radio Shack........

Leanne

Thanks all. I'll try out your suggestions. As I am Dutch, I'll look for
equivalents of the shops and site over here.

Jsp

 

[Doug Dotson]

Not likely, USB and RS232 serial are very different animals. One can
however buy a device that provides serial ports and does plug into USB.
I have one that has 4 serial ports and interfaces to a USB port.

Doug

 

[Doug Dotson]

Check out www.keyspan.com

Thanks all. I'll try out your suggestions. As I am Dutch, I'll look for
equivalents of the shops and site over here.

Jsp

 

[Jsp]

Check out www.keyspan.com

That's exactly what I need. It never even occured to me that a thing
like this exists.
I saw one on the site mentioned above that provides one RS232 serial
interface. So I presume this also makes the OS and the chartplotting
program "think" the computer now has a COM-port, which is needed for the
setup of the connection with the GPS?

Thanks again.
Jsp

 

[Dennis Pogson]

That's exactly what I need. It never even occured to me that a thing
like this exists.
I saw one on the site mentioned above that provides one RS232 serial
interface. So I presume this also makes the OS and the chartplotting
program "think" the computer now has a COM-port, which is needed for
the setup of the connection with the GPS?

Thanks again.
Jsp

They come with driver software and have to be installed, only takes a few
minutes. Make sure the one you buy is compatible with your operating system
(WinXP, ME, 98 etc.) Ebay usually has loads of them. The converter is USB to
serial, NOT serial to USB as mentioned above!

 

[Jack Erbes]

I saw one on the site mentioned above that provides one RS232 serial
interface. So I presume this also makes the OS and the chartplotting
program "think" the computer now has a COM-port, which is needed for the
setup of the connection with the GPS?

A Windows OS will Plug & Play the serial to USB adapter. You may need
to provide a driver the first time, that is normally supplied on a CD
with the adapter.

If you need to know the COM port number, you can then find that listed
in the Device Manager under COM and LPT ports. The port will usually be
identified with the adapter or maybe the IC that does the A/D conversion.

Jack

 

[Peter Bennett]

If you need to know the COM port number, you can then find that listed
in the Device Manager under COM and LPT ports. The port will usually be
identified with the adapter or maybe the IC that does the A/D conversion.

Jack

On my computer, the USB/serial adaptor will appear as a different COM
port, depending on which of the three USB ports it is plugged into.

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

 

[Doug Dotson]

The additional ports are true serial ports. I've never had any problems with
the device.

Doug

 

[Doug Dotson]

They come with driver software and have to be installed, only takes a few
minutes. Make sure the one you buy is compatible with your operating
system
(WinXP, ME, 98 etc.) Ebay usually has loads of them. The converter is USB
to
serial, NOT serial to USB as mentioned above!

Depends upon your point of view.

 

[Doug Dotson]

A Windows OS will Plug & Play the serial to USB adapter. You may need to
provide a driver the first time, that is normally supplied on a CD with
the adapter.

If you need to know the COM port number, you can then find that listed in
the Device Manager under COM and LPT ports. The port will usually be
identified with the adapter or maybe the IC that does the A/D conversion.

Where does A/D conversion come into the picture?

 

[Doug Dotson]

On my computer, the USB/serial adaptor will appear as a different COM
port, depending on which of the three USB ports it is plugged into.

That is strange. Mine comes up the same no matter which of the 4 USB
ports I connect it to.

 

[Peter Bennett]

They come with driver software and have to be installed, only takes a few
minutes. Make sure the one you buy is compatible with your operating system
(WinXP, ME, 98 etc.) Ebay usually has loads of them. The converter is USB to
serial, NOT serial to USB as mentioned above!

I would consider these converters to be USB<->serial (that is, they
convert both ways.)



--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

 

[Jack Erbes]

Where does A/D conversion come into the picture?

And the wrong answer buzzer goes off again! I guess I pulled that piece
of jargon out of a dark corner of my mind and used it incorrectly. As
you know, I'm an operator, not a technician. :>)

I meant whatever goes on inside the IC that does the conversion. That
IC is what, a bridge or transceiver? I read different terms and
sometimes misuse them not understanding exactly what they mean.

As an aside question, I have a small mouse type GPS receiver, an Altina
GGM-308. It has an in line PS2 (Mini-DIN 6) connector that lets the
receiver be adapted to a number of different power/PDA adapters.

The leads in the connector are:

1 - TX (RS232)
2 - +5VDC
3 - TX (TTL)
4 - Ground
5 - RX(TTL)
6 - RX (RS232)

I've been using the serial (NMEA) output and that works fine.

I've also been wondering if the TX(TTL) and RX(TTL) leads are the
outputs for USB ports. Or if some device is needed to handle the
transition between the GPS and a USB port.

I've been reluctant to simply connect 3 and 5 to a USB port data pins to
see what happens.

Jack

 

[Doug Dotson]

And the wrong answer buzzer goes off again! I guess I pulled that piece
of jargon out of a dark corner of my mind and used it incorrectly. As you
know, I'm an operator, not a technician. :>)

I meant whatever goes on inside the IC that does the conversion. That IC
is what, a bridge or transceiver? I read different terms and sometimes
misuse them not understanding exactly what they mean.

It's usually a microprocessor with tranceivers for both the serial and USB

As an aside question, I have a small mouse type GPS receiver, an Altina
GGM-308. It has an in line PS2 (Mini-DIN 6) connector that lets the
receiver be adapted to a number of different power/PDA adapters.

The leads in the connector are:

1 - TX (RS232)
2 - +5VDC
3 - TX (TTL)
4 - Ground
5 - RX(TTL)
6 - RX (RS232)

I've been using the serial (NMEA) output and that works fine.

I've also been wondering if the TX(TTL) and RX(TTL) leads are the outputs
for USB ports. Or if some device is needed to handle the transition
between the GPS and a USB port.

No, USB is a totally different animal from a serial port. The TTL level
outputs
allow the GPS to be directly interface to digital circuits such as a
microprocessor.
The easiest way to use USB is with a serial (RS232) to USB adapter.

 

[Larry W4CSC]

cheaper, no ROM chip needed

Cheap? Us?! BOATERS?!!!

 

[Doug Dotson]

Wasn't aware that anyone was making a serial<->USB converter
for marine use.

 

[Peter Hendra]

The additional ports are true serial ports. I've never had any problems with
the device.

Doug

Hi,
I am running CMap software on a laptop. I am using a USB to serial
port adapter. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. There seems
to be no logic as to why CMap sometimes fails to accept the input. The
"on" and data lights on the PFranc brand flash but CMap says that
there is no connection. I have been using it for 4 years now. I have
tested other brands for friends on other laptops and some just do not
make a connection.

Is it CMap?

Any suggestions.
Peter Hendra
N.Z. yacht Herodotus