Free software to read my NMEA data

[demonboy]

Regarding my continuing adventures with NMEA......

Upon a suggestion for capturing my Navtex data I realise that this will probably only capture the forecasts. So I think I need another app that'll grab the log data, which is also recorded by my Navtex (and the plotter too of course). What should I load on my laptop to capture this data? All I want to do is dload the hourly log data of COG, SOG blah blah blah.....

Any suggestions?

[Sorry, I should add that I've never done this before so I might be missing a trick here. Perhaps the NMEA data is just downloaded into a simple txt file rather than some elaborate bit of software?]

 

[Guest]

Now just had a thought ... if you are using a Charting software like Seaclear / Maptech / Maxsea etc ? It has the facility to log this data itself ... as part of the charting .... It produces a txt file that is readable in Notepad etc.

So why not do it that way ? If you are running the PC anyway ?

 

[mtettmar]

If all you want is the raw NMEA data then just use any terminal client, like HyperTerminal which comes with Windows.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
If all you want is the raw NMEA data then just use any terminal client, like HyperTerminal which comes with Windows.

[/ QUOTE ]

Funny you say that ... my windows didn't have Hyperterminal installed and it was a full OEM installation when PC bought - I had to download it of the web and install ... which IMHO was a waste of time in the end ... as I found Charting software have much better NMEA readers ....

 

[mtettmar]

Yes, most charting software have decent nmea loggers. But I wasn't sure if the OP just wanted the raw data. If so any serial terminal prog would do the job.

 

[Talbot]

May I draw your attention to a bit of software called Franson GPSGate. It is designed to take a single gps signal in through a com port and then provide multiple outputs of the same data - either internally through virtual ports, or externally through another comm port. I use it to simultaneously feed the gps signal to my chart plotter and AIS plotter on the laptop.

However, in addition to that, it has two other nifty tools, a nmea logger and a gps simulator. now whether that will allow logging of other nmea information on another port, I doubt, but if you are multiplexing them together and in through the same port, it shouldnt be a problem. more advanced data than this will have to be researched yourself.

 

[demonboy]

Sorry, I've been away all day. Just got back. What I should have made a little clearer is this:

I don't use my laptop whilst saililng. What I'd like to do is after a sail, plug in the laptop and download the recorded log data from the Navtex for my own records. Nothing to do with running the laptop and displaying the NMEA data whilst sailing. Sorry for confusion.

Any ideas?

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, I've been away all day. Just got back. What I should have made a little clearer is this:

I don't use my laptop whilst saililng. What I'd like to do is after a sail, plug in the laptop and download the recorded log data from the Navtex for my own records. Nothing to do with running the laptop and displaying the NMEA data whilst sailing. Sorry for confusion.

Any ideas?

[/ QUOTE ]

Mmmm interesting ... what about contacting the Navtex engine company - see what they say ? It must have a suitable program for the job - as why else do it ?

 

[Talbot]

see if http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/docs/ActiveTcl/8.4/tcllib/nmea/nmea.html meets the requirement