wrote in news:efe8693b-38f6-4f1b-a0c1-
:

I am running an XP comp. When underway, I use winlink
connections to
give position report, but when I am running my Navigation
program
(Cap'n 6.1), the GPS data is unavailable to airmail to get
position,
course and speed info. Is ther ea way to have the GPS feed
more than
one com port so that I can do this without closing the nav
program to
make GPS (or it's com port) visible to airmail? TIA Larry


Unfortunately, for you, both Winlink and Cap'n are rather stupid
programs that cannot share data coming from what both programs
THINK is an old RS-232C serial port, simultaneously. So, only
one program can read the port at a time.

Now there IS a solution! Connect up a SECOND serial port input
from the same GPS data stream the first one is using. Only
connect up the two serial INPUT pins, not output. Airmail only
needs data IN, and doesn't need data out to get GPS information.

As I suspect your computer is using USB ports disguised as serial
ports with converter cables, use two cables to prevent the stupid
softwares from confusing it. Name each pseudo-serial port with a
different com port number...say COM1 and COM2. Hook Cap'n to one
of them...Hook Winlink to the other. Don't tell them they're
wired together and they'll never know...(c;

Too bad marine software is still in the 1980s...RS-232C computers
and RS-422 data networks. How silly.

http://www.aggsoft.com/rs232-pinout-...and-signal.htm
On a 9-pin 232 connector, Data IN is pin 2.
Of course, to confuse you, on a 25 pin the data lines are
reversed. Pin 3 is Data IN on a 25 pin 232 connector, really
dumb.

The only other wire you should hook up is the data ground between
the pins...to the shield of the cable between them to reduce RF
noise tearing up your HF radios. Pin 5 on 9 pin, pin 7 on 25 pin
is data ground.

DO NOT JUST parallel two cables as two SEND lines cannot be
hooked together without trashing each other...NOT GOOD!

Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v

"Meindert Sprang" wrote in
ll.nl:

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/virtualplex-1.html

OUCH! $75 for a little virtual serial port utility?!

That's kinda HIGH!

Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v

On Wed, 5 Dec 2007 03:07:47 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

I am running an XP comp. When underway, I use winlink connections to
give position report, but when I am running my Navigation program
(Cap'n 6.1), the GPS data is unavailable to airmail to get position,
course and speed info. Is ther ea way to have the GPS feed more than
one com port so that I can do this without closing the nav program to
make GPS (or it's com port) visible to airmail? TIA Larry

If you have a spare serial port on the computer, just make a "Y" cord
to connect the GPS data out to the data in on two serial ports. Do
not connect the computer data out on the second serial connector.

One NMEA-0183 output should be able to drive at least four listeners.


--
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

Thanks all for your good responses. The short term end result is that
I have not found a solution that works easily. I have USB only ports
on my PC and am sitting in South Caicos in the midst of a passage from
the VI to FL. I am going to get underway this morning. I thought
that I had the virtualplex debugged and working, but on bringing the
PC out of hibernation when I left the fuel dock yesterday, the Cap'n
would not find GPS and I decided to uninstall the virtualplex demo so
that I would have stable GPS sig to my Nav program. This serial to
usb business has been a PITA til I got an edgeport 2 serial to USB
which has been flawless. Later, Larry

"Larry" wrote in message
...
wrote in news:efe8693b-38f6-4f1b-a0c1-
:

I am running an XP comp. When underway, I use winlink
connections to
give position report, but when I am running my Navigation
program
(Cap'n 6.1), the GPS data is unavailable to airmail to get
position,
course and speed info. Is ther ea way to have the GPS feed
more than
one com port so that I can do this without closing the nav
program to
make GPS (or it's com port) visible to airmail? TIA Larry


Unfortunately, for you, both Winlink and Cap'n are rather stupid
programs that cannot share data coming from what both programs
THINK is an old RS-232C serial port, simultaneously. So, only
one program can read the port at a time.

Now there IS a solution! Connect up a SECOND serial port input
from the same GPS data stream the first one is using. Only
connect up the two serial INPUT pins, not output. Airmail only
needs data IN, and doesn't need data out to get GPS information.

As I suspect your computer is using USB ports disguised as serial
ports with converter cables, use two cables to prevent the stupid
softwares from confusing it. Name each pseudo-serial port with a
different com port number...say COM1 and COM2. Hook Cap'n to one
of them...Hook Winlink to the other. Don't tell them they're
wired together and they'll never know...(c;

Too bad marine software is still in the 1980s...RS-232C computers
and RS-422 data networks. How silly.


Not silly. Proven and reliable technology. That's what we want in a marine
environment.
Don't confuse MS windows comport stuff with EIA and CCITT industry
standards.
Cole.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Meindert Sprang" wrote in
ll.nl:

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/virtualplex-1.html

OUCH! $75 for a little virtual serial port utility?!

That's kinda HIGH!

Larry
--

I guess you can develop a virtual serial port utility for all of us for a
lot less so we all can benefit?
Let us know when you have completed it. Then you are THE MAN!
Cole.

"Cole Maze" wrote in
:

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Meindert Sprang" wrote in
ll.nl:

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/virtualplex-1.html

OUCH! $75 for a little virtual serial port utility?!

That's kinda HIGH!

Larry
--

I guess you can develop a virtual serial port utility for all
of us
for a lot less so we all can benefit?
Let us know when you have completed it. Then you are THE MAN!
Cole.



I'M THE MAN!
http://www.brothersoft.com/downloads...rial-port.html
http://www.hw-group.com/products/hw_vsp/index_en.html
http://www.softslist.com/download-4-9-29679.html
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/B...com-ports.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COM_port_redirector
http://www.softplatz.com/freeware/virtual-serial-port/
http://www.softizer.com/
....yawn.....My clicker's tired. Go to Google and enter:
virtual serial port free
into the search engine. There's thousands for FREE....


Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v

Larry wrote in news:Xns99FED06BF8F2Fnoonehomecom@
208.49.80.253:

"Cole Maze" wrote in
:

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Meindert Sprang" wrote in
ll.nl:

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/virtualplex-1.html

OUCH! $75 for a little virtual serial port utility?!

That's kinda HIGH!

Larry
--

I guess you can develop a virtual serial port utility for all
of us
for a lot less so we all can benefit?
Let us know when you have completed it. Then you are THE MAN!
Cole.



I'M THE MAN!
http://www.brothersoft.com/downloads...rial-port.html
http://www.hw-group.com/products/hw_vsp/index_en.html
http://www.softslist.com/download-4-9-29679.html
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/B...com-ports.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COM_port_redirector
http://www.softplatz.com/freeware/virtual-serial-port/
http://www.softizer.com/
...yawn.....My clicker's tired. Go to Google and enter:
virtual serial port free
into the search engine. There's thousands for FREE....

Larry

Ah, but these aren't MARINE virtual serial ports! :-)

-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org

Geoff Schultz wrote in
:

Ah, but these aren't MARINE virtual serial ports! :-)



Ah, I see, the ship's wheel logo on the desktop icon...sorry.

That must account for the $75 pricetag....

Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v

OK, must admit...y're the MAN.
What is software worth these days...
Think I will go find another profession. Any suggestions?
Cole.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Cole Maze" wrote in
:

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Meindert Sprang" wrote in
ll.nl:

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/virtualplex-1.html

OUCH! $75 for a little virtual serial port utility?!

That's kinda HIGH!

Larry
--

I guess you can develop a virtual serial port utility for all
of us
for a lot less so we all can benefit?
Let us know when you have completed it. Then you are THE MAN!
Cole.



I'M THE MAN!
http://www.brothersoft.com/downloads...rial-port.html
http://www.hw-group.com/products/hw_vsp/index_en.html
http://www.softslist.com/download-4-9-29679.html
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/B...com-ports.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COM_port_redirector
http://www.softplatz.com/freeware/virtual-serial-port/
http://www.softizer.com/
...yawn.....My clicker's tired. Go to Google and enter:
virtual serial port free
into the search engine. There's thousands for FREE....


Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v