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GPS heading display

boris7589

May 21, 2013
3
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May 21, 2013
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The title says it all. I am a newbee in the field but have found a product I need and is not sold on the market so i guess i have to make one. I race motorcycles in the desert (Paris-Dakar style races) and for navigation you get directions like travel 3,48km in 187 degrees.

GPS modules output a NMEA datastream were i want the "Course over ground". It is expressed in degrees 1-359. I want that info on a display with good readability and large digits for example a 7block LCD. Nothing more nothing less.

I do CNC casings for a living but electronics is not my thing so i would need help to prototype the electronics....
 

sirch

Dec 6, 2012
109
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Dec 6, 2012
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109
Most GPS's desgined for walking/sailing that I have seen do exactly what you want, e.g. the Garmin ETrex series.
 

boris7589

May 21, 2013
3
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May 21, 2013
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I know, today i use a Garmin 60 series coupled to a external display so that i can read it going 60mph offroad. Crashed a month ago and destroyed both GPS and the external display which is 600€ on its own.

So i figured a 40$ GPS module some electronics and a 3 digit display enclosed in a aluminium case would both make a smaller package and be less prone to cracking when crashing.
 

sirch

Dec 6, 2012
109
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Dec 6, 2012
Messages
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Sorry, I obviously misunderstood the term "and is not sold on the market".

A Garmin Etrex can be had for £60, here's the display

garmin-etrex.jpg
 

boris7589

May 21, 2013
3
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May 21, 2013
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Good thought but the garmin display is insufficient.

That is why today most people use a Garmin GPS which has a cable output. The cable output is connected to an external CAP display showing the heading. Expensive and you have 2 devices that can malfunction.

CIMG0811.jpg
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
7,682
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Jan 5, 2010
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7,682
You would need a GPS module + a microcontroller programmed to turn a series of readings into a compass directions + the display. Not a trivial project.

Bob
 
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