On Sat, 07 May 2005 07:57:54 -0400, Jack Erbes
wrote:


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

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

Doug

"Jsp" wrote in message
...
Doug Dotson wrote:
Check out www.keyspan.com

"Jsp" wrote in message
...

Leanne wrote:

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



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" wrote in message
...
Jsp wrote:
Doug Dotson wrote:
Check out www.keyspan.com

"Jsp" wrote in message
...

Leanne wrote:

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



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!

Depends upon your point of view.

--
Digital Photo-charts fo all UK areas.
Remove 'nospam' to reply.

"Jack Erbes" wrote in message
...
Jsp wrote:

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.

Where does A/D conversion come into the picture?

Jack


--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

"Peter Bennett" wrote in message
news.com...
On Sat, 07 May 2005 07:57:54 -0400, Jack Erbes
wrote:


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.

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

--
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

On Sat, 07 May 2005 11:31:37 GMT, "Dennis Pogson"
wrote:


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

Doug Dotson wrote:

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 a

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

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

"Jack Erbes" wrote in message
...
Doug Dotson wrote:

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.

It's usually a microprocessor with tranceivers for both the serial and USB
side. The conversion fromserial-USB is not trivial enough for a simple
tranceiver or bridge.

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 a

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.

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

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote in message
...

"Peter Bennett" wrote in message
news.com...
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.

That depends on the implementation the manufacturer chose. If the device has
a unique serial number, it will appear with the same com port on any USB
port. If not (cheaper, no ROM chip needed) it will indeed change com port
number if you change USP port.

Meindert

"Meindert Sprang" wrote in
:

cheaper, no ROM chip needed

Cheap? Us?! BOATERS?!!!