On Mon, 6 Sep 2010 19:37:45 +0000 (UTC), JohnF
wrote:

What's a good and not-too-expensive hardware/software combination
to use with a (bluetooth enabled) net/notebook running winxp for
a chartplotter application? Electronics on recent charter didn't
work right, and I'd like to put something together on my netbook
that's a little better than my handheld gps. I was looking at
gps receiver
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=270630743828
software
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=280312392457
Is that a good choice? And will that gps receiver play nicely
with maptech navigator lite, that came with my chartkit?
(And is there anything for linux? -- that's what I prefer running,
but dual boot my netbook with winxp for occasions where windows is
the only game in town.) Thanks,

There is a relatively new (and free) charting package called OpenCPN.
It will work with just about any GPS:

http://opencpn.org/

http://opencpn.org/download

I don't have any experience with Bluetooth GPS units, however I
recently purchased a USB GPS that I'm very happy with:

http://www.amazon.com/USGlobalSat-BU-353-WaterProof-Enabled-Receiver/dp/B000V5TV22

It is very accurate, sensitive, quick to acquire satellites,
inexpensive, small, and water proof. It has worked with every
software mapping package that I've tried it with including Maptech,
Street Map (both USA and Europe), and OpenCPN. It also comes with
utility software and drivers which create a virtual COM port, displays
the port # of the GPS unit, displays satellite info, and displays NMEA
sentences.