software to receive gps thro USB port

[alteredoutlook]

What software do people recommend to receive GPS and AIS data through a USB port??

I'm currently using a 'lite' version of Franson GPS gate but it doesn't seem to work properly in receiving AIS data at 38400 baud rate.

What does everyone else use???

I'm wanting one to receive boat data and AIS nmea data at 38400, receive GPS position/speed/course data at 4800 and send route/waypt data at 4800 through an rs232 cable.

Oh yes I'm using Microsoft XP on an old Panasonic Toughbook and OpenCPN

thanks in advance

 

[MoodySabre]

NavmonPC is one.

 

[Amulet]

What software do people recommend to receive GPS and AIS data through a USB port??

I'm currently using a 'lite' version of Franson GPS gate but it doesn't seem to work properly in receiving AIS data at 38400 baud rate.

What does everyone else use???

I'm wanting one to receive boat data and AIS nmea data at 38400, receive GPS position/speed/course data at 4800 and send route/waypt data at 4800 through an rs232 cable.

Oh yes I'm using Microsoft XP on an old Panasonic Toughbook and OpenCPN

thanks in advance

Mmm... I'm not exactly an expert but:
1. When you say you are using RS232 and want to shove it up a USB hole in the computer, I assume you have some bit of hardware and associated software that is creating a virtual COM port (this is readily available from many sources).
2. Unless I misunderstand something fundamental, there is no way you can send two different speeds over the same line.
3. Someone will contradict me here, but... you cannot send routes using NMEA, or maybe you can, but I have never succeeded. Many pieces of software that I have played with say that they can send routes, but actually what is sent is an unconnected set of waypoints. I have conversations with software engineers at Maptech and Meridian who have both agreed that it can't be done. I send routes using the Garmin protocol. What I want is the ability to send a route to my handheld from the computer and it to arrive ready to use as a route on the handheld. None of the seven (cheapish) packages I've tested can do that.

 

[ianj99]

Mmm... I'm not exactly an expert but:
1. When you say you are using RS232 and want to shove it up a USB hole in the computer, I assume you have some bit of hardware and associated software that is creating a virtual COM port (this is readily available from many sources).
2. Unless I misunderstand something fundamental, there is no way you can send two different speeds over the same line.
3. Someone will contradict me here, but... you cannot send routes using NMEA, or maybe you can, but I have never succeeded. Many pieces of software that I have played with say that they can send routes, but actually what is sent is an unconnected set of waypoints. I have conversations with software engineers at Maptech and Meridian who have both agreed that it can't be done. I send routes using the Garmin protocol. What I want is the ability to send a route to my handheld from the computer and it to arrive ready to use as a route on the handheld. None of the seven (cheapish) packages I've tested can do that.

The OP will need a nmea to PC (serial or usb) multiplexer / interface. Shipmodul do one for around £80 - the Miniplexlite, which has 3 inputs and input 3 can be configured to receive AIS data. PC connection is via USB.

Polarnavy's Polarview chart plotter software -£70 inc all UK vector charts (AVCS) can transmit nmea waypoint data but its 'experimental' to avoid any liability if you run aground/collide.

You can transmit anything over nmea - the sending and receiving devices simply need to use the same proprietary commands. For example, the aforementioned Shipmodul multiplexer is configured from the pc using Shipmoduls unique commands.

Normally the plotter will just instruct the AP by sending the next waypoint but you can often download or upload routes from PC to plotter over nmea.

Navmonpc has a useful AIS display as well as instruments, though Polarnavy's Polarcom instruments are better looking and user configurable as well as resizeable.

 

[Conachair]

I use just a couple of serial/usb adaptors with the prolific drivers. Gps gate is free if you want something to split the signal. Might need to turn of the serial mouse in device manager to stop "crazy mouse"

edit. Ah, just reread the bit about splitting the ais signal, never needed to do anything with that, any do you need to split the signal into different ports?

 

[lotusman]

I have an ancient dell laptop running xp and raytech rns. There is one usb connection and one rs232 connection on the laptop.

I have Raymarine instruments, autohelm and gps connected to a Raymarine E85001 interface that converts their seatalk into NMEA 0183 at 4800 and viceversa.

I also have Nasa ais engine with NMEA output at 38400.

Both of these have been connected to a usb hub and plugged into the laptop and worked successfully, although it sometimes takes a bit of fiddling to make sure rns looks at the right com ports, and this regularly (but not always) needs doing on booting. I have not used any additional software or devices to convert baud rates.

Although the above works, I usually have the E85001 connected to rs232 on the laptop and the ais connected direct to usb without the hub, there is then no need to fiddle with port recognition but leaves me without any usb sockets free for memory stick, cel dongle or ipod. All of which, incidentally, will work through the hub without interference to the nmea although I do not usually attempt this while using the laptop for navigation.
I found usb/rs232 cables on ebay for under £3 which work fine.

I have a chartplotter connected to seatalk that is too old to display ais. The main use of the laptop is for planning and display of ais. Waypoints and routes exchange with no problems between laptop and chartplotter and autohelm.

Thanks to MoodySabre for the link to navmon, I’m looking forward to trying this out.

 

[Amulet]

The OP will need a nmea to PC (serial or usb) multiplexer / interface. Shipmodul do one for around £80 - the Miniplexlite, which has 3 inputs and input 3 can be configured to receive AIS data. PC connection is via USB.

I can make that work without any expensive equipement by using two USB holes in the computer and two virtual COM ports.

You can transmit anything over nmea - the sending and receiving devices simply need to use the same proprietary commands. For example, the aforementioned Shipmodul multiplexer is configured from the pc using Shipmoduls unique commands.

That is my understanding too: as you say, you cannot transmit anything which not covered by the non-proprietary sentences to an anonymous device. You have to know that the receiver speaks the same proprietary guff as the transmitter. This is a pain for the software producer. I reverse engineer it all into GPX if I want to process it using systems which I write myself.

My various GPS's are all Garmin, and none of the nav packages that I have tested can communicate route information to them using NMEA. They all require that you switch to the Garmin protocol, which works fine. However, this is a nuisance because other instruments want NMEA which means that you have to have some bits of the system communicating in Garmin-speak and some in NMEA. I like playing with these things, and have seven different bits of variously capable nav software in operation. For two of them I called up and eventually spoke to the developers, who explained the propietary problem as stated above by IanJ.

In splitting NMEA I simply solder extra wires on without any clever gizmos - the standard imposes some limit on how much you can share - can't remember. It has all worked perfectly fine for me for many years.

I wouldn't wish my solution on anyone who doesn't actually enjoy faffing around though.

 

[alteredoutlook]

NavmonPC is one.

Thanks Moody sabre for the heads up on NAVMONPC. I've had a quick play with it on my pc at home using two gps inputs to two separate usb ports and it certainly looks the business. I need to input AIS the next time on the boat to see how it behaves.

Are there any other similar and easy to use software?? I dont want to go down the multiplexor route.....

Thanks again