I have a dedicated GPS module on the USB port of my laptop. Works great and
the Capn finds the data from the GPS without a problem.. This is a one way
communication with the laptop. GPS talker, Laptop Listener.

However, if I want to send course correction via NMEA 183 sentence, they
have to go out a serial port.

I can't seem to find a way to tell The Capn to send this info out a standard
serial port, once it finds the GPS data on the USB port.

I haven't been able to get any help for Nautical Technologies since I
haven't upgraded my software since v. 7.x came out. My laptop isn't fast
enough to run the lastest version.

Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve,

The way I understand it, USB is used in place of the old 9-pin serial port
and properly configured should work just like it. Thus, particular outgoing
sentences can be sent to lots of places but are only effective for
whatever's attached that understands and is ready to receive those
particular types of output. An autopilot instruction sent to a GPS is
ignored. Similarly, even valid data reaching a GPS that's not in mode to
receive it is ignored. At least that's my take on it.

I just finished setting up a Capn 6.1 driven nav system and was concerned
about conflicts being created by having steering data sent to several
places. I learned from a couple experts that it's not a problem, although I
was working with a 9-pin serial port. If it was USB instead, I would have
set it up to work like a 9-pin port.

Len
--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.

I have a dedicated GPS module on the USB port of my laptop. Works great
and
the Capn finds the data from the GPS without a problem.. This is a one way
communication with the laptop. GPS talker, Laptop Listener.

However, if I want to send course correction via NMEA 183 sentence, they
have to go out a serial port.

I can't seem to find a way to tell The Capn to send this info out a
standard
serial port, once it finds the GPS data on the USB port.

I haven't been able to get any help for Nautical Technologies since I
haven't upgraded my software since v. 7.x came out. My laptop isn't fast
enough to run the lastest version.

Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 16:17:06 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

I have a dedicated GPS module on the USB port of my laptop. Works great and
the Capn finds the data from the GPS without a problem.. This is a one way
communication with the laptop. GPS talker, Laptop Listener.

However, if I want to send course correction via NMEA 183 sentence, they
have to go out a serial port.

I can't seem to find a way to tell The Capn to send this info out a standard
serial port, once it finds the GPS data on the USB port.

I haven't been able to get any help for Nautical Technologies since I
haven't upgraded my software since v. 7.x came out. My laptop isn't fast
enough to run the lastest version.

Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve -

I think you're screwed. FWIW, Maptech is a lot better about things
like this, though it has other drawbacks. With Offshore Navigator,
you can specify an output port to pass thru NMEA from the GPS
and another port to output autopilot commands. This I why I favor it,
even though I don't care for it otherwise.

Does the GPSr show up as a virtual comm port or as a true USB device?
If it is the latter you have no options at all that I am aware of. I
seem to recall hearing that the GPSr sold with one of the street
mapping packages is the only one that does this. I wouldn't have
thought Capn could read this. I'm pretty sure Maptech can't

If it is the former, I still can't think of an elegant solution. You
could use use my program combined with vport software to accomplish
it, but the combo would likely cost you more than a new GPS or
Offshore Navigator and add complexity to your setup.

For those wondering how Capn works with serial ports, they expect you
to use a multiplexor, NMEA interface box, or split the serial cable
into send and receive sides so the input can go to the GPSr and the
output to the autopilot. Lazy programming, in my not so humble
opinion, but it doesn't seem to bother most people.


__________________________________________________ __________
Glen "Wiley" Wilson usenet1 SPAMNIX at worldwidewiley dot com
To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at http://www.worldwidewiley.com/

I'm not sure how The Capn finds the GPS NMEA input on the USB.. It just
eventually finds it and once it does, it works fine.. (it's all magic to
me)..

I know that when I use my handheld GPS on the serial port it takes longer
for The Capn to find the port.

Your correct, this is one of the GPS modules used by the street navigation
programs but works fine inside the boat at the nav station while the
handheld has problems dealing with deck hardware and the VHF, etc. that seem
to block it's view of the satilites.

I can get the same module with a serial port input (plus some adaptor to get
power off the PS or something connector). Cost is about $80 for the either
model. Cheaper than a multiplexor or a fixed mounted GPS with external
antenna.

I purchased the special opto isolator serial cable that Nautical Tech.
'highly' recommends for the serial port 'goes-ins & goes-outs' (about $35).
Right now it's not doing any good..

Thanks to everyone for their comments and recommendations.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve wrote:
I have a dedicated GPS module on the USB port of my laptop. Works
great and the Capn finds the data from the GPS without a problem..
This is a one way communication with the laptop. GPS talker, Laptop
Listener.

However, if I want to send course correction via NMEA 183 sentence,
they have to go out a serial port.

I can't seem to find a way to tell The Capn to send this info out a
standard serial port, once it finds the GPS data on the USB port.

I haven't been able to get any help for Nautical Technologies since I
haven't upgraded my software since v. 7.x came out. My laptop isn't
fast enough to run the lastest version.

Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Change to a serial port GPS, correctly wired. Input to pin 2, output to pin
3, pin 5 grnd.

--
Remove "nospam" from return address.

All of this doesn't sound good for retaining the USB GPS input..

How about a Serial to USB converter/adaptor hardware 'thingy'.. Any thing
like that around, where I could take the NMEA out, off the connector before
it goes to the converter??

Probably cost more than the Serial GPS module though.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

"Steve" wrote in message
...
All of this doesn't sound good for retaining the USB GPS input..

How about a Serial to USB converter/adaptor hardware 'thingy'.. Any thing
like that around, where I could take the NMEA out, off the connector
before
it goes to the converter??

Well, technically it would be possible. A device, quite a bit more
'intelligent' than a standard USB-serial converter would have to be
programmed to listen in on the communication between the GPS and the laptop.
This would require several hours of programming by a skilled USB firmware
programmer. So for that price, you could even buy 1 or 2 new laptops :-)

Regards,
Meindert

Steve, what is the operating system or dos? you know xp does not support
serial ports.
ray

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I have a dedicated GPS module on the USB port of my laptop. Works great
and
the Capn finds the data from the GPS without a problem.. This is a one way
communication with the laptop. GPS talker, Laptop Listener.

However, if I want to send course correction via NMEA 183 sentence, they
have to go out a serial port.

I can't seem to find a way to tell The Capn to send this info out a
standard
serial port, once it finds the GPS data on the USB port.

I haven't been able to get any help for Nautical Technologies since I
haven't upgraded my software since v. 7.x came out. My laptop isn't fast
enough to run the lastest version.

Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

I'm running 2000 Pro.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 15:58:23 -0500, "rayjking"
wrote:

Steve, what is the operating system or dos? you know xp does not support
serial ports.
ray

Where'd you hear that? I'm posting from an XP system with a serial
port.

__________________________________________________ __________
Glen "Wiley" Wilson usenet1 SPAMNIX at worldwidewiley dot com
To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at http://www.worldwidewiley.com/