GPS Mice

[stevebrassett]

This is a subject that has come up before, but I cannot find an answer. Has anyone
managed to interface one of these cheap GPS mouse receivers to a DSC VHF?

How was the wiring done, and was there any issues with NMEA versions?

How did you power the GPS receiver?

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[Talbot]

most of the cheap GPS mice are USB . It would be MUCH easier to extract the proper NMEA signals from a serial connector.

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[stevebrassett]

Probably true, but a USB connection appears to be only 4 wires - two
power and 2 data. I wondered how easy it would be with a soldering iron
to rig up something that worked. I also wondered whether the NMEA sequences
were fairly standard, or caused problems.

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[Talbot]

your problem is in providing the power required by the receiver.

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[TrueBlue]

FWIW, and I'm possibly wrong, BUT USB is essentially a sort of network, in that each device identifies it self to the multitude of ports that a PC has. Whereas a serial device being point to point doesn't need to.

When you configure a serial device on a PC you allocate the COM port to that device. For a USB device you don't specify anything.

It may be that there is extra data in the stream sent by the USB device that will confuse a NMEA 'receiver'.

Definitely "off the top"; but don't assume that a send / receive pair of wires is all you need.

Just another thought an USB mouse will draw its power from the USB cabling; NMEA cables are signal only.

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Stop what you're doing and wait my signal

 

[stevebrassett]

I thought it might be a bit more complicated than I first supposed. That
is why I asked if anyone had done it before spending too much cash.

Thanks for the replies.

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[Avocet]

I bought a "SirfStar" one off Ebay for about £40 and have interfaced it to an XM DSC with no problems. It came with a USB connector but if you cut the plug off the end, there will be enough wires to do what you want. By all means PM me if you have a "Sirfstar" mouse and an XM DSC and I'll give you the wire colours. I've an idea the Sirfstar will be the same as the "Haicom" in terms of wire indentification.

As far as power is concerned, I've just got 4 AA dry cells in a holder. I reckon they will last me at least one season and it's completely immune to engine interference. When I go sailing, I just velcro the "mouse" to the top of the coachroof and plug in my battery pack.

The XM radio had only two wires for connecting to a GPS - helpfully labelled "GPS +" and "GPS -". XM were no help whatsoever - didn't even answer my e-mail asking for technical help but once I'd identified the power cables for the "mouse" I didn't have many combinations left to try!

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[stevebrassett]

That's great, thanks. I haven't bought either, yet, but I wanted reassurance that
it can at least be done. I like the suggestion about the battery power. I shall start
bidding on Ebay for a GPS antenna, and the radio is being bought over the winter.

Thanks again.

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[yalonde]

I'm new to this forum and have a question regarding gps mouse, I have a sirfstar usb gps connected to an IBM Thinkpad running Offshore Navigator, I also have an XM Dsc/Vhf radio and need to interface the lot, any idea's. The IBM has only Usb ports. the usb mouse and the computer/software work fine.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by yalonde on 25/10/2004 21:42 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

Try the GPS Group .....

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/searider/

 

[Avocet]

Don't know about interfacing all three because I took the USB plug off the Sirfstar to connect it to the radio. I'll root out the wire colours and post them when i get a minute.

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[Avocet]

If it helps, looking at the Mini-DIN connector that joins the cable out of the Sirfsar to the USB connector,

The colours and pin assignments on mine were:

Pin 1 (orange wire) Not used
Pin 2 (green wire) +ve feed 4-9v
Pin 3 (yellow wire) connect to XM radio "GPS -"
Pin 4 (red wire) -ve feed
Pin 5 (blue wire) connect to XM radio "GPS +"
Pin 6 (black wire) not used





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